✨3.75 stars✨

This was a quick and easy read. The plot was very fast-paced and didn’t require too much thinking so if you like books like that I think you’ll really enjoy this book.

I did predict one of the reveals but not all of them so that kept me guessing!

I have read most of the author’s books and they’ve all been enjoyable but not overly memorable so if you’re looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump then this could be the book for you. Also if you’re a fan of the author’s other works then I would recommend giving this one a go!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this book we follow Kat and her mother Jamie as they embark on one last heist before they intend to go straight. On their way to said heist, they bump into Jamie's 48 hour husband and his son, who unknowingly are also on their way to the same location. From here, anything that can go wrong basically does and the situation gets more and more messed up and even includes a murder!

Although this book is a YA, with Kat being 16, this book isn't set in a school environment which I felt made it better for me as I could imagine the characters as more sort of twenty somethings instead. I think this therefore lends itself to a wider audience.
I found this easy to follow what was going on, who was who etc. There's nothing worse than a thriller that just throws too much information at you or a surprise twist that doesn't really makes sense happens - so this book being easy to follow was appreciated. I feel like some people might be able to guess the twists if they really wanted to but I was happy to let the book tell me the story and just go with it.

I've not read anything by this author before, although I do own some of their other books, so I am looking forward to picking those up.

I've had the fortune of reading most of KM's previous novels, and my excitement for this latest adventure was immeasurable. This young adult mystery features a sophisticated plot with a tempo that guides the reader through its many surprises and disclosures. Just as you believe the enigma is unraveled, another unexpected twist emerges. The trio of main teenage characters and their emerging friendship truly captivated me.

I extend my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC).

This was a little slow at first, but once the action picked up it got a lot more enjoyable and fast paced. The mystery was really twisty and there were a lot of things happening, but it still felt predictable and a little unfinished. Regardless, I enjoyed the heist vibes and the pacing a lot, I just wish there was more character development and less basic plotting, especially around the history, as there are only brief flashbacks in the chapters, regarding the heist crew and the family they're targeting despite them being the main plot of the story.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

That was a fun thriller with interesting twists and character dynamics. I loved how the main characters interacted - they truly were slibing in spirit!

This was an extraordinary book that kept my attention from start to finish. The story revolves around Kat and Liam who were tied together from a 48 hour marriage between their parents, and then find themselves at the same place years later.

The characters in this book are exceptionally well-crafted. Each one is multi-dimensional, with their own unique backgrounds, personalities, and hidden agendas. The author does a fantastic job of delving into their minds, making them feel incredibly real. Their interactions are authentic, and the dynamics between them are complex and compelling. I absolutely loved Kat, she’s my favourite with Liam a close second. I also really liked Augustus, he was the smart and funny guy they needed.

The plot is incredible and is full of suspense. The author expertly plants clues and red herrings throughout the story, that kept me guessing and theorizing, which I was wrong about btw. The pacing is perfect, with just the right amount of tension and release to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The themes explored in the book are thought-provoking and relevant. The author touches on issues of trust, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. These themes are woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding depth and resonance to the story.

In conclusion, Such Charming Liars is a brilliantly crafted novel that showcases Karen M. McManus's talent as a storyteller. It’s a thrilling ride filled with suspense, complex characters, and unexpected twists.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for GR.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told from the point of view of Kat and her step brother Liam.
Kat and her mum (Jamie) are jewel thieves and grifters, Liam has recently moved in with his dad (Luke), who scams women on online dating sites for money, after the death of his mum.
Luke and Jamie previously met in Vegas where they got married and made some bad decisions that lead to Kat and Liam wandering the streets of Vegas at a very young age. Kat and Liam never thought they’d see each other again until their newest heist happens to be stealing Jewellery from the family of Luke’s newest conquest.

This was a fun story that was well written and kept me gripped throughout, the characters were interesting and felt real in that they were flawed and complex. However, I wasn’t a fan of Jamie at all, I know she was supposed to be redeemed at the end but I feel as though it wasn’t enough to see past the lack of parental responsibility she showed towards Kat.

I was also disappointed by the reveal that Annalise was a bad person. She seemed to be the only adult that was looking out for Liam and actively trying to get to know him, she even seemed to recognise that his dad was a bad father and was going to provide him with some stability in the aftermath. But of course there had to be another twist that ruined that and made her a terrible person by attempting to blackmail a child.

So yes, I enjoyed the premise and the writing but I would have liked a few less twists and reveals because eventually it just was too much.

This is a fast paced young adult mystery that holds the reader's attention throughout, despite the fact that it deals with a fairly familiar trope. And with it, McManus has once again delivered another edition to her rapidly growing collection of highly readable stories!

This time she takes on the classic theme of a heist that goes wrong. Kat and Liam are both the children of con artists, with an unexpected connection, who find themselves at the home of a billionaire, where Kat's mother is about to undertake one last score and Liam's father has his own plans...

When things go badly wrong, Kat, Liam and Augustus - excellent characters, all three - find themselves unexpectedly working together. But can even their joint efforts deliver them all from a dangerously unpredictable situation?

This is a twisty action-packed story that will be enjoyed by fans of murder mysteries, YA fiction and heist stories. Highly recommended.

I highly recommend this book to fans of young adult mystery thrillers!

The book delves into the world of mother-daughter grifters whose final heist takes a deadly and dangerously personal turn.

I thoroughly enjoyed Such Charming Liars. Though the story took a while to build momentum, the initial slow pace was necessary for setting up the intricate background, building suspense, and developing the characters. Once the plot hit its stride, particularly in the last forty percent, it became utterly unputdownable. As a devoted murder mystery enthusiast, I did manage to predict the ending, but that did not detract from the thrilling journey.

Karen McManus remains a go-to author for me, consistently delivering gripping stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Thank you so much to Penguin for providing me with this ARC. Such Charming Liars is another stellar addition to McManus's repertoire.

Such Charming Liars is a fast-paced, twisty, mystery-filled thriller. Many times I thought I knew where the story was going, but I didn't! It starts off as a heist, a classic 'last job' before getting out, but things get complicated very quickly. It was so action-packed and suspenseful that I ended up reading this much quicker than I expected. One of those books where you just want to get to the ending, and keep reading one more chapter.

Highly recommended to fans of YA mysteries and thriller, and fans of Karen M. McManus' other books.

I’ve never failed to read a book by this author yet so every new release is an instant addition to the add to read list. She’s at the very top of her genre of young adult, murder mystery type dramas and I’ve always enjoyed her stories. This one was the best addition yet!

Such Charming Liars is not only a great title but has a great mystery thriller plot to sink your eyeballs into. We have high stakes heist, double crossing and a twisting tale, it really was a fab read.

We get to know the complicated lives of Kat and Liam and we know things are going to go down and keep us reading on. It’s addicting and utterly compelling and I’m glad I slowed this one down a bit to enjoy for longer. I both wanted to race through it to see how it was going to end and take my time so I didn’t finish it too quickly! The pacing was just perfect and I really enjoyed the story.

Have to admit, I think this one might be my favourite book by Karen M McManus so far, without a doubt!

Teenagers Kat and Liam find themselves at a party in a billionaire’s compound having tagged along with their respective parents’ nefarious schemes. Kat’s mum Jamie is on a final “job” before going straight whilst Liam’s dad Luke is a conman up to his usual tricks. When someone dies at the party, what should have been a fairly straightforward heist turns into something much more deadly for Kat and her mum.
This YA mystery has a complex plot but the pacing is perfectly pitched so that the reader can keep up with all the twists, turns and reveals. When you think the mystery is solved, there is yet another layer and another player to be discovered. I loved the relationship between the teenagers in this book as they gradually work out who to trust.
I have read other books by Karen McManus and for me, this is the best yet.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for my review!

Karen M McManus is an author whose books I have read over the years and this book is different from her other books and I think this may be my favourite one out of all of her books, a young adult heist turned murder mystery? I loved it.

I really enjoyed this! Reading about a heist is different for me and it was great to see it all unfold and end up turning into a murder mystery.

A heist turned deadly? I’m in! It hooked me as soon as I read the first page.

The book definitely had my brain on over drive trying to work out who did what and why and how are they connected some of it was easy for me to figure out but then there’s some parts in it that wasn’t easy to guess and there is definitely a big plot twist

Kat is raised by her mother - Jamie - who works for Gem at Spotless, Gem makes replicas of fake jewellery, and this next heist is a pretty big one with having to swap a really expensive necklace with a fake one so Jamie gets ready to go and says it’s her last job for Gem and Kat lies to go with, when they get there Jamie can’t do the heist and Kat tries to do it herself and ends up finding herself witnessing a murder.

Kat Liam and Augustus, I loved them! The three of them working together was great.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is and isn’t a fan of Karen M McManus, I loved the writing style as usual and it’s super easy to visualise exactly what she is writing.

I’ve had this authors books on my tbr for quite a while so when I saw this on netgalley I thought I’d give it a go.
It took me a few chapters to get into but once the story started moving I couldn’t put it down.
It was twisty and utterly compelling.
I liked Kat, I felt sorry for her and her mums bad past which led to questionable choices which made me root for them through the story.
I loved Liam and Augustus.
The story was quick paced and with so much happening it kept me hooked and wanting to know what was coming next right down the last page.
I will definitely be recommending this book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this earc from the publisher via netgalley but this has in no way influenced my review nor opinion.

Karen M McManus does it again with this heist/murder mystery.

I loved the main characters of Kat and Liam, both dealing with different familial issues, but both drawn to protecting each other. With McManus’ usual easy to ready writing style, I flew through this book in a morning, hooked in trying to find out what happens next and solve the mystery.

Fans of other Karen M McManus works will not be disappointed in this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children for the ARC.

Loved this. A fun, twisty, fast-paced YA jewellery heist that turns into a murder mystery. Great plot, unexpected twists and easy, bingeable writing.

Jewel thieves, con men & murder! Perfection.

Kat’s mom is a jewel thief who wants to go straight, but first she needs to pull off her last heist.

Liam’s dad is a conman with a big fish on his hook, his latest mark, Anelise, is the daughter of a billionaire with a fantastic jewellery collection.

When chance throws Kat & Liam together at said billionaires’ fancy compound for the weekend, it isn’t the first time they have met: their parents were married for 48 hours when they were younger, and they’re surprised to find their old connection is still mutual. For their parents’ plans to work they should stay away from each other but things turn deadly and have to rely on each other, their wits, & Anelise’s handsome nephew to survive.

I have read most of the authors previous books & this is well up to her usual standards. I highly recommend this stand alone book, it’s twisty & thrilling. I can’t wait for the authors next release.

Unfortunately I struggled to get into the storm and becoming invested with this. I usually do enjoy Karen’s books but unfortunately I didn’t manage to connect with this.
The writing as always was great and the story was intriguing but something about it was enjoyable for me. I found myself not looking forward to read it and actually dreading it more than anything. Plus it felt as though there was a loooot of characters I got mixed up.
Thank you for the arc! :)

I read this in only a matter of days, it was very good! Karen McManus distances herself from her usual kind of mysteries: this is the story of a heist and I must say, it much more realistic than her other novels (a point in ber favour).
The characters were lovable but I simply don't understand why there must always be a romantic subplot. Can't people who have just met each other just be friends?
The story was entertaining, the mother-daughter relationship was well developed.

Overall, I must say, well done!

A really entertaining read for lovers of YA fiction, the twists and counter-twists are excellently plotted and the action never stops. Kat starts off as a little flaky, making foolish choices and taking unnecessary risks and I had to keep reminding myself that she's only 16 but once I started to go with the flow I very quickly got absorbed in the story. A great cast of characters and some very witty dialogue between the three teenagers make for an excellent story.