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Nothing More to Tell
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2022)Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher—a story that made headlines after the teacher’s body was found by three Saint Ambrose students in the woods behind their school. The case was never solved. Now that Brynn is moving home and starting her dream internship at a true-crime show, she’s determined to find out what really happened.
The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder—but instead, thanks to Tripp, they're now at the top of the Saint Ambrose social pyramid. Tripp’s friends have never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day, and neither has he. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie.
Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and when Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she uncovers secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot.
Four years ago someone got away with murder. More terrifying is that they might be closer than anyone thinks.
The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder—but instead, thanks to Tripp, they're now at the top of the Saint Ambrose social pyramid. Tripp’s friends have never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day, and neither has he. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie.
Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and when Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she uncovers secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot.
Four years ago someone got away with murder. More terrifying is that they might be closer than anyone thinks.
358 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2022
About the author
Karen M. McManus
23 books34.4k 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 on Peacock and Netflix, 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 and have sold more than eight million copies worldwide.
To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Twitter and 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 on Peacock and Netflix, 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 and have sold more than eight million copies worldwide.
To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Twitter and Instagram.
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December 17, 2021ETA: You can read an excerpt of Nothing More to Tell here: https://ew.com/books/karen-mcmanus-no...
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Should be able to share the title of this one soon!
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Should be able to share the title of this one soon!
October 15, 2024
Karen M. McManus is back and her latest novel, Nothing More to Tell is my favorite story of hers yet. Trust me, that's saying something, because I love me some McManus!
I have been so hyped about this book for over a year and apparently, for good reason. I'm not sure if it was my level of excitement that pushed this one over the top for me, but this was pretty much a perfect YA Mystery for my tastes.
And that Epilogue?! Are you kidding me, McManus!? I want more of this story and these characters so much. Fingers crossed there will be an announcement soon, if there hasn't been already. It's possible I missed something. Nevertheless...
This story follows Brynn and Tripp, long-time friends from Sturgis, Massachusetts, who had a falling out and were then separated for four years after Brynn's family moved to Chicago.
Due to a change in Brynn's father's job, they're back in Sturgis, right back in their old house. Brynn is nervous about going back to Saint Ambrose School. She didn't leave under the best terms, after her ex-best friend, Tripp, embarrassed her in gym class and then socially shunned her with zero impetus or explanation.
More tragic that all that though is the fact that just prior to their move, Brynn's favorite teacher Mr. Larkin was murdered and found in the woods adjacent to the school. Three student discovered his body, her ex-friend Tripp being one of them.
Now upon their return, Brynn is determined to get to the truth behind Mr. Larkin's death. She even pitches the case to a popular True Crime podcast, at which she has secured a dream internship.
Back in school, Brynn's pretty determined. Let the investigation begin. She knows someone is hiding something about Mr. Larkin and it just may be Tripp.
The Reader also gets Tripp's perspective and there are some scenes set in the before, surrounding the time that Mr. Larkin was killed.
I absolutely adore how McManus unrolled this story. The shifting perspectives, the mini-reveals along the way as Brynn gathers more and more information, it was perfectly paced in my opinion.
I loved Brynn's investigation. Amateur sleuths are one of my favorite tropes and I found both Brynn's motivations and her methods believable.
I also thought there were some great red herrings and the way this wrapped up was smart. As mentioned earlier, I am fairly sure there will be another book to follow this one, but since I have heard nothing official in that regard, I will just say that I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Personally, I would love more content with Brynn and Tripp!! There's more to explore in this town.
As an aside to long-time McManus fans, you'll find entertaining Easter Eggs, or references to her previous works cleverly placed throughout. Every time I came across one, it would just bring a ridiculous smile to my face.
Also, it made me want to reread everything she has ever written. Frankly, that shows you just how clever this one really is. Well played, McManus. Again. Well played.
I have been so hyped about this book for over a year and apparently, for good reason. I'm not sure if it was my level of excitement that pushed this one over the top for me, but this was pretty much a perfect YA Mystery for my tastes.
And that Epilogue?! Are you kidding me, McManus!? I want more of this story and these characters so much. Fingers crossed there will be an announcement soon, if there hasn't been already. It's possible I missed something. Nevertheless...
This story follows Brynn and Tripp, long-time friends from Sturgis, Massachusetts, who had a falling out and were then separated for four years after Brynn's family moved to Chicago.
Due to a change in Brynn's father's job, they're back in Sturgis, right back in their old house. Brynn is nervous about going back to Saint Ambrose School. She didn't leave under the best terms, after her ex-best friend, Tripp, embarrassed her in gym class and then socially shunned her with zero impetus or explanation.
More tragic that all that though is the fact that just prior to their move, Brynn's favorite teacher Mr. Larkin was murdered and found in the woods adjacent to the school. Three student discovered his body, her ex-friend Tripp being one of them.
Now upon their return, Brynn is determined to get to the truth behind Mr. Larkin's death. She even pitches the case to a popular True Crime podcast, at which she has secured a dream internship.
Back in school, Brynn's pretty determined. Let the investigation begin. She knows someone is hiding something about Mr. Larkin and it just may be Tripp.
The Reader also gets Tripp's perspective and there are some scenes set in the before, surrounding the time that Mr. Larkin was killed.
I absolutely adore how McManus unrolled this story. The shifting perspectives, the mini-reveals along the way as Brynn gathers more and more information, it was perfectly paced in my opinion.
I loved Brynn's investigation. Amateur sleuths are one of my favorite tropes and I found both Brynn's motivations and her methods believable.
I also thought there were some great red herrings and the way this wrapped up was smart. As mentioned earlier, I am fairly sure there will be another book to follow this one, but since I have heard nothing official in that regard, I will just say that I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Personally, I would love more content with Brynn and Tripp!! There's more to explore in this town.
As an aside to long-time McManus fans, you'll find entertaining Easter Eggs, or references to her previous works cleverly placed throughout. Every time I came across one, it would just bring a ridiculous smile to my face.
Also, it made me want to reread everything she has ever written. Frankly, that shows you just how clever this one really is. Well played, McManus. Again. Well played.
July 29, 2023
This week I started my YA readathon: in two days I found two BIGGEST WINNERS! Which is like hitting the jackpot. Because sometimes in one year I nearly read more than hundreds of books written in same genre, sulking with disappointment. But right now I’m truly feeling euphoric, a little exhausted because of extra adrenaline rush!
Firstly I read Agathas and gave my five blazing stars! And now I just read Karen M. McManus’ best book!
I read all of her works including her most popular duology of One of us is lying! But this book is definitely my favorite: better developed characterization, well executed dark academia mystery and dual POV story telling blew my mind!
Choosing to tell the story from two likable characters’ perspectives was the main strength of this book make it better than her previous works. ( multi POVed storytelling was a little riskier because it gets confusing and when you don’t root for each character, it turns out as excruciatingly painful experience)
This time: both Tripp and Brynn ( the author always chooses interesting names for her heroines! ) are main characters, students of St. Ambrose School, who were once close friends, till Tripp does something extra mean to humiliate Brynn.
After their teacher Mr. Larkin’s bludgeoned body is found in the woods, Brynn moved to Chicago when her father gets a new job offer. But she is haunted by the mystery and she never gets over it. After 4 years later, they’re back! Brynn has to return back to same school where her teacher was killed, his murderer has never found and three students: two elites: Shawn and Charlotte and her ex best friend- her new nemesis Tripp made a pact not to talk about it!
Brynn gets accepted by her dream job: true crime show “Motive”, pitches her idea about Mr. Larkin’s unsolved murder, encouraged by the producers to dig out more!
That means she has to work undercover, investigating her school friends including elite trio who found the body. That means she has to bury the hatchet and reluctantly make peace with her nemesis Tripp to learn what secrets he keeps from everyone!
What if Mr. Larkin is not an angel as everybody mentioned? What if there are so many people have motives to get rid of him?
Well, I truly enjoyed the mystery! My favorite character was Tripp. I truly felt sorry how much burden he had to carry for his young age. Interestingly both Tripp and Brynn were most likable characters the author ever created.
That’s why I’m giving my first five stars to one of her works. ( I enjoyed the previous ones but character department always failed for me or some plot hole always bugged me to give more stars)
I can honestly say! This is one of the best works of the year! You shouldn’t dare to miss it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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Firstly I read Agathas and gave my five blazing stars! And now I just read Karen M. McManus’ best book!
I read all of her works including her most popular duology of One of us is lying! But this book is definitely my favorite: better developed characterization, well executed dark academia mystery and dual POV story telling blew my mind!
Choosing to tell the story from two likable characters’ perspectives was the main strength of this book make it better than her previous works. ( multi POVed storytelling was a little riskier because it gets confusing and when you don’t root for each character, it turns out as excruciatingly painful experience)
This time: both Tripp and Brynn ( the author always chooses interesting names for her heroines! ) are main characters, students of St. Ambrose School, who were once close friends, till Tripp does something extra mean to humiliate Brynn.
After their teacher Mr. Larkin’s bludgeoned body is found in the woods, Brynn moved to Chicago when her father gets a new job offer. But she is haunted by the mystery and she never gets over it. After 4 years later, they’re back! Brynn has to return back to same school where her teacher was killed, his murderer has never found and three students: two elites: Shawn and Charlotte and her ex best friend- her new nemesis Tripp made a pact not to talk about it!
Brynn gets accepted by her dream job: true crime show “Motive”, pitches her idea about Mr. Larkin’s unsolved murder, encouraged by the producers to dig out more!
That means she has to work undercover, investigating her school friends including elite trio who found the body. That means she has to bury the hatchet and reluctantly make peace with her nemesis Tripp to learn what secrets he keeps from everyone!
What if Mr. Larkin is not an angel as everybody mentioned? What if there are so many people have motives to get rid of him?
Well, I truly enjoyed the mystery! My favorite character was Tripp. I truly felt sorry how much burden he had to carry for his young age. Interestingly both Tripp and Brynn were most likable characters the author ever created.
That’s why I’m giving my first five stars to one of her works. ( I enjoyed the previous ones but character department always failed for me or some plot hole always bugged me to give more stars)
I can honestly say! This is one of the best works of the year! You shouldn’t dare to miss it!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
September 16, 2022
KMM is back! her last two books were underwhelming for me, so i am pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this newest one is!
nothing mind-blowingly outstanding, but it has the right combination of easy writing and quick pacing, enjoyable characters (i think tripp of one of the best characters KM has ever written) and a plot that keeps the reader engaged.
had i read this as a teenager, it would have definitely gotten 5 stars.
↠ 4 stars
nothing mind-blowingly outstanding, but it has the right combination of easy writing and quick pacing, enjoyable characters (i think tripp of one of the best characters KM has ever written) and a plot that keeps the reader engaged.
had i read this as a teenager, it would have definitely gotten 5 stars.
↠ 4 stars
December 5, 2022
3.5 STARS
"You're a bad liar, Tripp Talbot. Always have been."
Karen McManus has built an empire off of the modern day YA thriller, and Nothing More to Tell fits nicely into her repertoire. Perhaps I've missed this before, but it was fun seeing how she tied multiple other books she has written into this books "universe", referencing One of Us Is Lying and You'll Be the Death of Me in conjunction with podcasts solving other mysteries. Don't worry, if you haven't read these yet, you won't be spoiled. No direct details to the solving of the mysteries are included.Maybe that's why I enjoyed this one more than the past couple of books the author has written, or maybe this one was just a more enjoyable read overall.
This book has everything you would come to expect from a KM novel: a murder mystery and a bunch of teenagers trying to solve it without spilling their own secrets along the way. Mr. Larkin was a beloved teacher at Saint Ambrose private school, and while we don't get to know much of who he was while he was a teacher, we do get to know more about his backstory toward the end of the novel. Brynn has just moved back to her old hometown after her dad was transferred back for work, and she is loathe to see Tripp Talbot, her ex-best friend who embarrassed her in front of the entire school way back when. Tripp was one of three students who found Mr. Larkin's dead body in the woods behind the school, and they are all keeping secrets, but is one of them a murderer?
There's nothing incredibly deep here, and everything is very plot driven, which makes this a fun read when you need some easy going entertainment. I clearly need to go back to taking better notes while I'm reading (that's what I get for reading a mystery while in a fever induced flu fugue), but some of the continuity did not add up for me. Again, I'm assuming I must be misremembering the order of some things (for example, the timing of when Tripp does what he does to embarrass Brynn in relation to the timeline of the murder), and I did not find myself invested enough to hunt back through the book and check. I was incorrect with who I thought the murderer was, which is always a pleasant surprise, and I'll be interested to see if McManus decides to create a series with these characters based on the epilogue.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
"You're a bad liar, Tripp Talbot. Always have been."
Karen McManus has built an empire off of the modern day YA thriller, and Nothing More to Tell fits nicely into her repertoire. Perhaps I've missed this before, but it was fun seeing how she tied multiple other books she has written into this books "universe", referencing One of Us Is Lying and You'll Be the Death of Me in conjunction with podcasts solving other mysteries. Don't worry, if you haven't read these yet, you won't be spoiled. No direct details to the solving of the mysteries are included.Maybe that's why I enjoyed this one more than the past couple of books the author has written, or maybe this one was just a more enjoyable read overall.
This book has everything you would come to expect from a KM novel: a murder mystery and a bunch of teenagers trying to solve it without spilling their own secrets along the way. Mr. Larkin was a beloved teacher at Saint Ambrose private school, and while we don't get to know much of who he was while he was a teacher, we do get to know more about his backstory toward the end of the novel. Brynn has just moved back to her old hometown after her dad was transferred back for work, and she is loathe to see Tripp Talbot, her ex-best friend who embarrassed her in front of the entire school way back when. Tripp was one of three students who found Mr. Larkin's dead body in the woods behind the school, and they are all keeping secrets, but is one of them a murderer?
There's nothing incredibly deep here, and everything is very plot driven, which makes this a fun read when you need some easy going entertainment. I clearly need to go back to taking better notes while I'm reading (that's what I get for reading a mystery while in a fever induced flu fugue), but some of the continuity did not add up for me. Again, I'm assuming I must be misremembering the order of some things (for example, the timing of when Tripp does what he does to embarrass Brynn in relation to the timeline of the murder), and I did not find myself invested enough to hunt back through the book and check. I was incorrect with who I thought the murderer was, which is always a pleasant surprise, and I'll be interested to see if McManus decides to create a series with these characters based on the epilogue.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
December 24, 2023
Four years previously someone got away with the murder of a much-loved school teacher; interning as a true crime reporter, 16 year old Brynn returns to her hometown and school and finds herself re-investigating the murder. McManus's mysteries are always nicely plotted in a diverse American reality with at least one hot-cold romance, as a formula this works and to be honest McManus only error was in writing such a great first novel in One Of Us Is Lying that all her work will be compared to it. This one's an OK read that includes her very realistic portrayals of mid to late teens. A 6 out of 12, Three Star read :), there's nothing more to tell.
2023 read
2023 read
September 1, 2022
4.25/5
Reading this book, I was instantly pulled into the mystery. Brynn was, for the most part, an extremely likeable MC. She isn’t my favourite (Ellery still has that honour) but she wasn’t annoying at all, and did things logically. Tripp, on the other hand, annoyed me for half of the book before I started to like him, but I don’t think many others will have that problem with him.
I am annoyed that in every YA mystery we need a moralizing sections where the MC regrets ever looking into the mystery and starts hating herself. Like, why can’t we have an MC go for the case and not hurt her family because they actually support her?? But no it’s the same spiel of looking for a killer is wrong if you hurt your friends and family by not telling them everything. It’s getting annoying.
I was so convinced this would be another 4.5 read from Karen M McManus, but the ending had me remove .25 from it. Why? Because this was single-handedly the most abrupt ending to any mystery I have ever read. I was reading an e -book, so please just imagine my shock when I thought the killer would show up and instead turned the page to see EPILOGUE written at the top. I was so confused. Seriously I thought I had skipped pages. The ending should have been 20 pages longer at least and more concrete than it was. The identity and explanation of the killer really didn’t make sense to me, given how it was presented. I also don’t know how Brynn was willing to not let the case become actually solved?? After all the work she was just fine letting the killer go??
I think that if this book has a sequel, it could be very interesting. If it doesn’t, though, there are many things left unsolved and many odd sentences I thought would be expanded on but never were. So, if a sequel is planned, this book definitely sets up for it. If there isn’t one, we have some plot holes.
I also am really wanting Ellie to be the MC of the sequel or her own mystery. It was kind of embarrassing that she was the one who basically solved the mystery because without her trap, Brynn and Tripp would probably not have figured it out for a while longer.
Ellie was such a great character, and I would love more of her in the future.
I also loved having references to all the previous mystery cases!!
Overall, it’s a good mystery, but the ending for sure is underwhelming.
Reading this book, I was instantly pulled into the mystery. Brynn was, for the most part, an extremely likeable MC. She isn’t my favourite (Ellery still has that honour) but she wasn’t annoying at all, and did things logically. Tripp, on the other hand, annoyed me for half of the book before I started to like him, but I don’t think many others will have that problem with him.
I am annoyed that in every YA mystery we need a moralizing sections where the MC regrets ever looking into the mystery and starts hating herself. Like, why can’t we have an MC go for the case and not hurt her family because they actually support her?? But no it’s the same spiel of looking for a killer is wrong if you hurt your friends and family by not telling them everything. It’s getting annoying.
I was so convinced this would be another 4.5 read from Karen M McManus, but the ending had me remove .25 from it. Why? Because this was single-handedly the most abrupt ending to any mystery I have ever read. I was reading an e -book, so please just imagine my shock when I thought the killer would show up and instead turned the page to see EPILOGUE written at the top. I was so confused. Seriously I thought I had skipped pages. The ending should have been 20 pages longer at least and more concrete than it was. The identity and explanation of the killer really didn’t make sense to me, given how it was presented. I also don’t know how Brynn was willing to not let the case become actually solved?? After all the work she was just fine letting the killer go??
I think that if this book has a sequel, it could be very interesting. If it doesn’t, though, there are many things left unsolved and many odd sentences I thought would be expanded on but never were. So, if a sequel is planned, this book definitely sets up for it. If there isn’t one, we have some plot holes.
I also am really wanting Ellie to be the MC of the sequel or her own mystery. It was kind of embarrassing that she was the one who basically solved the mystery because without her trap, Brynn and Tripp would probably not have figured it out for a while longer.
Ellie was such a great character, and I would love more of her in the future.
I also loved having references to all the previous mystery cases!!
Overall, it’s a good mystery, but the ending for sure is underwhelming.
November 28, 2022
Now a Goodreads Choice nominee in Young Adult Fiction!!
Oh, good to know I haven’t completely lost the ability to write a review immediately after finishing it! We will all just collectively ignore how long it took me to read in the first place.
The premise of Nothing More to Tell immediately felt like something more conceivable as a vehicle to tell a murder mystery involving teenagers. There’s still the standard McManus (and to be honest, probably a genre standard at this point) rotating perspectives, but this time only split between two characters. And if you are keeping track of her trademark Too Trendy Names, this time around we are working with Brynn and Tripp so…..yeah. McManus strikes again! I could have sworn at the outset that she’d actually done Brynn already, but no, I was just thinking of Bronwyn (lol) from One of Us Is Lying.
There’s a few flashes to scenes from the past around the time their teacher at Saint Ambrose, Mr. Larkin, was found dead in the woods behind the school by Tripp and two other kids in middle school. But for the most part we get the exposition either as narration or through Brynn’s investigation of the cold case murder as an intern for a true crime show, Motive. Structuring the plot this way was a smart move, as my biggest complaint with McManus’s last book was how much of my disbelief had to be suspended for even a fraction of the situations those kids found themselves in to be plausible. Here, Brynn had access to police files and investigative tools, not to mention an excuse to pursue the case with gusto, that didn’t rely on happenstance to uncover major twists.
As for my enjoyment of the book, I think I appreciated the mechanics of it more than I really loved reading it. Like, I wasn’t frantically flipping through the pages, but I did keep picking it back up. I also think this could be the potential launching pad for McManus’s next series or spin-offs on One of Us Is Back rounds off that trilogy next year. If that’s not the case, I’ll probably bump my rating down a level because many of the threads she left dangling would have been done unintentionally. Though as of now it just feels like a dozen red herrings were stuffed into a story and then promptly abandoned once they no longer served it.
Speaking of, I cannot get over how abrupt the final climax was. I thought You'll Be the Death of Me was rushed, but this??? I can’t go beyond that it started out of nowhere and ended minutes later with all the fanfare of a speed bump without getting into spoilers, but just know I had to put my kindle down to laugh alone in my room for several more minutes before I could start again. But this didn’t impact the plot as much as you’d expect; there’s an epilogue twist that is the main reason I suspect a follow-up to this one that I actually think could be really interesting if done well. So I guess we’ll see.
But truthfully I do not keep coming back to these books because I am expecting ingenious plot devices and mind-blowing twists. I am here exclusively for the consistent readability and the scratchy-face covers. And despite not reaching the level of a couple of her earlier novels, McManus delivers on both of those things here as well.
*Thank you to Delacorte Press, Get Underlined and Netgalley for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
Oh, good to know I haven’t completely lost the ability to write a review immediately after finishing it! We will all just collectively ignore how long it took me to read in the first place.
The premise of Nothing More to Tell immediately felt like something more conceivable as a vehicle to tell a murder mystery involving teenagers. There’s still the standard McManus (and to be honest, probably a genre standard at this point) rotating perspectives, but this time only split between two characters. And if you are keeping track of her trademark Too Trendy Names, this time around we are working with Brynn and Tripp so…..yeah. McManus strikes again! I could have sworn at the outset that she’d actually done Brynn already, but no, I was just thinking of Bronwyn (lol) from One of Us Is Lying.
There’s a few flashes to scenes from the past around the time their teacher at Saint Ambrose, Mr. Larkin, was found dead in the woods behind the school by Tripp and two other kids in middle school. But for the most part we get the exposition either as narration or through Brynn’s investigation of the cold case murder as an intern for a true crime show, Motive. Structuring the plot this way was a smart move, as my biggest complaint with McManus’s last book was how much of my disbelief had to be suspended for even a fraction of the situations those kids found themselves in to be plausible. Here, Brynn had access to police files and investigative tools, not to mention an excuse to pursue the case with gusto, that didn’t rely on happenstance to uncover major twists.
As for my enjoyment of the book, I think I appreciated the mechanics of it more than I really loved reading it. Like, I wasn’t frantically flipping through the pages, but I did keep picking it back up. I also think this could be the potential launching pad for McManus’s next series or spin-offs on One of Us Is Back rounds off that trilogy next year. If that’s not the case, I’ll probably bump my rating down a level because many of the threads she left dangling would have been done unintentionally. Though as of now it just feels like a dozen red herrings were stuffed into a story and then promptly abandoned once they no longer served it.
Speaking of, I cannot get over how abrupt the final climax was. I thought You'll Be the Death of Me was rushed, but this??? I can’t go beyond that it started out of nowhere and ended minutes later with all the fanfare of a speed bump without getting into spoilers, but just know I had to put my kindle down to laugh alone in my room for several more minutes before I could start again. But this didn’t impact the plot as much as you’d expect; there’s an epilogue twist that is the main reason I suspect a follow-up to this one that I actually think could be really interesting if done well. So I guess we’ll see.
But truthfully I do not keep coming back to these books because I am expecting ingenious plot devices and mind-blowing twists. I am here exclusively for the consistent readability and the scratchy-face covers. And despite not reaching the level of a couple of her earlier novels, McManus delivers on both of those things here as well.
*Thank you to Delacorte Press, Get Underlined and Netgalley for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
November 13, 2022
life hack: if you don't like a book read a worse book in the same genre and the book will automatically seem so much better.
follow me for more tips on how to brainwash yourself.
i wish the author would put the same drugs into the actual book as they do into their summaries. every time i read a book summary for a KMCM book i'm like hell yeah and then i read the book and it's just hell nay.
i mean it's not bad necessarily, it's just.. meh.
what i also don't get is why every YA thriller/mystery nowadays needs a romance subplot? if "Is it even a book if there isn't any romance" is a philosophical question you find yourself asking, the answer is a very clear: yes, what the fuck are you on about.
TL;DR: thrillers need more murder and less highschoolers ogling each other. 3 stars. the end was oddly emotional actually - or maybe that's just the crack talking (and with crack i mean reading two books in one day)
follow me for more tips on how to brainwash yourself.
i wish the author would put the same drugs into the actual book as they do into their summaries. every time i read a book summary for a KMCM book i'm like hell yeah and then i read the book and it's just hell nay.
i mean it's not bad necessarily, it's just.. meh.
what i also don't get is why every YA thriller/mystery nowadays needs a romance subplot? if "Is it even a book if there isn't any romance" is a philosophical question you find yourself asking, the answer is a very clear: yes, what the fuck are you on about.
TL;DR: thrillers need more murder and less highschoolers ogling each other. 3 stars. the end was oddly emotional actually - or maybe that's just the crack talking (and with crack i mean reading two books in one day)
September 27, 2022
Okay, so I think that this is the best McManus book that I've read recently. I found myself unable to guess the true identity of the killer and it was interesting to see the interconnectedness of all the characters. Nevertheless, this still isn't the best that I've seen McManus do. I think that if you go into this for the fun with lower expectations then you'll enjoy it more. 3.5
Nothing More to Tell is McManus' 6th release told in dual perspective of students who were impacted by the murder of a former teacher. Brynn, who previously left the school, returns in hopes of solving the mystery while also working as an intern at a famous true crime show. Readers also get insight to the perspective of Tripp who found the body of Mr. Larkin. Like Brynn, he struggles with understanding who would have killed their teacher.
To be honest, McManus did a great job with the character development in this one. It's one of the few books that she's published where I felt a connection to the characters and their personal struggles. It's also one in which I felt like McManus was able to seamlessly connect the struggles of the characters to the plot. There was a certain level of interconnectedness that I don't always get with YA books that I appreciated. If I had to pick a favorite perspective out of the two characters, it would have to be Tripp. His story ripped my heart to shreds. McManus did an excellent job informing the reader on how the trauma associated with Mr. Larkin's death continued to wreak havoc over Tripp's life. It was also interesting to notice how the dysfunction of his home life informed decisions he made in regard to the murder. There is also a certain level of complexity with the side characters that I also enjoyed.
One of my issues with this book definitely had to do with the overall "layout" of the plot. I loved that McManus proved me wrong on who I thought murdered Mr. Larkin. The sub-plot about his life that informed the rest of the story was extremely interesting, BUT there were too many twists. I don't know if that is going to make sense, but there were too many people that we came close to "revealing" as the killer only for Tripp and Brynn to pull back more evidence to prove that while they were a part of the narrative, they weren't actually the killers. By the time the true killer was revealed, I was exhausted with the reveals and completely underwhelmed by who actually committed the murder. In fact, their reason for committing the murder was a little out there (just my personal opinion). I think that the plot just needed a little more balance. If so, I could have definitely seen this one as being a four star read.
Overall, this was a solid read, but I'm waiting for McManus to blow me away again. If you're interested in great character development with a solid mystery, then you'll probably enjoy this one.
Nothing More to Tell is McManus' 6th release told in dual perspective of students who were impacted by the murder of a former teacher. Brynn, who previously left the school, returns in hopes of solving the mystery while also working as an intern at a famous true crime show. Readers also get insight to the perspective of Tripp who found the body of Mr. Larkin. Like Brynn, he struggles with understanding who would have killed their teacher.
To be honest, McManus did a great job with the character development in this one. It's one of the few books that she's published where I felt a connection to the characters and their personal struggles. It's also one in which I felt like McManus was able to seamlessly connect the struggles of the characters to the plot. There was a certain level of interconnectedness that I don't always get with YA books that I appreciated. If I had to pick a favorite perspective out of the two characters, it would have to be Tripp. His story ripped my heart to shreds. McManus did an excellent job informing the reader on how the trauma associated with Mr. Larkin's death continued to wreak havoc over Tripp's life. It was also interesting to notice how the dysfunction of his home life informed decisions he made in regard to the murder. There is also a certain level of complexity with the side characters that I also enjoyed.
One of my issues with this book definitely had to do with the overall "layout" of the plot. I loved that McManus proved me wrong on who I thought murdered Mr. Larkin. The sub-plot about his life that informed the rest of the story was extremely interesting, BUT there were too many twists. I don't know if that is going to make sense, but there were too many people that we came close to "revealing" as the killer only for Tripp and Brynn to pull back more evidence to prove that while they were a part of the narrative, they weren't actually the killers. By the time the true killer was revealed, I was exhausted with the reveals and completely underwhelmed by who actually committed the murder. In fact, their reason for committing the murder was a little out there (just my personal opinion). I think that the plot just needed a little more balance. If so, I could have definitely seen this one as being a four star read.
Overall, this was a solid read, but I'm waiting for McManus to blow me away again. If you're interested in great character development with a solid mystery, then you'll probably enjoy this one.
Want to read
February 18, 2021Even her untitled books are suspenseful😌✨
I wish I knew what this is about!!
I wish I knew what this is about!!
September 4, 2024
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🩸꒱ — 3,5 ★
"𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔."
It was a quite decent murder mystery. This book had me guessing who the killer was till the very end, atp I think I suspected everyone except the fmc and mmc. If it comes to our fmc and mmc, Brynn was really likable and Tripp wasn't bad either, though, he was kinda annoying at first, but got better eventually. I found this book enjoyable, but, I have to admit, that the ending didn't leave me satisfied. Simply, it didn't shock me as much as I thought it would.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🩸꒱ pre-read
I'm in the mood for a murder mystery, so here we go
"𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒔."
It was a quite decent murder mystery. This book had me guessing who the killer was till the very end, atp I think I suspected everyone except the fmc and mmc. If it comes to our fmc and mmc, Brynn was really likable and Tripp wasn't bad either, though, he was kinda annoying at first, but got better eventually. I found this book enjoyable, but, I have to admit, that the ending didn't leave me satisfied. Simply, it didn't shock me as much as I thought it would.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
꒰𓍼𓍢ִ໋🩸꒱ pre-read
I'm in the mood for a murder mystery, so here we go
April 21, 2023
There’s something in KMM’s books that make them addicted. Like, you read one of them and then you have to read them all.
I did like this one more than some of the others, but let's talk about its big turn-off: Brynn and Tripp. You need a little bit of romance in YA Adult books, I get it, but it's kind of annoying when you can feel the author is forcing two characters towards each other.
Brynn and Tripp have no chemistry at all. One of them was in love with the other, then Brynn leaves town for five years and when she comes back they try to resolve this mystery in their life. One of them declares itself to the other, and the other thinks its look has improved with time. They kiss and then they live happily ever after.
What's the point, exactly? Why should they be together when they’re clearly better as friends? What’s supposed to happen now, they’ll have three fantastic months and then break up before college?
KMM has a pattern with the plot of her books: two characters that used to be friends - but now dislike each other - will have to work together again and they’ll realise they never stopped liking each other. This has to happen or, apparently, she's not happy.
About the actual mystery, there is a pattern too, but this one works every time.
Someone gets killed and only our friends can find out the truth. And after everything that can happen, when you're the most involved in the story and your jaw is wide open for the shock… the author will cut off the story. I know it sounds bad, but I love it. You're in the middle of the action, and then turn the page to find yourself two weeks after everything.
At first, it's normal to feel disappointed. But the mystery is not quite resolved yet, so there are still about twenty pages of “What will happen next?”. And in the last chapter - the best one, if you ask me - you’ll see if you got the right killer or if you got fooled.
I hope you'll still want to read and try to enjoy KMM’s books after this review. Some of you may be dissatisfied - I was, and more than once -, but I always come back because the truth is… KMM writes stories that I have no doubt could come from reality.
Her characters are young, naive teenagers who think they can save the world and mess with the wrong people without repercussions. They don't communicate with their parents, or even with each other, and this obviously leads to mistakes and, eventually, someone will get hurt.
Because this is what happens in the real world: the good guys get hurt and, sometimes, the bad ones get what they deserve. Sometimes.
But, anyway, the reality is never what it seems.
↠ 3.5 stars
p.s.: loved the references to The Bayview Four and totally agree with Ellie possibly being the next Maeve Rojas.
I did like this one more than some of the others, but let's talk about its big turn-off: Brynn and Tripp. You need a little bit of romance in YA Adult books, I get it, but it's kind of annoying when you can feel the author is forcing two characters towards each other.
Brynn and Tripp have no chemistry at all. One of them was in love with the other, then Brynn leaves town for five years and when she comes back they try to resolve this mystery in their life. One of them declares itself to the other, and the other thinks its look has improved with time. They kiss and then they live happily ever after.
What's the point, exactly? Why should they be together when they’re clearly better as friends? What’s supposed to happen now, they’ll have three fantastic months and then break up before college?
KMM has a pattern with the plot of her books: two characters that used to be friends - but now dislike each other - will have to work together again and they’ll realise they never stopped liking each other. This has to happen or, apparently, she's not happy.
About the actual mystery, there is a pattern too, but this one works every time.
Someone gets killed and only our friends can find out the truth. And after everything that can happen, when you're the most involved in the story and your jaw is wide open for the shock… the author will cut off the story. I know it sounds bad, but I love it. You're in the middle of the action, and then turn the page to find yourself two weeks after everything.
At first, it's normal to feel disappointed. But the mystery is not quite resolved yet, so there are still about twenty pages of “What will happen next?”. And in the last chapter - the best one, if you ask me - you’ll see if you got the right killer or if you got fooled.
I hope you'll still want to read and try to enjoy KMM’s books after this review. Some of you may be dissatisfied - I was, and more than once -, but I always come back because the truth is… KMM writes stories that I have no doubt could come from reality.
Her characters are young, naive teenagers who think they can save the world and mess with the wrong people without repercussions. They don't communicate with their parents, or even with each other, and this obviously leads to mistakes and, eventually, someone will get hurt.
Because this is what happens in the real world: the good guys get hurt and, sometimes, the bad ones get what they deserve. Sometimes.
But, anyway, the reality is never what it seems.
↠ 3.5 stars
p.s.: loved the references to The Bayview Four and totally agree with Ellie possibly being the next Maeve Rojas.
June 29, 2024
I’m on BookTube now! =)
I relax my shoulders, thinking we're done, but before he goes any farther, he gives me one last, searching look. "That's the question that keeps me up at night. Why would you?”
Okay, I’ll admit it: This was fun! After reading “The Cousins” and being slightly disappointed by the story I went into this with a little bit of stomach ache, so I’m very glad to announce that “Nothing More to Tell” worked perfectly for me! Karen McManus’s books are always somewhat hit-or-miss for me, because I either end up enjoying the hell out of them or they just aren’t my cup of tea. I don’t know why, but it is the way it is and this time around, I was happy how the story progressed and unfolded.
"Tripp Talbot got unfairly and undeservedly hot, and worst of all, he knows it. All of which I added to my list of reasons to dislike him."
I think one of the main reasons I really liked this was the fact that we only had two POVs. We got Brynn’s and Tripp’s side of the story and this made it easier to follow the storyline and kept things on track and interesting. Sometimes too many POVs can ruin a story, but thankfully, this didn’t happen in here! Also Brynn and Tripp were great characters to follow around and even though they had a similar vibe as Nate and Bronwyn (Tripps real name is Noah btw.) the resemblance wasn’t as strong as in “The Cousins” and therefore didn’t bother me as much.
”Tripp, if you don't let whatever is inside of you out, I'm honestly afraid that it's going to kill you. And soon."
He jerks his head away, eyes burning into mine. "Don't do that," he says hoarsely. "Don't - you can't touch me like that when you know how I ... Fuck."
In addition, the chemistry between those two was nice and I liked their easy banter. While Brynn was a good student that returned to her hometown after four years, Tripp’s life didn’t treat him as kindly and he was getting by as good as possible. I found the dynamic of the three friends that found Mr. Larkin’s body in the woods extremely interesting and the different ways they developed after what happened could have been a study in sociology. They still stuck together but they didn’t really have a lot in common. I think of all three Tripp was the one who hurt the most, he obviously suffered from PTSD and his relationship with his absent mother and his coexistence with his withdrawn father most definitely didn’t help. That poor boy had a lot on his plate and no one he could trust with his secrets. He was the epitome of a broken boy and as you all know they’re my kryptonite. So of course I loved Tripp! He’s quite literally my BBK = Broken Boy Kryptonite and yes, I’m making this a thing now! *lol* I’m gonna spread that acronym into the world. Muahaha! *lol* Anyway! Charlotte’s and Shane’s privilege worked in their favour and they got out of the situation pretty easily and decided never to mention it again. That obviously worked for them, but not for Tripp.
”The man was a void. That son of a bitch got what he deserved. There’s more than one way to be awful. And I wonder, with another uncomfortable twist of my stomach, whether I ever really knew my favorite teacher at all.”
But after four years and lots of time to think about Mr. Larkin’s case Brynn is determined to solve the murder case and even pitches it at her internship job interview at a true-crime show. She’s so persuasive that she doesn’t only get the job but is also asked to investigate and find out more about the three kids involved. So of course, her first target is Tripp, her former bestie who acted strangely before Mr. Larkin’s death and before she had to leave. I really liked that part of the book and the way Brynn investigated the crime was fun to read about. Mr. Larkin was such a mystery, I had about a thousand ideas what could have happened that day, but I’m glad to say that none of my theories was right. McManus gives you a couple of clues, but it’s really hard to find out the truth. I usually like it if I can work my way through the mystery alongside the characters and even though that wasn’t really possible in here I still appreciated the way the author chose to reveal the truth.
“I haven’t felt like a kid since that day in the woods, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can get back.”
Plus, I liked that McManus addressed a couple of other serious topics in here as well and showed how finding a dead body can affect people’s lives even years after it happened. Tripp’s trauma representation felt very real and comprehensible. Still, his mom Lisa Marie was horrible and I honestly hope Tripp will never see her again. He deserved so much better than that! I kinda wish we would have gotten a little bit more of Shane and Charlotte, though, but I get why McManus focused more on Tripp and Brynn instead.
“I know that secrets can eat you alive, and the truth can break your heart, and sometimes it's hard to know which is worse.”
This said I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and it was a nice change to all the other books I read in January. The murder mystery around Mr. Larkin kept me guessing and took some really unexpected turns which is always an advantage in my book! Not to mention Brynn and Tripp as the two MCs who really won me over with their personalities. They made mistakes but that made them very human so I couldn’t help but root for them. Bottom line: This was fun and restored my trust in McManus’s books! I can’t wait to pick up the next one! =)
____________________________
This one was fun again! =)
“The Cousins” wasn’t really my thing but I really enjoyed the two POVs in here and the mystery kept me guessing with Brynn and Tripp! Maybe it’s because we have a B & N couple again?!
Bronwyn & Nate, Brynn & Noah aka Tripp. There’s a pattern here. *lol*
Anyway! I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and I’ll make sure to write a proper review soon! Soo y'all know the drill:
RTC soon! Stay tuned! ;-)
____________________________
I found another McManus book in my library and it sounds like this one could be good!
An old murder mystery and two former best friends? It sounds like Brynn and Tripp aren’t exactly on speaking terms but maybe that will change throughout the book?!
I suppose the only way to find out is by reading the story, so that’s what I’ll do! ;-)
Fingers crossed this will be a winner again!
P.S: The title "Nothing More to Tell" is kinda funny, because there obviously is A LOT to tell! XD
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I relax my shoulders, thinking we're done, but before he goes any farther, he gives me one last, searching look. "That's the question that keeps me up at night. Why would you?”
Okay, I’ll admit it: This was fun! After reading “The Cousins” and being slightly disappointed by the story I went into this with a little bit of stomach ache, so I’m very glad to announce that “Nothing More to Tell” worked perfectly for me! Karen McManus’s books are always somewhat hit-or-miss for me, because I either end up enjoying the hell out of them or they just aren’t my cup of tea. I don’t know why, but it is the way it is and this time around, I was happy how the story progressed and unfolded.
"Tripp Talbot got unfairly and undeservedly hot, and worst of all, he knows it. All of which I added to my list of reasons to dislike him."
I think one of the main reasons I really liked this was the fact that we only had two POVs. We got Brynn’s and Tripp’s side of the story and this made it easier to follow the storyline and kept things on track and interesting. Sometimes too many POVs can ruin a story, but thankfully, this didn’t happen in here! Also Brynn and Tripp were great characters to follow around and even though they had a similar vibe as Nate and Bronwyn (Tripps real name is Noah btw.) the resemblance wasn’t as strong as in “The Cousins” and therefore didn’t bother me as much.
”Tripp, if you don't let whatever is inside of you out, I'm honestly afraid that it's going to kill you. And soon."
He jerks his head away, eyes burning into mine. "Don't do that," he says hoarsely. "Don't - you can't touch me like that when you know how I ... Fuck."
In addition, the chemistry between those two was nice and I liked their easy banter. While Brynn was a good student that returned to her hometown after four years, Tripp’s life didn’t treat him as kindly and he was getting by as good as possible. I found the dynamic of the three friends that found Mr. Larkin’s body in the woods extremely interesting and the different ways they developed after what happened could have been a study in sociology. They still stuck together but they didn’t really have a lot in common. I think of all three Tripp was the one who hurt the most, he obviously suffered from PTSD and his relationship with his absent mother and his coexistence with his withdrawn father most definitely didn’t help. That poor boy had a lot on his plate and no one he could trust with his secrets. He was the epitome of a broken boy and as you all know they’re my kryptonite. So of course I loved Tripp! He’s quite literally my BBK = Broken Boy Kryptonite and yes, I’m making this a thing now! *lol* I’m gonna spread that acronym into the world. Muahaha! *lol* Anyway! Charlotte’s and Shane’s privilege worked in their favour and they got out of the situation pretty easily and decided never to mention it again. That obviously worked for them, but not for Tripp.
”The man was a void. That son of a bitch got what he deserved. There’s more than one way to be awful. And I wonder, with another uncomfortable twist of my stomach, whether I ever really knew my favorite teacher at all.”
But after four years and lots of time to think about Mr. Larkin’s case Brynn is determined to solve the murder case and even pitches it at her internship job interview at a true-crime show. She’s so persuasive that she doesn’t only get the job but is also asked to investigate and find out more about the three kids involved. So of course, her first target is Tripp, her former bestie who acted strangely before Mr. Larkin’s death and before she had to leave. I really liked that part of the book and the way Brynn investigated the crime was fun to read about. Mr. Larkin was such a mystery, I had about a thousand ideas what could have happened that day, but I’m glad to say that none of my theories was right. McManus gives you a couple of clues, but it’s really hard to find out the truth. I usually like it if I can work my way through the mystery alongside the characters and even though that wasn’t really possible in here I still appreciated the way the author chose to reveal the truth.
“I haven’t felt like a kid since that day in the woods, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can get back.”
Plus, I liked that McManus addressed a couple of other serious topics in here as well and showed how finding a dead body can affect people’s lives even years after it happened. Tripp’s trauma representation felt very real and comprehensible. Still, his mom Lisa Marie was horrible and I honestly hope Tripp will never see her again. He deserved so much better than that! I kinda wish we would have gotten a little bit more of Shane and Charlotte, though, but I get why McManus focused more on Tripp and Brynn instead.
“I know that secrets can eat you alive, and the truth can break your heart, and sometimes it's hard to know which is worse.”
This said I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and it was a nice change to all the other books I read in January. The murder mystery around Mr. Larkin kept me guessing and took some really unexpected turns which is always an advantage in my book! Not to mention Brynn and Tripp as the two MCs who really won me over with their personalities. They made mistakes but that made them very human so I couldn’t help but root for them. Bottom line: This was fun and restored my trust in McManus’s books! I can’t wait to pick up the next one! =)
____________________________
This one was fun again! =)
“The Cousins” wasn’t really my thing but I really enjoyed the two POVs in here and the mystery kept me guessing with Brynn and Tripp! Maybe it’s because we have a B & N couple again?!
Bronwyn & Nate, Brynn & Noah aka Tripp. There’s a pattern here. *lol*
Anyway! I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and I’ll make sure to write a proper review soon! Soo y'all know the drill:
RTC soon! Stay tuned! ;-)
____________________________
I found another McManus book in my library and it sounds like this one could be good!
An old murder mystery and two former best friends? It sounds like Brynn and Tripp aren’t exactly on speaking terms but maybe that will change throughout the book?!
I suppose the only way to find out is by reading the story, so that’s what I’ll do! ;-)
Fingers crossed this will be a winner again!
P.S: The title "Nothing More to Tell" is kinda funny, because there obviously is A LOT to tell! XD
Find me on:
My Blog
February 5, 2023
No mi favorito de la autora, pero disfrutable igualmente.
Karen M. McManus es una de estas autoras que no puede faltar en mi lista de lecturas cuando saca un nuevo libro. Tenía muchas ganas de leer Dime qué escondes, porque la sinopsis parecía interesante y sabía que era una apuesta segura. Ahora bien, no ha conseguido volarme la cabeza como sus anteriores novelas. Quizá, puede ser, por el estilo más sencillo y la trama no tan enrevesada que presenta esta historia. Viniendo de Lazos de sangre o Tú serás mi muerte, que considero que son dos novelas donde su estilo está mucho más pulido, así como la construcción de sus personajes, esta se queda corta.
En esta ocasión nos encontramos con una trama sencilla, y dos personajes principales (Brynn, Tripp) que nos van narrando sus avances con la investigación. Especialmente en la trama de Brynn, que me ha apasionado todo el tema de ser periodista junior y cómo consigue adelantar por la izquierda al resto de adultos. Eso siempre me da satisfacción personal.
Respecto a lo que es el caso, el misterio como tal, se desvela bastante hacia el final –como suele ser habitual en este tipo de novelas- pero sí es cierto que no esconde tantas capas como esperaba. Al final, es un misterio sencillo, no tanto de "estar por casa" pero sí más bajado a la tierra. Yo me entiendo, jaja.
En definitiva, Dime qué escondes es una novela entretenida que se lee enseguida y con un ritmo que hará que sea imposible dejarlo. Sus personajes caen simpáticos y todo funciona, aunque no sea explosivo.
Karen M. McManus es una de estas autoras que no puede faltar en mi lista de lecturas cuando saca un nuevo libro. Tenía muchas ganas de leer Dime qué escondes, porque la sinopsis parecía interesante y sabía que era una apuesta segura. Ahora bien, no ha conseguido volarme la cabeza como sus anteriores novelas. Quizá, puede ser, por el estilo más sencillo y la trama no tan enrevesada que presenta esta historia. Viniendo de Lazos de sangre o Tú serás mi muerte, que considero que son dos novelas donde su estilo está mucho más pulido, así como la construcción de sus personajes, esta se queda corta.
En esta ocasión nos encontramos con una trama sencilla, y dos personajes principales (Brynn, Tripp) que nos van narrando sus avances con la investigación. Especialmente en la trama de Brynn, que me ha apasionado todo el tema de ser periodista junior y cómo consigue adelantar por la izquierda al resto de adultos. Eso siempre me da satisfacción personal.
Respecto a lo que es el caso, el misterio como tal, se desvela bastante hacia el final –como suele ser habitual en este tipo de novelas- pero sí es cierto que no esconde tantas capas como esperaba. Al final, es un misterio sencillo, no tanto de "estar por casa" pero sí más bajado a la tierra. Yo me entiendo, jaja.
En definitiva, Dime qué escondes es una novela entretenida que se lee enseguida y con un ritmo que hará que sea imposible dejarlo. Sus personajes caen simpáticos y todo funciona, aunque no sea explosivo.
January 22, 2023
Karen McManus hasn’t let me down yet!
Four years ago teacher, William Larkin was found dead in the woods by three of his students. The case remains unsolved.
Brynn Gallagher has recently relocated back to the small town of Sturgis after her fathers job is moved from Chicago.
She must face all her old friends, but most awkwardly her old best friend Tripp, whom she hasn’t spoken to since he humiliated her years ago.
Brynn begins working for a true crime podcast looking into Mr Larkin’s death. As usual, there are secrets upon secrets and so many red herrings.
McManus’ books are just so compulsively readable. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. And the final reveal is as satisfying as ever.
Keep ‘em coming KM!
************************
Library copy available for pick up
If Karen McManus writes it, I will read it.
Four years ago teacher, William Larkin was found dead in the woods by three of his students. The case remains unsolved.
Brynn Gallagher has recently relocated back to the small town of Sturgis after her fathers job is moved from Chicago.
She must face all her old friends, but most awkwardly her old best friend Tripp, whom she hasn’t spoken to since he humiliated her years ago.
Brynn begins working for a true crime podcast looking into Mr Larkin’s death. As usual, there are secrets upon secrets and so many red herrings.
McManus’ books are just so compulsively readable. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. And the final reveal is as satisfying as ever.
Keep ‘em coming KM!
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Library copy available for pick up
If Karen McManus writes it, I will read it.
January 20, 2022
This was so much fun! This YA-mystery was so brilliantly executed and the way the author weaved the different layers of the story was well done. I really enjoyed it!
Bryn left Saint Ambrose high school following the murder of beloved English teacher Mr. Larkin. His body was discovered in the woods by three students and the case was never solved. Now, four years later Bryn returns home to where it all happened. Determined to nail an internship at a popular true crime show, she pitches the story about the murder of Mr. Larkin. A journalist to her core, Bryn is determined to figure out what happened that day.
The deeper Bryn digs into the case, the more secrets she uncovers. What she finds out will change the lives of all the people she knows and loves.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Bryn left Saint Ambrose high school following the murder of beloved English teacher Mr. Larkin. His body was discovered in the woods by three students and the case was never solved. Now, four years later Bryn returns home to where it all happened. Determined to nail an internship at a popular true crime show, she pitches the story about the murder of Mr. Larkin. A journalist to her core, Bryn is determined to figure out what happened that day.
The deeper Bryn digs into the case, the more secrets she uncovers. What she finds out will change the lives of all the people she knows and loves.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 30, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up
This is one of the better offerings I've read by this author. It's a solid mystery with many parts that don't all get solved until the very end. In fact, I was starting to worry that one of the main mysteries wouldn't get closure, but never fear, the ends are tied up.
In 8th grade, Brynn's favorite teacher, Mr. Larkin, was murdered. His body was discovered by three of her fellow students: Tripp (her closest friend), Shane, and Charlotte. His murder was never solved. Brynn moved away shortly afterward, but now, in her senior year, her family moves back to town. Brynn gets a coveted internship with a true crime podcast and she pitches the story of Mr. Larkin's death. The podcast hosts are very interested, and Brynn continues to do her own investigating. She and Tripp become friends again, and the more they uncover, the more surprises they find. Who killed Mr. Larkin, and was it related to any of the other events at the time?
I was very engaged with this book as an audiobook. I love Jesse Vilinsky as a narrator, and Andrew Eiden, who voices Tripp, does a superb job as well. They kept me interested throughout.
The mysteries here are intriguing, but I don't find a huge amount of difference between the characters in this book vs. the previous two books I read by this author (You'll Be the Death of Me, The Cousins) I like her plots, but the characters are kind of cookie cutter.
Overall though, I liked the plot, the mystery was good, and the storyline was fast-paced. What more can you ask for in a YA book?
This is one of the better offerings I've read by this author. It's a solid mystery with many parts that don't all get solved until the very end. In fact, I was starting to worry that one of the main mysteries wouldn't get closure, but never fear, the ends are tied up.
In 8th grade, Brynn's favorite teacher, Mr. Larkin, was murdered. His body was discovered by three of her fellow students: Tripp (her closest friend), Shane, and Charlotte. His murder was never solved. Brynn moved away shortly afterward, but now, in her senior year, her family moves back to town. Brynn gets a coveted internship with a true crime podcast and she pitches the story of Mr. Larkin's death. The podcast hosts are very interested, and Brynn continues to do her own investigating. She and Tripp become friends again, and the more they uncover, the more surprises they find. Who killed Mr. Larkin, and was it related to any of the other events at the time?
I was very engaged with this book as an audiobook. I love Jesse Vilinsky as a narrator, and Andrew Eiden, who voices Tripp, does a superb job as well. They kept me interested throughout.
The mysteries here are intriguing, but I don't find a huge amount of difference between the characters in this book vs. the previous two books I read by this author (You'll Be the Death of Me, The Cousins) I like her plots, but the characters are kind of cookie cutter.
Overall though, I liked the plot, the mystery was good, and the storyline was fast-paced. What more can you ask for in a YA book?
September 30, 2022
Definitely my least favorite McManus book so far. The characters were great but the plot just felt messy and all over the place. I was holding out until the very end for that one last gut punch the author usually does and it was just so meh this time around.
September 7, 2022
I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I didn't get this book.
Now I'm a huge fan of this author, I have read and sat through every one of her novels in a day and lapped them the fuck up. But her past two novels just didn't hit the mark for me.
I didn't care about the characters, there was nothing to make me care about them. Tripp yes, and Brynn's sister is absolutely hilarious, but other than that, what did we know about anyone? Nothing...they all felt two dimensional and dull.
Shane who was literally on the hit list for being a killer...the guy barely said two words the entire book. Charlotte, her character was clingy and that was about all she had going for her. And Brynn, our MC? She couldn't give two flying f's about anything. Which meant I gave two flying f's about her.
The secrets, there was nothing shocking about them. If anything I saw none of them coming, and that was the problem. I SAW NONE OF IT COMING, because none of the characters and their backgrounds were fleshed out enough.
This social divide between the rich and the poor could have been really interesting and drawn upon to enrich the story, the secrets and the lies between their dead teacher and his former life.
Instead it was just so dull, there was nothing that shocked me or sent chills down my spine the same way the author's previous novels did.
Quite frankly, for a 350+ page book, I was bored. It was as though the author wrote this in a week and said there, good enough, it'll keep the fans happy.
Disappointed is an understatement.
Now I'm a huge fan of this author, I have read and sat through every one of her novels in a day and lapped them the fuck up. But her past two novels just didn't hit the mark for me.
I didn't care about the characters, there was nothing to make me care about them. Tripp yes, and Brynn's sister is absolutely hilarious, but other than that, what did we know about anyone? Nothing...they all felt two dimensional and dull.
Shane who was literally on the hit list for being a killer...the guy barely said two words the entire book. Charlotte, her character was clingy and that was about all she had going for her. And Brynn, our MC? She couldn't give two flying f's about anything. Which meant I gave two flying f's about her.
The secrets, there was nothing shocking about them. If anything I saw none of them coming, and that was the problem. I SAW NONE OF IT COMING, because none of the characters and their backgrounds were fleshed out enough.
This social divide between the rich and the poor could have been really interesting and drawn upon to enrich the story, the secrets and the lies between their dead teacher and his former life.
Instead it was just so dull, there was nothing that shocked me or sent chills down my spine the same way the author's previous novels did.
Quite frankly, for a 350+ page book, I was bored. It was as though the author wrote this in a week and said there, good enough, it'll keep the fans happy.
Disappointed is an understatement.
November 6, 2022
a solid mystery with
dense dark academia
vibes, punctuated by
a bit too much teen
existential drama. ;)
dense dark academia
vibes, punctuated by
a bit too much teen
existential drama. ;)
August 15, 2023
Another great high school triller by McManus!! I really enjoyed following the main character as she returns to her hometown to finish out her senior year of high school. The same people she was in middle school with are still there and they all have a tragic past! When she left school the first time it was right after one of her favorite teachers had been murdered. They never discovered who the killer was. Now that she is back, will she be able to solve the case??
A great end of summer easy read full of plot twists and Lovable characters. There’s even a Veronica Mars reference!!! 💞
A great end of summer easy read full of plot twists and Lovable characters. There’s even a Veronica Mars reference!!! 💞
September 4, 2022
Not her best, but still entertaining to read and fun to follow behind the leads' shenannigans.
Want to read
November 18, 2020You don’t need any information whatsoever if it’s Karen M. McManus
February 20, 2023
i truly TRULY loved this book, like everything about it was perfect
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 12, 2022dnf on page 83. can’t believe I’m dnfing a McManus book but I’m too bored and the characters are too bland and I just don’t care!
August 25, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
This was a really enjoyable read!! 🥰🥰 I always have a fun time with Karen M. McManus books and this one was no different! I did have some issues, but it was an entertaining, fast-paced YA murder mystery 🫶🫶
“I know that you can have the best intentions and still get the worst results.”
Nothing More to Tell follows Brynn, who left her hometown four years ago after her favourite teacher was murdered and his body discovered by three students in the woods. The case has never been solved. But now Brynn is moving back there and when she gets an internship working for a true crime show, she decides to start doing some digging. Starting with the kids who found the body, including her ex best friend Tripp Talbott- because they are definitely hiding something....
This was my sixth book by this author and I always reach for her books when I'm in the mood for a YA murder mystery. All her books are entertaining and this book was no different. Not my favourite by her but it was very entertaining 🩷🩷
Starting with what I enjoyed!! ✨️ One of the things I liked about this book was the characters. Usually, KMM's characters are very cookie cutter but I actually liked both Brynn and Tripp! 🤩🤩 Tripp in particular- I just really liked his character and he felt really well-developed. This book was also super fast-paced and easy to read. KMM's writing is just so bingeable and I always enjoy her writing style 🫶🫶
The story itself was also very interesting and I liked the direction it took. There were little twists sprinkled throughout the story that kept me interested and it was just super entertaining 🥰
However, i did have a few issues 😕 I think the main reason I didn't absolutely love this was the ending. I love the feeling of reaching the end of a murder mystery, finding out what happened and just GASPING-... but that didn't happen with this one 😬😬😬 In fact the ending was kinda... predictable? 🙈🙈 The reveal was also so rushed so I finished it just feeling a bit unsatisfied 😒
There was also quite a bit of filler in here. There were just parts where it felt like we were going in circles and not getting anywhere, particularly in the beginning, so i wish that had been cut down a bit 🤷♀️
“I haven’t felt like a kid since that day in the woods, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can get back.”
Overall, this was a fun time!! 🩷🩷 I would recommend if you want:
✔ Bingeable writing
✔ Fast-paced
✔ Decent characters
✔ Fun YA murder mystery
Not a favourite, but I enjoyed it 🫶🫶
《 2023 Challenge: Book 104 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was a fun time 🥰🥰 it was an enjoyable, fast-paced murder mystery 🫶🫶 that ending was a little unsatisfying tho 🫤🫤
RTC!
This was a really enjoyable read!! 🥰🥰 I always have a fun time with Karen M. McManus books and this one was no different! I did have some issues, but it was an entertaining, fast-paced YA murder mystery 🫶🫶
“I know that you can have the best intentions and still get the worst results.”
Nothing More to Tell follows Brynn, who left her hometown four years ago after her favourite teacher was murdered and his body discovered by three students in the woods. The case has never been solved. But now Brynn is moving back there and when she gets an internship working for a true crime show, she decides to start doing some digging. Starting with the kids who found the body, including her ex best friend Tripp Talbott- because they are definitely hiding something....
This was my sixth book by this author and I always reach for her books when I'm in the mood for a YA murder mystery. All her books are entertaining and this book was no different. Not my favourite by her but it was very entertaining 🩷🩷
Starting with what I enjoyed!! ✨️ One of the things I liked about this book was the characters. Usually, KMM's characters are very cookie cutter but I actually liked both Brynn and Tripp! 🤩🤩 Tripp in particular- I just really liked his character and he felt really well-developed. This book was also super fast-paced and easy to read. KMM's writing is just so bingeable and I always enjoy her writing style 🫶🫶
The story itself was also very interesting and I liked the direction it took. There were little twists sprinkled throughout the story that kept me interested and it was just super entertaining 🥰
However, i did have a few issues 😕 I think the main reason I didn't absolutely love this was the ending. I love the feeling of reaching the end of a murder mystery, finding out what happened and just GASPING-... but that didn't happen with this one 😬😬😬 In fact the ending was kinda... predictable? 🙈🙈 The reveal was also so rushed so I finished it just feeling a bit unsatisfied 😒
There was also quite a bit of filler in here. There were just parts where it felt like we were going in circles and not getting anywhere, particularly in the beginning, so i wish that had been cut down a bit 🤷♀️
“I haven’t felt like a kid since that day in the woods, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can get back.”
Overall, this was a fun time!! 🩷🩷 I would recommend if you want:
✔ Bingeable writing
✔ Fast-paced
✔ Decent characters
✔ Fun YA murder mystery
Not a favourite, but I enjoyed it 🫶🫶
《 2023 Challenge: Book 104 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was a fun time 🥰🥰 it was an enjoyable, fast-paced murder mystery 🫶🫶 that ending was a little unsatisfying tho 🫤🫤
RTC!
January 22, 2023
3.5 Stars
A twisty little tale told craftily through two interesting MCs. The pacing was spot on with little reveals along the way that enlighten AND plunge us further into the dark. Tricky to do right! McManus fans should like this YA murder mystery.
A twisty little tale told craftily through two interesting MCs. The pacing was spot on with little reveals along the way that enlighten AND plunge us further into the dark. Tricky to do right! McManus fans should like this YA murder mystery.
January 5, 2023
The thing is, miss Karen McManus knows how to write a proper hetero romance even though she is not a romance author. I love how healthy and mature her couples are. I also like that with every book I feel like I just revisit Nate and Bronwyn in a different setting. I know some people have a problem with how similar her characters are to previous books', but if I could read about N&B for the rest of my life, I would.
Out of all her books, the plot of this one is probably the strongest. There were so many threads and every one of them connected somehow.
The title is perfect, whoever came up with it deserves a rise.
And oh, the way I thought through the entire novel that the two main characters are like Nate and Bronwyn and the sister is like Maeve, and then the sister said she could be the next Maeve Rojas...? I'm sorry?! Are these books set in the same universe?
Out of all her books, the plot of this one is probably the strongest. There were so many threads and every one of them connected somehow.
The title is perfect, whoever came up with it deserves a rise.
And oh, the way I thought through the entire novel that the two main characters are like Nate and Bronwyn and the sister is like Maeve, and then the sister said she could be the next Maeve Rojas...? I'm sorry?! Are these books set in the same universe?
December 9, 2022
I'm sad to say this has been my least favorite book by this author.
Starts pretty slow and is hard to get into.
The ending is pretty predictable and anti-climatic. When I finish a mystery my thoughts shouldn't be "Oh, ok." But with this book it was. Pretty underwhelming.
Still three stars because it did have some good moments and some chapters were really fast paced and good, I just wish the end would have been better.
Starts pretty slow and is hard to get into.
The ending is pretty predictable and anti-climatic. When I finish a mystery my thoughts shouldn't be "Oh, ok." But with this book it was. Pretty underwhelming.
Still three stars because it did have some good moments and some chapters were really fast paced and good, I just wish the end would have been better.
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