Although I am not the target audience for Karen M. McManus’ YA thriller fiction, I always find myself purchasing each one. They are also very satisfying on the shelf next to each other, and the latest, ‘Such Charming Liars’, is a rather wonderful shade of purple on the shelf.
In ‘Such Charming Liars’, we meet Kat and Liam, who are step-siblings who appear to be reunited by chance as Kat’s mum, Jamie, is sent to carry out a mission for her ’employer’, Gem. They find themselves on the rather impressive Sutherland estate. Neither of them is there for totally honest reasons; however, things take a turn that neither of them could have predicted.
As we all know, this site needs to be spoiler-free, which is never easy when I am trying to share thoughts about titles such as this one. However, what I can say is that returning to a Karen M. McManus novel in autumn is like returning to an old friend. They are quite a comfort read, despite being a YA thriller. They are always full of great characters, and strong female characters, which I think is something that is important for YA novels in the modern age. Alongside this, she is a pro at planting red herrings that can send you off on the wrong path, only for you to suddenly be thrown onto a different path altogether. Alongside this, the final quarter of this book comes at quite a pace, with a twist that I did not see coming as it hit. Which, surely, is always a sign of a good read?
So, if you are looking for a thriller that is great escapism for these autumn evenings, then Karen M. McManus is always a good idea. And if you have a YA reader in your life, maybe this is a set of books you can introduce them to.