Hi all! 

Today I am going to review Karen McManus’s latest release: Two Can Keep A Secret. You may remember this author’s debut novel: One Of Us Is Lying. I absolutely loved that book when it came out. You can check out my mini-review for it here. That book had some serious Breakfast Club vibes, whereas this one, felt very Pretty Little Liars meets Riverdale. If you’re interested in acquiring a copy, please click here. I will be keeping this review entirely spoiler-free. Without further ado, let’s get into it! 

THE PLOT 

Echo Ridge is a small town on the Canadian border. It’s beautiful, picturesque and filled with secrets. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age 17. Now, Ellery and her twin brother, Ezra, have to move there to live with a grandmother they barely know. The new school year is set to start, but before it even does, someone has declared open-season on whoever is crowned the illustrious title of homecoming queen. Echo Ridge is the one place you do not want to be popular. Will Ellery discover what happened to her aunt Sarah before it’s too late? Will history repeat itself?

THE CHARACTERS 

Similar to One of Us is Lying, Karen introduces a plethora of characters, which can make it difficult to keep up. On the flip side, it adds to the richness of the plot. I believe it’s important to have plenty of suspects in a murder mystery, so you can be kept guessing. This book is told from two points of view: our protagonist Ellery, and Malcolm, the younger brother of Declan, who was the main suspect in his ex-girlfriend’s murder five years ago. Ellery is obsessed with true crime, having never been told much about her aunt’s disappearance as a child. Malcolm is a talented drummer in the school band. The pair find one another in the new school year and together, they strive to solve the mystery of the homecoming killer. Their search becomes especially urgent, when yet another teen queen goes missing.

THE WRITING STYLE 

 Karen McManus is a brilliant writer. She is able to keep her readers on their toes, creating a world worthy of a Netflix mini-series. Honestly, both her books felt incredibly cinematic to me. Her characters are diverse, coming from a range of backgrounds and cultures. She is an expert at pacing, making sure her plot twists are not too predictable. I particularly loved the ending. The very last line of the book will have you gasping. That’s all I’m going to say! You’ll have to read it yourself, to find out what happens. I don’t really have anything negative to say about this story. It was well-developed, action-packed and extremely enjoyable. I am trash for teen thrillers, let’s be real. I hope anyone who reads it, loves it as much as I did. 

STAR RATING 

I gave this page-turner 5/5 stars! 

I hope you enjoyed this honest, spoiler-free review. Feel free to order a copy from the link above.

Thank you for reading

Peace & Love xoxo