I love a good thriller and this one did not disappoint. From the start I was hooked and was eager to know where the story was going. I did find myself picking up on some of the clues and because of that I found myself flying through the pages to see if I was correct about my theories. The last quarter of this book was a wild ride that I flew through. All in all, I devoured this book in a matter of hours. I thought it was really well constructed story that had all the twists and turns that you would expect from a thriller.

I really wanted to enjoy this as the concept was good but the execution was poor. I like the tweets, blogs and news articles, and I liked the jumping between timeframes and perspectives, but when I started counting the ‘smirks’ (over 25) I knew the book had lost me. Is it the favourite word of one author or did they both overpopulate the book? It’s a shame because the premise is strong, but it needed a much tighter edit.

Rumoured by Kelly and Christina Mancaruso, this is about gossip reporter Naomi investigating the murder charges of an Uber Taylor Swift like celebrity Harlow Hayes, who has been arrested for murder. while scouring the Internet for more info she falls up on a conspiracy theory that almost seems too unbelievable to be true but the more she investigates the theory the more she believes it to be a fact. when she finds out Harlow has been released and the charges have been dropped the POV changes to that of her sister because her sister died in a house fire and at first Naomi thought her to be one of Harlow‘s victims. The more Naomi answers the questions the more questions they are by the time it’s over Naomi will believe she’s living a conspiracy theory that can’t possibly be true. This was one crazy wild ride of a book I had no clue where the book was going but I do want to say I loved the beginning with Naomi her investigation etc but for some reason when it’s switched to the second half it didn’t keep my attention until it got towards the ending and the conclusion which was an OMG drop of a moment. I do recommend this book especially for those who love Taylor Swift and considered their self Swiftys because Harlo absolutely reminds me of her from the Easter Eggs how much she loves her fans etc I really couldn’t decide if I loved this book or hated it but I definitely absolutely recommend it. #NetGalli, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #ChristinaManCaruso, #KellyCaruso, #Rumoured,

Rumoured is one of those rare thrillers that hooks you with its premise and keeps delivering right up to the final page. It’s slick, sharp, and seriously addictive. Told through the eyes of investigative journalist Naomi Barnes, the story follows the arrest of global pop icon Harlow Hayes—whose lyrics, lifestyle, and alleged crime all blur the lines between truth, image, and identity.

What sets this debut apart is its clever structure: social media threads, gossip columns, interviews, and song lyrics are woven seamlessly into the narrative, making the reading experience feel like you’re scrolling through a real-time scandal. The commentary on celebrity culture, conspiracy theories, and the dark underbelly of fame is bang on. Think Yellowface meets Daisy Jones with a side of Gone Girl chaos.

Naomi is a brilliantly fleshed-out protagonist—driven, flawed, and utterly compelling. Her personal connection to the case adds emotional depth, and the twists (and Easter eggs!) are perfectly paced.

This is going to be the thriller of summer 2025. Dark, dazzling, and disturbingly believable.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC.

📕 ASH’S RATING: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibes: Pop Culture, Tinseltown Thriller, Celeb Drama

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I’m a tragic pop culture kind of gal (give me celeb goss, Daily Mail updates and behind the scenes scandal any day) so I was already hooked by this book’s cover and tagline before I even opened it.

Rumoured is a twisty thriller meets Hollywood popstar mashup and I’m here for that combo. I found myself not wanting to put it down as I was keen to see where it was heading next. It had that addictive “just one more chapter” vibe going for it.

That said, the storytelling was a little messy at times. The narrative jumped between fictional news articles, autopsy reports, investigation notes and even song lyrics. It was a unique structure but tricky to follow at times and I did get a bit lost. Keeping up with two timelines and date stamped articles made me feel like I needed my own whiteboard and red string.

This plot was promising but by the end I found myself having a lot of unanswered questions and questioning the credibility of some parts of the story. Still, it kept me engaged and the subtle ‘easter eggs’ hidden throughout (hello, Swiftie style clues!) were a fun touch for fellow pop culture tragics.

This book gave me similar vibes to The Close Up by Pip Drysdale so if that’s your style or you’re really into pop culture, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Thanks to Head of Zeus for the advance peek before it hits shelves in July!

Pop icon & Grammy winner Harlow Hayes is arrested for murder. Tabloid journalist Naomi Barnes, who still grieves the death of her sister, is to cover the story. Is Harlow Hayes really a cold-blooded killer?
You could tell the fun Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso had writing Rumoured and the deep sisterly bond they share is palpable throughout the book in the MC and her relationship with her sister.
Well, I've got to admit that the story lost me a bit toward the end, it required a huge amount of suspension of disbelief. Things just do not work this way in real life, and the ending panned out way too perfectly. I also don't necessarily think this is a thriller. Rumoured feels more like a contemporary mixed-media kind of story with a bit of a mystery element (and many Easter Eggs!) mixed in. The cover is stunning. A fast-paced, fun & addictive read. 3,5 of 5 stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Aria & Aries, for the chance to read a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this modern and on trend book - it was really interesting to follow Naomi as she investigated the murders and tried to get to the truth. I enjoyed the fact we were learning everything from her perspective as a reporter rather than the usual police investigation. And the personal twist added an extra intrigue! The book was full of lots of twists and turns and it certainly kept me guessing. The final reveal was a shocking and satisfying and I'm hoping there will be a second book in the series!

Really enjoyed this. It could be seen as a young person read but I’m 54 and loved it. I really thought I’d worked it out but absolutely not!
The characters, especially Naomi, are really well written. I feel like I know her now. It’s a proper rollercoaster and the ending is fabulous.
Great debut. Look forward to more.

A captivating page turner with surprising twists, I really enjoyed #RUMOURED

Harlow Hayes: the pop star.
The icon…
The murderer 🎤🕶️🔪

I found the premise for this book irresistible & it did not disappoint!

It was fast paced, full of wild twists & I enjoyed how it explored the darker side of fame.

I also enjoyed the articles, interviews and social media posts included in the book and I loved how the lyrics in Harlow Hayes songs finally revealed the truth.

Thank you for my ARC 🩷🩵

Outstanding Debut..
Is Harlow Hayes, the pop star global phenomenon, a killer? How much does anyone know about her? After all, the world is riddled with fake news. Who even is she? Relayed effectively through a multi mixed array of news media inserts, social media snippets and the perspective of an investigative journalist narrative this outstanding debut is as entertaining as it is darkly immersive whilst still providing a compelling social commentary. A real rollercoaster.

Harlow Hayes is a global sensation, adored by many. Harlow seemed to be ascending into greatness. As a public figure, the fans felt they knew her through her music. She was arrested for murder and the story finally unfolds.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for providing me with an ARC of this book. This novel explores some really fascinating concepts, especially with its take on the intertwined nature of true crime and the entertainment industry. I enjoyed how it tied in different artists and real-world elements into itself. The premise was enough to keep me intrigued, and it’s clear the authors have the skill for crafting creative ideas.

That said, while the concepts were strong, the execution felt uneven at times. Huge portions of this book require a lot of suspension of disbelief. The writing leaned heavily on direct, point-by-point narration, which occasionally lacked emotional depth. As a result, many scenes felt expository as opposed to fully realized. Similarly, there were noticeable plot conveniences that strained credibility—like the protagonist overhearing critical information at just the right time. Character traits often seemed to emerge only when the plot demanded them (even then only as a throwaway line) which made the characters feel a bit improvised.

Despite these challenges, I see potential in the authors - there's clearly a lot of passion behind the book, and the flaws aren't anything that can't be fixed with a little work on their craft

A perfect beach read bubblegummy and full of gossip. If you love celebrity read this its a page turner.

Great mystery! So much fun to read, If you think you know when Rep TV is dropping and WHY this is the book for you.

An interesting concept for a novel, consisting of murder, conspiracy theories and more! It could have gone one of two ways, but it was clearly well thought out and planned and is gripping from the first note! When you think you have it all figured out, there are more twists and turns to keep you guessing until the last page! It is a book that you wish you could read again and again for the first time.

Rumoured

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC!

I was immediately drawn to Rumoured from the blurb. I am a pop culture addict - I’ve been gulping down celebrity gossip since I was old enough to buy Heat Magazine and log on to the Mail Online’s showbiz sidebar. So I knew I’d like this: celebrity meets murder.

In Rumoured, we meet Naomi, a journalist grappling with her sister’s death, who catches the biggest story of her career when pop icon Harlow Hayes is arrested for murder. Who’s the victim? Did she do it? Is all what it seems?

Over the course of the story, the authors unravel the secrecy and deception surrounding the world of Harlow, and keep you guessing throughout.

I really enjoyed this book - it flowed seamlessly, despite being written by two authors, which I always find so impressive, with great pacing and twists and turns.

The addition of social media posts and articles really helped make the story more immersive, adding some realism in the form of the infamous internet armchair detectives.

As a Swiftie, I enjoyed the Easter eggs throughout and I know readers will have fun with this!

A fun thriller that fellow celebrity culture fans will love!

A fantastic novel about celebrity journalist Naomi Barnes who is tasked with covering the arrest of global pop superstar Harlow Hayes.

It's a great story packed with twists and turns.

This was a great piece of writing! I loved the characters and the suspense. I will be looking out for this author more!

Fantastic book. I loved the storyline line, & the characters . Kept me up all night as I couldn't put it down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn’t love this. I found it too far-fetched for my liking and the characters two-dimensional. Apologies that I can’t give this a better review, but thanks to the publisher for giving me access to this ARC in return for an honest review.