Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Karen M. McManus is one of my go-to thriller authors and I was excited by the idea for this book but it wasn’t a new favourite unfortunately. I was expecting more of a heist and I felt the plot moved too slowly.

There were aspects I liked such as the main characters. Kat and Liam are well fleshed out and their backstory of being forced into the life of crime by their parents was fascinating. The author is great at writing characters that feel realistic.

I’m still excited for whatever the author writes next and I’m sure there are a lot of people who will love this one, it just wasn’t for me.

This fell a bit flat for me. I normally enjoy and devour books by this author but I found it hard to get into this one and ended up giving up just over halfway through.
Please don’t be put off by my review as not all books suit everyone l, that’s why there’s a great range out there.

If i’m in the mood for a suspenseful mystery/thriller then Karen McManus is a go to author for me. I loved the concept of this book with two long lost half siblings, set on a wealthy family estate where it feels like everyone has their own scheme at play.

I absolutely was not expecting the ending and I was kept on my toes along the way (and maybe staying up late on too many occasions because I couldn’t put it down).

My favourite Karen M McManus yet! I really enjoyed this book, and loved every twist and turn. The mystery was so masterfully written, and I honestly had no idea what was going to happen next.

I also loved the characters, and how real they felt. Usually in mysteries, the characters feel a little too confident and all-knowing in their teenage years, but Kat and Liam both felt like their age. They bumble around, are confused most of the time, and panic like realistic teenagers, and I loved that (and found it quite relatable!)

I would highly recommend this book to people who want a fast-paced, twisty mystery, as I could not put this book down.

Such Charming Liars is the newest mystery from Karen McManus. I love a heist storyline, and this one did not disappoint! The book kept me hooked and I didn't see all of the twists and turn coming. I will continue to read anything and everything McManus writes!

Thank you to Karen McManus, NetGalley and the the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such Charming Liars centres around con-artists Kat and her mother Jamie who are preparing to conduct a heist at the Sutherland mansion. When they arrive they are greeted by Liam and Luke Rooney who are there to attend Ross Sutherland's party as the guests of one of his children. Luke and Jamie were briefly married in Las Vegas so for both of them the others presence threatens to foil their plans.

Like the other Karen M.McManus books, there was plenty going on in this book meaning it was very fast paced and I found myself wanting to keep reading. I liked that the cast of characters was kept quite small which is a problem I had had with the later books in One of Us is Lying series by the same author. Additionally the romance subplot was a highlight of this book for me and I thought the dialogue in this aspect was witty and the build up of tension was great.

However, to me, this book felt like one long brainstorming session where any idea the author had got thrown in meaning there were a lot of loose ends which weren't tied up with the ending so it wasn't very satisfying. Additionally one of the reasons I usually love books about heists is the logic and meticulous planning behind the heist whereas this felt like the characters were constantly just reacting to situations and there was no semblance of a plan. McManus writes teenagers and young adults very well however I found that her adult protagonists still acted like teenagers.

Overall I thought this book was okay and I would recommend it if you're looking for a fun YA thriller. However if you want an intricately planned out heist novel this probably isn't the book for that.

Maybe one of Karen M.McManus' more interesting books in a while. I really liked the heist element of the story. And while we fall back on the signature trio of characters, this cast had the unique element of two being step-siblings. I enjoyed my time reading.

A classic Karen M. McManus book. The characters and plot are well crafted and the twists and turns are brilliant!!

Due to personal issues cannot write a proper review now
A more extensive review will follow. Many thanks to the publisher

This was a fantastic fast paced and thrilling read - there were so many twists and turns that I never saw coming and the characters were overall really entertaining.

Oh this had me hooked! Full of twists and intrigue, the writing and plot had me hooked and I'll be checking out some of the authors other books now

Karen McManus continues to be the absolute queen of young adult thrillers with Such Charming Liars!

This is yet again another fast paced multi point of view story which leaves readers guessing and wanting more. I love this style of reading and I think this will seriously appeal to teens wanting stories that keep them coming back.

Another great book from Karen McManus. I loved the character connections and characterisation of the main characters. It had an interesting and slightly unbelievable premise but the writing and plot really sold the whole idea. As always full of red herrings!

I am incredibly grateful to both NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review Such Charming Liars. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.

For all of Kat’s life it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie. Except for the 48 hours when Jamie was married and had a stepbrother, Liam. That ended in an epic divorce, 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. Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know is that there are two surprise guests at the Sutherland compound that weekend. Liam and his father who is 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 realise 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?

Finally, my first five star read of 2025!

Karen M. McManus loves a dual/multi POV, doesn’t she?

I am making my mission in 2025 to get all caught up with her books.

But anyway, back to Such Charming Liars. At first I didn’t see how the plot fitted into Karen M. McManus’ usual style but it became apparent soon enough. I’d probably go as far as saying that this is my favourite book that she’s written.

It was fast paced and filled with twists and turns. Just when you think you have it all sussed out, something else happens. It’s a brilliant book.

I am really enjoying heist themed books at the moment and this was no exception.

Not only was the story great but so were the characters. There was so much character development happening throughout this book and characters that I didn’t love at the beginning really grew on me throughout the duration of this book.

Overall this was a fantastic book, I read it so quickly because I just couldn’t put it down.

I really enjoyed the plot and the dynamic relationships between the characters. The way their interactions and emotional journeys unfolded kept me engaged on a deeper level. However, despite appreciating these elements, I found myself struggling to feel motivated to pick the book up again once I put it down

Couldn’t really get into reading this book. Not sure why but just one that didn’t leave me wanting to find out what the storyline was.

“Find one thing to feel good about, and focus on that. There’s always at least one good thing.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So I love a Karen M McManus book and I was excited that this one was a new story.

When a mother and daughter end up on a heist together it gets personal. Twist after turn has something happening to go against them pulling off this final steal that will set them free once and for all. But the question is how far will they go?

I really loved the concept for this one, how y was a bit different from all the other mysteries and I really loved the dynamics of the characters throughout the story.

Thank you to Karen M McManus, Netgalley and Penguin books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I will be now getting a physical copy of this to complete my set!

Kats mother Jamie got pregnant very young and then made a series of poor decisions including a 48hour Las Vegas marriage to Liam’s con man dad. 12 years later Jamie is a small time jewel thief and wants out but her boss has her do one last job. Steal a necklace from some rich lady at her family’s massive compound during the patriarchs 80th birthday bash. No biggie. Obviously it all goes terribly wrong and the kids are left to save the day. This was a complete and utter romp of vast proportions and I was absolutely here for it. It has gaping plot holes and a conveniently unconscious mother but I was happy to set that aside because the rest of it was so entertaining. It’s so far fetched and preposterous I had a great time reading this and loved every second of it.

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

For a book about a heist, there was very little heist action, which was kind of disappointing given how much it’s marketed as that type of story. The characters were fine, but none really stood out. The romance was cute, though it felt a bit forced—probably because the whole thing takes place over just a few days, so there wasn’t much time for them to really connect.

The plot was pretty slow for the first half, but it definitely picked up in the second half, with the last 15-20% being the best part. I just wish the whole book had been as strong as that final section. As for plot twists, I saw the main one coming from a mile away, but some of the others were actually very surprising (which I always love). The mystery itself was a bit confusing because there were so many characters involved, each with their own side plot. It made it hard to keep track of who did what, especially when all the big reveals started happening at the end.

Overall, not my favourite book by this author but it was still a somewhat entertaining read.

I'm so sad that I think this has turned out to be my least favourite Karen McManus book that I've read. I didn't feel invested in the plot or the characters, it didn't feel particularly twisty like her books usually are - it just felt like I was trudging through the story. I didn't understand what was going on at all? It's still very well-written, if that makes sense, because she's a talented writer... but this was just boring, sadly. This makes me so sad, because I love this author normally - this just didn't work for me.