BLOG TOUR: You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

Title: You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus
Pages: 336
Published by: Penguin
Publication date: 30th November 2021
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Format: eBook
Amazon UK – Waterstones

Synopsis:

Ivy, Mateo and Cal used to be close – best friends back in middle school.

Now all they have in common is a bad day. So for old time’s sake they skip school together – one last time.

But when the trio spot Brian ‘Boney’ Mahoney ditching class too, they follow him – right into a murder scene.

They all have a connection to the victim. And they’re ALL hiding something.

When their day of freedom turns deadly, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out . . .

My review:

You’ll Be The Death Of Me was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It’s an addictive and twisty YA thriller that will have you racing towards the end.  

The story is told from the perspective of Ivy, Mateo and Cal, who used to be best friends before they drifted apart. They reconnect years later when they’re in high school and decide to skip school together. Stumbling upon a crime scene and discovering the body of one of their classmates isn’t quite what they had in mind though. 

Yet again, Karen M. McManus has created three very realistic teenagers and I really felt for them all. It shows the struggles of high school and how badly everyone wants to fit in, which I felt was particularly true for Ivy and Cal. Ivy, while not the most relatable character for me, definitely had my sympathy. She feels like she has disappointed her parents compared to her genius brother and is always trying to impress them. Mateo is someone who will do anything to protect those he loves. His mother is sick and he’s working multiple jobs to make ends meet, while Cal feels alone and is struggling to find his place in life. I really liked all of the characters and their struggles felt very real, but I think I liked Cal the most because I could relate to all his insecurities. As the story progresses, they are reminded of why they were friends, but also why their friendship fell apart. They all grow so much throughout the story, both as a group and individually. I was really rooting for them to move past what happened between them and remain friends after the investigation.

The mystery was absolutely perfect and I was thrilled by the amount of twists that were revealed. There’s plenty of surprises to keep you on your toes and they were completely unpredictable for me. Ivy, Mateo and Cal each have their own secrets too and it’s hard to know who to trust as they all have motivation for having some involvement in the student’s death. It was very fast-paced as the three of them were racing to solve the murder and clear their names. 

McManus has delivered another absolute corker of a thriller and cemented her place as one of the best crime writers. I’m looking forward to her next book!

A huge thank you to TheWriteReads and Penguin for sending me a copy of this book for review and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour!