Hello, reader!

I’m very excited to bring you my blog tour stop for one of my most anticipated books of 2021: You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus! McManus is my favorite YA mystery/thriller author, so you know when The Write Reads put out a call for bloggers to participate in the tour for her newest book, I jumped at the chance. There was no way I was missing out on this one! I’m so happy I got a spot, too, because this book was incredible.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Before we get to my post, I have some thank yous to address. First, thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads and all the behind-the-scenes folks for giving me a spot on this tour and all the work they put into making them run smoothly. Second, I want to thank the publisher, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my participation and an honest review. It is, as always, much appreciated!

Now, let’s get to my post!

---

---

---

“From the author of One of Us Is Lying comes a brand new addictive thriller.

Ivy, Mateo and Cal used to be close – best friends back in middle school.

Now all they have in common is a bad day. So for old time’s sake they skip school together – one last time.

But when the trio spot Brian ‘Boney’ Mahoney ditching class too, they follow him – right into a murder scene.

They all have a connection to the victim. And they’re ALL hiding something.

When their day of freedom turns deadly, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out . . .

It’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with murder, perfect for fans of One Of Us Is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder. This explosive new thriller is impossible to put down.”

---

Author Links

Website::Twitter::Instagram

---

What can I say other than Karen M. McManus has done it again? The Queen of Teen Crime has solidified her position as one of my favorite authors with yet another incredible page-turner!

In this novel, we’re following three POVs: Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. These three high schoolers used to be close after a random adventure started their friendship. They have drifted apart since then, but one chance encounter in the parking lot brings them back together. But this impromptu skip day turns into the worst day of their lives when they stumble into a crime that affects all of their lives.

If you need to know how to write a page-turner, you can’t go wrong studying one of Karen M. McManus’s books. This one is no exception! I practically flew through this book. There is just something about the way she paces her stories and the way she handles her multiple-POV tales that is absolutely entrancing. It helps that all of her chapters end with cliffhangers so you have to keep reading! I found it hard to put this one down.

I think what also helps is that the author has a gift of writing compelling, believable characters. Ivy, Mateo, and Cal are fascinating to watch navigate this story. They’re all flawed and intriguing and read very much like the teens that they are. They make bad decisions and all I can think is “Yeah… I probably would have done the same thing at that age.” I think that’s why it’s so easy to relate to her characters and connect with them. And that’s what makes me love this book even more.

The fact that it’s set in the city where I lived certainly helped, too. I’m a sucker for books set near/where I live! I love being able to relate to certain things (the 3:30 pm rush hour traffic… 😣) and recognize certain landmarks (shoulda gone to the Aquarium). This is a little and specific thing, but I loved it!

The one thing that brought this down a teensy bit for me was the ending. I felt so unsatisfied! Like there should have been a few more chapters (or maybe another book 👀) to really get to the finish line. But, as far as I know, this is a standalone and now the question of what could happen after that last sentence is gonna haunt me forever!

Final thoughts: If you’re looking for a fast-paced, gripping mystery/thriller that will keep you guessing from beginning to end, you can’t go wrong with You’ll Be the Death of Me! This was a perfectly paced, intrigued story that kept me gripped from page one! I loved the plot, I loved the characters, and I loved the Boston setting. The ending left me feeling a tad bit unsatisfied, but, overall the story was incredible! If you are a fan of YA mystery/thrillers, you have to give this one a read!

Star rating: