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Such Charming Liars
The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.
For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.
Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.
Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.
Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.
For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.
Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.
Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.
Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 30, 2024
1304 people are currently reading
42651 people want to read
About the author
Karen M. McManus
42 books36.9k followersHi, and thanks for stopping by my Goodreads page! I don't visit this site often, so the best way to reach me is via my website at www.karenmcmanus.com or on Instagram, where I'm @writerkmc.
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Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, Nothing More to Tell, and Such Charming Liars. Karen’s critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages. To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Instagram.
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Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, Nothing More to Tell, and Such Charming Liars. Karen’s critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages. To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Instagram.
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November 21, 2023My next book is coming your way July 30, 2024!
May 1, 2025
YA mystery queen McManus returns with a twisty thriller that you simply cannot put down. From the first chapter, you're hooked, drawn into the lives of professional grifters and a web of schemes that entangles you until you piece together the intricate puzzle. It’s a smart, extremely wild ride, stunningly riveting—a standalone after the 'One of Us is Lying' series. Honestly, this is the best standalone thriller the author has created so far. With heart-throbbing pacing and a well-executed mystery that keeps you guessing who the ringmaster is until the end!
The only thing that held me back from giving it five stars was Kat’s far-fetched mistakes at the beginning of the story. They made me want to bang my head against the wall as I screamed, 'This is so stupid! What the hell is she thinking?' I understand that the character is only 16 and she just wanted to protect her loved ones, having been raised by a thief and honing many skills, but some of her actions seriously made my eyes roll. It took too much time (nearly the last third) to tolerate her. The main problem of the book is that, instead of Liam—who is a sweet pie, naive but kind-hearted—being my only favorite character. Especially the Sutherland clan, and of course Luke, the father of the year, are hardly likable. At least, the fact that the author named the family after Ross Sutherland helped me cast the characters in my mind and imagine Ross Sutherland as Donald Sutherland, which made things easier. This book would be a great choice to adapt into a series, and he's also a great actor to play the role.
The story is narrated by two step-siblings: Kat, sixteen, daughter of Jamie, a thief, 34, escaping from a dark past to get recruited by a handful of grifter Gem for years, until she tries to leave her position for a legitimate accountant job. Before getting it, she promises to do her last job for Gem, which requires her to attend the Sutherland compound weekend gathering to celebrate billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party with the entire family: two daughters, two sons, and one grandson. Jamie will act as one of the servers at the event, replacing Annalise Sutherland’s famous Ruby necklace with a replica and then vanish into the air. Easy peasy. But this plan is doomed to fail when Kat decides to join her mom to protect her back as a team, as she's been doing for years, and they realize that Jamie's ex husband( married for only 48 hours), Luke, whom she met in Vegas 12 years ago, decides to join the celebration as Annalise's boyfriend alongside his son, Liam, who is reluctantly living with his conman dad after his mother’s sudden demise, joining him to look after Annalise to make sure she doesn't become one of his father's victims.
When her mother deals with unexpected health issues, Kat finds herself in a spot where she’s the person conducting the entire robbery, guiltily manipulating her step-brother Liam for her plans. But when Annalise's young cousin, whom Liam may have a crush on, gets suspicious about her actions and one of the family members gets killed in front of Kat, she realizes she’s not the manipulative queen she considers herself to be. She becomes another sacrificial pawn in a very dangerous game. Who can she trust when everybody lies to her?
Overall, especially the last third of the book, was mind-spinning, intelligently written, and addictive. I predicted most of the twists, but they were still well-plotted and smart. I highly recommend this book for YA thriller lovers and devoted fans of McManus.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing the digital copy of one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year in exchange for my honest review, which is highly appreciated.
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The only thing that held me back from giving it five stars was Kat’s far-fetched mistakes at the beginning of the story. They made me want to bang my head against the wall as I screamed, 'This is so stupid! What the hell is she thinking?' I understand that the character is only 16 and she just wanted to protect her loved ones, having been raised by a thief and honing many skills, but some of her actions seriously made my eyes roll. It took too much time (nearly the last third) to tolerate her. The main problem of the book is that, instead of Liam—who is a sweet pie, naive but kind-hearted—being my only favorite character. Especially the Sutherland clan, and of course Luke, the father of the year, are hardly likable. At least, the fact that the author named the family after Ross Sutherland helped me cast the characters in my mind and imagine Ross Sutherland as Donald Sutherland, which made things easier. This book would be a great choice to adapt into a series, and he's also a great actor to play the role.
The story is narrated by two step-siblings: Kat, sixteen, daughter of Jamie, a thief, 34, escaping from a dark past to get recruited by a handful of grifter Gem for years, until she tries to leave her position for a legitimate accountant job. Before getting it, she promises to do her last job for Gem, which requires her to attend the Sutherland compound weekend gathering to celebrate billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party with the entire family: two daughters, two sons, and one grandson. Jamie will act as one of the servers at the event, replacing Annalise Sutherland’s famous Ruby necklace with a replica and then vanish into the air. Easy peasy. But this plan is doomed to fail when Kat decides to join her mom to protect her back as a team, as she's been doing for years, and they realize that Jamie's ex husband( married for only 48 hours), Luke, whom she met in Vegas 12 years ago, decides to join the celebration as Annalise's boyfriend alongside his son, Liam, who is reluctantly living with his conman dad after his mother’s sudden demise, joining him to look after Annalise to make sure she doesn't become one of his father's victims.
When her mother deals with unexpected health issues, Kat finds herself in a spot where she’s the person conducting the entire robbery, guiltily manipulating her step-brother Liam for her plans. But when Annalise's young cousin, whom Liam may have a crush on, gets suspicious about her actions and one of the family members gets killed in front of Kat, she realizes she’s not the manipulative queen she considers herself to be. She becomes another sacrificial pawn in a very dangerous game. Who can she trust when everybody lies to her?
Overall, especially the last third of the book, was mind-spinning, intelligently written, and addictive. I predicted most of the twists, but they were still well-plotted and smart. I highly recommend this book for YA thriller lovers and devoted fans of McManus.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing the digital copy of one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year in exchange for my honest review, which is highly appreciated.
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August 3, 2024
Jewelry heist with a twist and unexpected connections between old acquaintances. Flowed well, Kat and Liam really brought it all and pulled it off.
September 21, 2024
was this bad or was my reading slump at fault?
I’m so disappointed :( after reading the ‘one of us is lying’ trilogy i wanted to read everything from this author and with this being their most recent work i was excited to read it (even waited weeks from the library)
the first half of this was so boring and I didn’t really care about any of the characters and the whole plot of this book is suppose to be about a heist and we only get a small glimpse of it and the rest is just a murder mystery plot.
im going to keep this short and sweet because I can already feel the rant review from a mile away. the fmc Kat was honestly so annoying, she was written as someone who is bold and not afraid to speak the first thought to come to mind like pls read the room babes.
oh and how can I forget how she DIDNT LISTEN AT ALL. she was told to do nothing and let the grown ups handle everything when she messes up something and what does she do? well for starters she loses a necklace and then boom witnesses a whole murder in the same day 🙂 and then more happens but their all spoilers.
the first plot twist happened around 70% and that’s when I started to get hooked but I still struggled to pick up this book up.
one thing I do love about this author is that that last 20% of their books are always entertaining so 2.5 stars (this is me being nice)
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ᯓ ᡣ𐭩 pre read: i have not picked up a book in 9 days so maybe if i say im cr one on here it’ll motivate me to actually read 😀
plus i have 8 library loans due in less than 10 days and haven’t touch any
I’m so disappointed :( after reading the ‘one of us is lying’ trilogy i wanted to read everything from this author and with this being their most recent work i was excited to read it (even waited weeks from the library)
the first half of this was so boring and I didn’t really care about any of the characters and the whole plot of this book is suppose to be about a heist and we only get a small glimpse of it and the rest is just a murder mystery plot.
im going to keep this short and sweet because I can already feel the rant review from a mile away. the fmc Kat was honestly so annoying, she was written as someone who is bold and not afraid to speak the first thought to come to mind like pls read the room babes.
oh and how can I forget how she DIDNT LISTEN AT ALL. she was told to do nothing and let the grown ups handle everything when she messes up something and what does she do? well for starters she loses a necklace and then boom witnesses a whole murder in the same day 🙂 and then more happens but their all spoilers.
the first plot twist happened around 70% and that’s when I started to get hooked but I still struggled to pick up this book up.
one thing I do love about this author is that that last 20% of their books are always entertaining so 2.5 stars (this is me being nice)
—————
ᯓ ᡣ𐭩 pre read: i have not picked up a book in 9 days so maybe if i say im cr one on here it’ll motivate me to actually read 😀
September 17, 2024
What a most charming surprise!
McManus's twisty storyline combined with the well-developed cast of dynamic characters made Such Charming Liars an exceptional and most unexpected pause-resistant listen. To think I almost gave this a pass. Smh.
Dual narrators Skylar Gallun and Victoria Villarreal delivered a stunning performance. Great teamwork.
McManus's twisty storyline combined with the well-developed cast of dynamic characters made Such Charming Liars an exceptional and most unexpected pause-resistant listen. To think I almost gave this a pass. Smh.
Dual narrators Skylar Gallun and Victoria Villarreal delivered a stunning performance. Great teamwork.
August 28, 2024
Phew 😮💨 that was a whirlwind I was happy to be swept up in 🌪️
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
As Karen’s latest novel it read very differently to her previous novels. It seems like a step up from her previous YA mystery’s into a more adult thriller; it almost felt like she had purposefully aimed the book at her main OG target audience that had read ‘One of us is lying’ back at the beginning - was this the case? IDK but it certainly felt like a more ‘grown-up’ thriller compared to her high-school mystery’s.
The story was told from 2 POV; Kat and Liam. Kat was the daughter of mother-daughter duo - Jaime and Kat and Liam was the son of father-son duo - Luke and Liam. Kat and Liam are both good liars; they learned from the best - their parents!
For 48 hours Kat’s mum, Jaime was married to Liam, Luke’s father. Since then, the families haven’t spoken for the last 12 years!
Fast forward to the present and Jaime is a jewel thief, on her final heist: swipe the most costly necklace at a billionaire’s 80th birthday party. However, there are some surprises along the way that were definitely not accounted for in her planning. If you’re looking for a brilliantly written and fun heist book then this book is definitely for you! This is Jamie’s last shot at gem theft…but it only takes one shot to die…
The characters Karen has created are SO real and you genuinely learn so much about all their different intricacies. I wasn’t very keen on Jamie’s character however, I did particularly like Kat and Liam’s characters. I think characterisation is one of Karen’s strong suits in all of her books. She connects you with her characters in a very personal way. And I know the title kind of gives it away but there are SO MANY LIERS but that is what makes this book work! however, despite them being compulsive liars, there is a kindness and soft side to them. They lie to protect.
As the birthday weekend plays out, more and more is revealed. In some parts it was so complex I was getting a bit confused but then Karen would pull back the engine and explain as little as required to move on to the next crazy part of the story. It was a true whirlwind but one I was happy to be swept up in.
And furthermore, for a thriller I was genuinely shocked at the number of decent pieces of wisdom. I have to admit, they did make me a bit teary 🥹:
‘Find one thing to feel good about and focus on that. There’s always at least one good thing.’
“There’s something on the refreshing about feeling unsettled-like I care enough about what’s going to happen next to worry about it.”
Maybe it is just me but I will be tucking those little gems away 💎😉
The latter 1/3 of the book literally swallows you like a tornado 🌪️ and then spits you out for a calmer last few pages as everything is smoothly concluded. I genuinely had so much fun reading this book and am so sad it’s over. I could go as far as saying this might be one of the funnest books I’ve read ALL YEAR!! I would absolutely love to see this made into a movie, but moreover I would love Karen to write further books.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
As Karen’s latest novel it read very differently to her previous novels. It seems like a step up from her previous YA mystery’s into a more adult thriller; it almost felt like she had purposefully aimed the book at her main OG target audience that had read ‘One of us is lying’ back at the beginning - was this the case? IDK but it certainly felt like a more ‘grown-up’ thriller compared to her high-school mystery’s.
The story was told from 2 POV; Kat and Liam. Kat was the daughter of mother-daughter duo - Jaime and Kat and Liam was the son of father-son duo - Luke and Liam. Kat and Liam are both good liars; they learned from the best - their parents!
For 48 hours Kat’s mum, Jaime was married to Liam, Luke’s father. Since then, the families haven’t spoken for the last 12 years!
Fast forward to the present and Jaime is a jewel thief, on her final heist: swipe the most costly necklace at a billionaire’s 80th birthday party. However, there are some surprises along the way that were definitely not accounted for in her planning. If you’re looking for a brilliantly written and fun heist book then this book is definitely for you! This is Jamie’s last shot at gem theft…but it only takes one shot to die…
The characters Karen has created are SO real and you genuinely learn so much about all their different intricacies. I wasn’t very keen on Jamie’s character however, I did particularly like Kat and Liam’s characters. I think characterisation is one of Karen’s strong suits in all of her books. She connects you with her characters in a very personal way. And I know the title kind of gives it away but there are SO MANY LIERS but that is what makes this book work! however, despite them being compulsive liars, there is a kindness and soft side to them. They lie to protect.
As the birthday weekend plays out, more and more is revealed. In some parts it was so complex I was getting a bit confused but then Karen would pull back the engine and explain as little as required to move on to the next crazy part of the story. It was a true whirlwind but one I was happy to be swept up in.
And furthermore, for a thriller I was genuinely shocked at the number of decent pieces of wisdom. I have to admit, they did make me a bit teary 🥹:
‘Find one thing to feel good about and focus on that. There’s always at least one good thing.’
“There’s something on the refreshing about feeling unsettled-like I care enough about what’s going to happen next to worry about it.”
Maybe it is just me but I will be tucking those little gems away 💎😉
The latter 1/3 of the book literally swallows you like a tornado 🌪️ and then spits you out for a calmer last few pages as everything is smoothly concluded. I genuinely had so much fun reading this book and am so sad it’s over. I could go as far as saying this might be one of the funnest books I’ve read ALL YEAR!! I would absolutely love to see this made into a movie, but moreover I would love Karen to write further books.
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September 14, 2024
3.25 or 3.50 ✦ jewel-ing stars
I'm relieved to have finished this book and can finally move on. Honestly, this might be my last Karen M. McManus read (but hey, don't hold me to it). The real issue wasn't the book itself—it was me. If I weren't stuck in such a gnarly reading slump, I probably would've devoured this much faster and enjoyed it more.
➸ The plot and twists? Well, even though I saw 1/4 of the twists coming, the other two had me like, "Wait, WHAT?!" Didn't see those coming, so props for that. But, real talk, the pacing was all over the place—sometimes it felt like it was crawling along at a snail's pace. Not ideal when you're trying to stay engaged.
➸ The characters, though? Pretty cool. And their traumas? Oof, I felt a hollow pit in my stomach, and there was one scene that straight-up made my blood run cold. Augustus, in particular, stole the show for me—definitely one of my faves.
All in all, I dug the majority of the characters, and the storyline was super unique. But I can't help but think the execution could've been a smidge better. Or maybe that's just my slump talking. Because, honestly, it was pretty fire—it’s just me that's the problem.
***
⭒✧Pre-Read Review:
╭━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━╮
YAYYY! Just got my hands on a copy on this beauty! 🌟
Am I totally ditching my TBR pile for this? Yup. Am I even slightly worried? Meh.
╰━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━╯
I'm relieved to have finished this book and can finally move on. Honestly, this might be my last Karen M. McManus read (but hey, don't hold me to it). The real issue wasn't the book itself—it was me. If I weren't stuck in such a gnarly reading slump, I probably would've devoured this much faster and enjoyed it more.
➸ The plot and twists? Well, even though I saw 1/4 of the twists coming, the other two had me like, "Wait, WHAT?!" Didn't see those coming, so props for that. But, real talk, the pacing was all over the place—sometimes it felt like it was crawling along at a snail's pace. Not ideal when you're trying to stay engaged.
➸ The characters, though? Pretty cool. And their traumas? Oof, I felt a hollow pit in my stomach, and there was one scene that straight-up made my blood run cold. Augustus, in particular, stole the show for me—definitely one of my faves.
All in all, I dug the majority of the characters, and the storyline was super unique. But I can't help but think the execution could've been a smidge better. Or maybe that's just my slump talking. Because, honestly, it was pretty fire—it’s just me that's the problem.
***
⭒✧Pre-Read Review:
╭━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━╮
YAYYY! Just got my hands on a copy on this beauty! 🌟
Am I totally ditching my TBR pile for this? Yup. Am I even slightly worried? Meh.
╰━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━╯
August 25, 2024
Such Charming Lairs ~ 2.5 stars
**this is not my normal format I am pretty much just venting🤣**
Well. I mean I guess I didn’t go into this book with high expectations but what was that?! And I don’t mean in a good way! The beginning was a snooze fest. A SNOOZE FEST, I’ll tell ya! The middle was sorta decent but like what was playing out there? And the fmc is so slow I was this emoji “🤦🏼♀️” irl. The end was like BOOOM BOOM BANG! THROW A THING HERE TIE ANOTHER HERE OMOSH I FORGOT THIS PART. essential it was me trying to get out the door in the morning😃 I think I genuinely only like one character, Augustus. Even tho he kinda reminded me of Micheal and Grayson (naturals and inheritance games) at least he had actual brain cells! Like I think if Kay had 2 and they met each other they would genuinely be shocked to meet one another😃 AND THE HEIST? BASICALLY JUST MURDER! I WANTED THE HEISTING TO BE A HEISTING, YA KNOW? (I’m not angry I just have angry issues😌💅🏻) I am too much of a ocean 11 girly to let that slide🫡 fight me I dare🥰 The jewelry heist is what drew me in (who am I kidding I see the word “heist” and run with that book) I was hoping to like this better than pervious books I’ve read (actually I don’t think I finished even) by her. Expect I didn’t.
finally, if I dnf this book ~100 pages in a would have never thought twice about it.
**this is not my normal format I am pretty much just venting🤣**
Well. I mean I guess I didn’t go into this book with high expectations but what was that?! And I don’t mean in a good way! The beginning was a snooze fest. A SNOOZE FEST, I’ll tell ya! The middle was sorta decent but like what was playing out there? And the fmc is so slow I was this emoji “🤦🏼♀️” irl. The end was like BOOOM BOOM BANG! THROW A THING HERE TIE ANOTHER HERE OMOSH I FORGOT THIS PART. essential it was me trying to get out the door in the morning😃 I think I genuinely only like one character, Augustus. Even tho he kinda reminded me of Micheal and Grayson (naturals and inheritance games) at least he had actual brain cells! Like I think if Kay had 2 and they met each other they would genuinely be shocked to meet one another😃 AND THE HEIST? BASICALLY JUST MURDER! I WANTED THE HEISTING TO BE A HEISTING, YA KNOW? (I’m not angry I just have angry issues😌💅🏻) I am too much of a ocean 11 girly to let that slide🫡 fight me I dare🥰 The jewelry heist is what drew me in (who am I kidding I see the word “heist” and run with that book) I was hoping to like this better than pervious books I’ve read (actually I don’t think I finished even) by her. Expect I didn’t.
finally, if I dnf this book ~100 pages in a would have never thought twice about it.
February 11, 2025
"Find one thing to feel good about, and focus on that. There's always at least one good thing."
An easy, final-con jewelry heist turned deadly with unanticipated twists and turns. The writing seems fine but I was probably expecting more. Kat was a difficult character to like what with her unwise decision making skills and outrageous antics that strangely kept bearing fruit. I forgot she was only 16 … maybe McManus forgot that too 🤔🤫
An easy, final-con jewelry heist turned deadly with unanticipated twists and turns. The writing seems fine but I was probably expecting more. Kat was a difficult character to like what with her unwise decision making skills and outrageous antics that strangely kept bearing fruit. I forgot she was only 16 … maybe McManus forgot that too 🤔🤫
March 12, 2025
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 2.5 stars
It was so boring😭
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
It was so boring😭
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Want to read
April 7, 2024edit (4/6/24):
time is actually crawling
what do you mean i have to wait 114 more days for this book?
---
original:
OH MY GOD
IM LITERALLY FREAKING OUT
THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING
THE COVER????? YALLLL
time is actually crawling
what do you mean i have to wait 114 more days for this book?
---
original:
OH MY GOD
IM LITERALLY FREAKING OUT
THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING
THE COVER????? YALLLL
August 19, 2024
3-3.5 stars! i liked this one—it was a perfect YA mystery binge when i wasn’t sure what to pick up next. it dragged slightly for me and i felt myself drifting away as i read at times, but i still recommend it!
this is a standalone novel from the author of the ONE OF US IS LYING series. it has a lotttt of action in the plot but also has really good character development and overlap which i appreciated. and i was thoroughly surprised by a few of the twists (yes, there are multiple!!!) and Liam was my fave. Kat and Liam together were so much fun actually, loved that unexpected friendship sm 🥹
for fans of:
- YA mysteries
- heist novels
- mom/daughter duos and family drama
- lots of action in their thrillers
- twists — yes multiple!
this is a standalone novel from the author of the ONE OF US IS LYING series. it has a lotttt of action in the plot but also has really good character development and overlap which i appreciated. and i was thoroughly surprised by a few of the twists (yes, there are multiple!!!) and Liam was my fave. Kat and Liam together were so much fun actually, loved that unexpected friendship sm 🥹
for fans of:
- YA mysteries
- heist novels
- mom/daughter duos and family drama
- lots of action in their thrillers
- twists — yes multiple!
August 24, 2024
This had so many twists and turns! I truly loved Liam and Kat! This had so many twists I didn't expect, literally so many twists back to back. The ending even shocked me. I enjoyed how much this had me reeled in, I had to read this in one sitting. Such a delicious suspense novel, Karen M. McManus has such a powerful way of keeping you on the edge of your seat! Splendid read!
I recieved this ARC to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I recieved this ARC to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
December 28, 2024
Pre read: I've had this for so long, but it's finally time to read it!! Also, WATCH ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS ON NETFLIX IT IS LITERALLY THE BEST SHOW YOU WILL EVER WATCH OMG THAT ENDING😭😭😭
Jewellery heist + Karen.M.McManus = me spending as much money as it takes to get this book💰💸💳💥
Jewellery heist + Karen.M.McManus = me spending as much money as it takes to get this book💰💸💳💥
October 2, 2024
Aw man...I was hoping that this was going to be the Karen McManus book that sparked my love for her writing again. Unfortunately, while this book wasn't bad, it wasn't one that actively enjoyed as much as some of her previous titles. 3.5 Stars
Such Charming Liars is the latest Karen M. McManus release and sets itself up to be novel that has elements of both a jewelry heist as well as classic thriller elements. The novel follows main character Kat and her mother Jaime who is a jewelry thief. While they are on Jaime's last job, Kat ends up reconnecting with her previous stepbrother Liam. The two find themselves caught in the web of a possible murder after someone is killed.
What Worked: I appreciated the familial dynamics that McManus explored with both Kat and Liam. While Kat's situation is based on love and support, McManus doesn't shy way from the ways in which Jamie has not always been as supportive/present as mother. With Liam, I think that the exploration of the relationship between him and his father can show the dangers of a parent who loves their child, but also dislikes them. The premise of this book was interesting and different from what I typically see McManus do; however, the execution didn't allow for those specific elements to shine through. The twists were unexpected.
What Didn't Work: This book felt particularly slow to me and I'm not sure why. There were moments when I was absolutely bored with the storyline and other times when I was invested. The inconsistences made me disengaged and less invested in the characters. Also, this could be a "me" thing, but having most of the characters be con artists, thieves, or stuck up rich people didn't really help with my ability to root for or connect with the characters in totality. In fact, I disliked most of them.
Overall, this wasn't necessarily a miss for me, but I was hoping for something that was a little stronger.
Such Charming Liars is the latest Karen M. McManus release and sets itself up to be novel that has elements of both a jewelry heist as well as classic thriller elements. The novel follows main character Kat and her mother Jaime who is a jewelry thief. While they are on Jaime's last job, Kat ends up reconnecting with her previous stepbrother Liam. The two find themselves caught in the web of a possible murder after someone is killed.
What Worked: I appreciated the familial dynamics that McManus explored with both Kat and Liam. While Kat's situation is based on love and support, McManus doesn't shy way from the ways in which Jamie has not always been as supportive/present as mother. With Liam, I think that the exploration of the relationship between him and his father can show the dangers of a parent who loves their child, but also dislikes them. The premise of this book was interesting and different from what I typically see McManus do; however, the execution didn't allow for those specific elements to shine through. The twists were unexpected.
What Didn't Work: This book felt particularly slow to me and I'm not sure why. There were moments when I was absolutely bored with the storyline and other times when I was invested. The inconsistences made me disengaged and less invested in the characters. Also, this could be a "me" thing, but having most of the characters be con artists, thieves, or stuck up rich people didn't really help with my ability to root for or connect with the characters in totality. In fact, I disliked most of them.
Overall, this wasn't necessarily a miss for me, but I was hoping for something that was a little stronger.
October 24, 2024
Another solid addition to Karen McManus’ collection.
Kat and her mum have been living just the two of them for a long time. Until they were taken under the wing of notorious jewel thief Gem.
But Jamie has decided that a life of crime is no good for Kat and that this job will be her last. To infiltrate an inclusive and rich party, steal a necklace and replace it with a fake.
What she doesn’t bank on is her ex husband and his son showing up for their own means.
What follows is chaos, the unveiling of secrets and action packed scenes.
I loved the relationship between Liam and Kat, the pure sibling energy was lush. I enjoyed all the twists and turns as I always do with KM. She never lets me down!
Kat and her mum have been living just the two of them for a long time. Until they were taken under the wing of notorious jewel thief Gem.
But Jamie has decided that a life of crime is no good for Kat and that this job will be her last. To infiltrate an inclusive and rich party, steal a necklace and replace it with a fake.
What she doesn’t bank on is her ex husband and his son showing up for their own means.
What follows is chaos, the unveiling of secrets and action packed scenes.
I loved the relationship between Liam and Kat, the pure sibling energy was lush. I enjoyed all the twists and turns as I always do with KM. She never lets me down!
July 21, 2025
જ⁀➴°⋆ 3 ★
this was my first karen m. mcmanus book and although the storyline is unique i'm not very impressed. When i heard this book was about a heist i was expecting something mind-blowing, perfectly executed but... it's just a murder mystery like any other 🧍♀️
this book also felt really slow and boring sometimes and at some point i just stopped caring and kept reading to see how it was going to wrap up. The twists at the end are good but nothing crazy
i liked some of the characters tho👍
this was my first karen m. mcmanus book and although the storyline is unique i'm not very impressed. When i heard this book was about a heist i was expecting something mind-blowing, perfectly executed but... it's just a murder mystery like any other 🧍♀️
this book also felt really slow and boring sometimes and at some point i just stopped caring and kept reading to see how it was going to wrap up. The twists at the end are good but nothing crazy
i liked some of the characters tho👍
September 9, 2024
This cute little story about a group of con artists turn Hinky real quick. Their final con takes place at a rich person’s birthday get together. And when I say rich, I mean, ‘get away with murder’ rich. Everything goes smoothly on the compound until someone turns up dead. Now they’re trying to run their con while also not getting accused of murder!
This book is full of lovable characters, you might not like what they do, but you’ll love them. The plot was excellent and kept me very motivated to finish the book. It was part thriller part clue, as the reader tried to figure out who done it!
This book is full of lovable characters, you might not like what they do, but you’ll love them. The plot was excellent and kept me very motivated to finish the book. It was part thriller part clue, as the reader tried to figure out who done it!
July 31, 2024
i’ve loved every single book of kmm so far but this one was a disappointment tbh
August 11, 2024
Woah, she didn’t disappoint, except a little. AND I GOT A LOT OF THINGS RIGHT. Except the end, of course, sigh.
pre-review
Let's gooo! July 30 ugh.
pre-review
Let's gooo! July 30 ugh.
August 9, 2024
Ugh it physically pains me to give a Karen McManus book 3 stars but it wasn’t even close to her other novels. Her writing was still phenomenal but there was too much going on to really enjoy it. It would have been enough to just be about the jewel heist but adding in the murder mystery element made it too twisty and hard to keep track of. I know McManus said she always wanted to write a heist novel but I just don’t think this one worked 😔
August 8, 2024
˚.⋆✧ such charming liars ✧⋆.˚
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𖥔 · 𖥔 ·₊⊹
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spoiler free review
3.5
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Oh my gosh, I’m finally done. Why did it feel like it took forever to read this?? I honestly don't know how to feel about this one, I think I'm still confused. Like actually wth??!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The plot was what drew me in most, I just think the whole jewelry heist element is so interesting. But I'm not sure if I loved the execution. I feel like the majority of the book was a tad slow (?) and the ending was so hectic and crazy I could not keep up to save my life. People were throwing out theories left and right, crazy things kept happening, and just when you think it's over a whole other wave hits you. I felt like information was being shoved down my throat for the last 100 pages. It was all very confusing guys.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The characters were honestly what kept me going in this book. I was really invested in all of them, even the ones I didn’t like. Luke and Liam’s storyline with Annalise was interesting, Kat Gem and Jamie were super interesting (I loved the opening scene with Gem and Kat, kinda wish this book was more like that), and obviously Liam and Augustus. Like everyone was really well rounded and interesting. Even though there were a lot of characters, which can sometimes overwhelm me, I really loved them. Kat’s backstory (when that was revealed!) was super interesting. I honestly could have read more of that, it would have been cool to have alternating timelines. Liam’s backstory was maybe a little less fleshed out, but I just loved him as a character so much, he was 100% a cinnamon roll. Kat rubbing off on him by the end of the book was so cutteee.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Augustus and Liam were cutie pies. I actually reallllyyy liked Agustus, I could totally have read his pov too. Him calling Kat Chaos was precious, tell me I’m wrong. He reminded me of a mix of Michaal from The Naturals and Grayson from The Inheritance Games. Like sarcastic and surly at the same time. Honestly the characters were just so good.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The setting was fun, I think I’m just a fan of problematic rich family books. Like give me mansions, give me glamour, and give me drama please. This book definitely delivered on that, totally reminded me of the Hawthorne family from The Inheritance Games (sorry for all the book references!!). I loved the glitzy party vibes, and hidden mystery of it all.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Really the ending/last 150ish pages is what messed with me. There were too many theories, and too many plot lines, it was way too much to take in. I think it could have dropped half of what happened and still been really engaging and twisty. I was actually staring at the pages in sheer confusion for half of the book. It almost felt forced by the end, like all the puzzle pieces were just not fitting so they had to be crammed together. Things just seemed made up to cover plot holes. If you want to be completely stunned indefinitely this is the book for you.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ All in, I really loved parts of this and didn’t enjoy others. Kinda a big mix? I think a 3.5 covers that, but just know I didn’t hate this. I actually really loved parts, it was mostly the plot that screwed with my head.
𖥔 ⊹ ·
˚ °˖ 𖥔
°˖ °˖ ⋆ .
· ⋆ ˚ ˚ ˚ °˖
⋆ · °˖ .
𖥔 · 𖥔 ·₊⊹
·₊⊹
spoiler free review
3.5
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Oh my gosh, I’m finally done. Why did it feel like it took forever to read this?? I honestly don't know how to feel about this one, I think I'm still confused. Like actually wth??!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The plot was what drew me in most, I just think the whole jewelry heist element is so interesting. But I'm not sure if I loved the execution. I feel like the majority of the book was a tad slow (?) and the ending was so hectic and crazy I could not keep up to save my life. People were throwing out theories left and right, crazy things kept happening, and just when you think it's over a whole other wave hits you. I felt like information was being shoved down my throat for the last 100 pages. It was all very confusing guys.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The characters were honestly what kept me going in this book. I was really invested in all of them, even the ones I didn’t like. Luke and Liam’s storyline with Annalise was interesting, Kat Gem and Jamie were super interesting (I loved the opening scene with Gem and Kat, kinda wish this book was more like that), and obviously Liam and Augustus. Like everyone was really well rounded and interesting. Even though there were a lot of characters, which can sometimes overwhelm me, I really loved them. Kat’s backstory (when that was revealed!) was super interesting. I honestly could have read more of that, it would have been cool to have alternating timelines. Liam’s backstory was maybe a little less fleshed out, but I just loved him as a character so much, he was 100% a cinnamon roll. Kat rubbing off on him by the end of the book was so cutteee.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Augustus and Liam were cutie pies. I actually reallllyyy liked Agustus, I could totally have read his pov too. Him calling Kat Chaos was precious, tell me I’m wrong. He reminded me of a mix of Michaal from The Naturals and Grayson from The Inheritance Games. Like sarcastic and surly at the same time. Honestly the characters were just so good.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ The setting was fun, I think I’m just a fan of problematic rich family books. Like give me mansions, give me glamour, and give me drama please. This book definitely delivered on that, totally reminded me of the Hawthorne family from The Inheritance Games (sorry for all the book references!!). I loved the glitzy party vibes, and hidden mystery of it all.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Really the ending/last 150ish pages is what messed with me. There were too many theories, and too many plot lines, it was way too much to take in. I think it could have dropped half of what happened and still been really engaging and twisty. I was actually staring at the pages in sheer confusion for half of the book. It almost felt forced by the end, like all the puzzle pieces were just not fitting so they had to be crammed together. Things just seemed made up to cover plot holes. If you want to be completely stunned indefinitely this is the book for you.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ All in, I really loved parts of this and didn’t enjoy others. Kinda a big mix? I think a 3.5 covers that, but just know I didn’t hate this. I actually really loved parts, it was mostly the plot that screwed with my head.
September 5, 2024
✨ She had a marvelous time ruining everything ✨
The Last Great American Dynasty is so fitting for this book. I'm shook to my core. I have no words.
The Last Great American Dynasty is so fitting for this book. I'm shook to my core. I have no words.
March 25, 2025
3,5⭐️
foi a boa introdução à autora, fiquei com muita vontade de ler outros livros dela
foi a boa introdução à autora, fiquei com muita vontade de ler outros livros dela
February 8, 2024
This was such an entertaining read and everything I've come to really enjoy about McManus's writing, characters, and stories. And while, like usual, some of this was easy to guess, a lot of it wasn't and kept me on my toes, but more importantly, it kept me turning the pages with a smile on my face. This was such a joy to read.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Want to read
April 29, 20242023
IM READY KAREN TAKE MY MONEYYYY
IM READY KAREN TAKE MY MONEYYYY
January 1, 2025
that was...something else. a very very good something else
March 18, 2025
☆ ۴ ستاره نقرهای! ☆
این کتاب شبیه یه بازی پینگپونگ گروهیه، و خواننده توپ بازیه که مدام شخصیتها میکوبن تو سرش و میفرستنش سمت یکی دیگه!
▪︎ داستان درباره چیه؟
کت ۱۶ ساله و مادرش سالهاست با یه جاعل جواهر زندگی میکنن و مادر کت تصمیم گرفته خودش رو از این زندگی بیرون بکشه، اما به یه شرط؛ آخرین ماموریتش!
▪︎ خب داستان یه تریلر معمایی یانگ ادالته، از اونجایی که شخصیتهای اصلی ۱۶ تا ۱۹ سالشونه یه جاهایی خرابکاری میکنن و خنگبازی درمیان و بدشانسی پشت بدشانسی که واسه من بامزه و خندهدار بود. (بعضیا تو ریویوشون گفته بودن رو مخشون بوده ولی بیایید سخت نگیریم خندهدار بودن!) در کل بسی سرگرم شدم خصوصا یک سوم پایانی داستان که پر از توئیست بود. با این که ۹۰٪ رو حدس زدم بازم از داستان لذت بردم چون خیلی ماهرانه نویسنده ما رو بین شخصیتها پاسکاری میکنه و دقیقا تا صفحه آخر داره بازیمون میده. تنها چیزی که باهاش حال نکردم این بود که آخرش همهی آدم بدها گیر افتادن! یعنی انقدر داستانهای دارک خوندم که خب دلم نمیخواست اینطوری بشه و دلم میخواست پایان دارکتری داشته باشه... (گریه)
▪︎ وایب تینیجری و نتفلیکسی داستان + معماها + فضای لاکچری و این که همه چی تو عمارت یه میلیاردره خیلی خیلی وایب بازیهای میراث داشت، ولی بازم هیچی بازیهای میراث نمیشه تو قلبم!
▪︎ در نهایت واقعا از خوندنش لذت بردم، سرگرم شدم و یه جورایی برام یه چالش جدید بود! من کتاب رو قبل از چاپ نمونهخوانی کردم؛ مترجم روناک احمدی آهنگره و سبک ترجمهش کلا شکستهنویسیه! یعنی چه دیالوگها و چه متن اصلی همگی شکسته نوشته شدند و این واسه من چالش بود چون واقعا تو تصحیح یه جاهایی گیج میشدم و چیزای جدید یاد گرفتم. اما متن بسیار تمیزه و لحن خیلی جذاب و پرهیجان دراومده!
"دروغگوهای دوستداشتنی" بهزودی از نشر نون چاپ میشه و اگر طرفدار این سبک کتابها هستید امیدوارم از خوندنش لذت ببرید.
این کتاب شبیه یه بازی پینگپونگ گروهیه، و خواننده توپ بازیه که مدام شخصیتها میکوبن تو سرش و میفرستنش سمت یکی دیگه!
▪︎ داستان درباره چیه؟
کت ۱۶ ساله و مادرش سالهاست با یه جاعل جواهر زندگی میکنن و مادر کت تصمیم گرفته خودش رو از این زندگی بیرون بکشه، اما به یه شرط؛ آخرین ماموریتش!
▪︎ خب داستان یه تریلر معمایی یانگ ادالته، از اونجایی که شخصیتهای اصلی ۱۶ تا ۱۹ سالشونه یه جاهایی خرابکاری میکنن و خنگبازی درمیان و بدشانسی پشت بدشانسی که واسه من بامزه و خندهدار بود. (بعضیا تو ریویوشون گفته بودن رو مخشون بوده ولی بیایید سخت نگیریم خندهدار بودن!) در کل بسی سرگرم شدم خصوصا یک سوم پایانی داستان که پر از توئیست بود. با این که ۹۰٪ رو حدس زدم بازم از داستان لذت بردم چون خیلی ماهرانه نویسنده ما رو بین شخصیتها پاسکاری میکنه و دقیقا تا صفحه آخر داره بازیمون میده. تنها چیزی که باهاش حال نکردم این بود که آخرش همهی آدم بدها گیر افتادن! یعنی انقدر داستانهای دارک خوندم که خب دلم نمیخواست اینطوری بشه و دلم میخواست پایان دارکتری داشته باشه... (گریه)
▪︎ وایب تینیجری و نتفلیکسی داستان + معماها + فضای لاکچری و این که همه چی تو عمارت یه میلیاردره خیلی خیلی وایب بازیهای میراث داشت، ولی بازم هیچی بازیهای میراث نمیشه تو قلبم!
▪︎ در نهایت واقعا از خوندنش لذت بردم، سرگرم شدم و یه جورایی برام یه چالش جدید بود! من کتاب رو قبل از چاپ نمونهخوانی کردم؛ مترجم روناک احمدی آهنگره و سبک ترجمهش کلا شکستهنویسیه! یعنی چه دیالوگها و چه متن اصلی همگی شکسته نوشته شدند و این واسه من چالش بود چون واقعا تو تصحیح یه جاهایی گیج میشدم و چیزای جدید یاد گرفتم. اما متن بسیار تمیزه و لحن خیلی جذاب و پرهیجان دراومده!
"دروغگوهای دوستداشتنی" بهزودی از نشر نون چاپ میشه و اگر طرفدار این سبک کتابها هستید امیدوارم از خوندنش لذت ببرید.
August 26, 2024
ya mysteries will always have a special place in my heart like why are they so entertaining karen ily
July 5, 2025
1.75 /5
یه داستان قاطیپاتی که با یه ایده نسبتاً خوب، خیلی بد و ناشیانه نوشته شده.
به جز زوج adorable کتاب (آگوستوس و لیام) بقیه خیلی مزخرف و رو اعصابن.
یه داستان قاطیپاتی که با یه ایده نسبتاً خوب، خیلی بد و ناشیانه نوشته شده.
به جز زوج adorable کتاب (آگوستوس و لیام) بقیه خیلی مزخرف و رو اعصابن.
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