Who Would Like This Book:
If you love twisty family secrets, summer island vibes, and trying to solve a mystery before the characters do, this one's for you! "The Cousins" drops you into a web of generational drama, secrets, and unexpected discoveries as three teens piece together what tore their family apart decades ago. Karen McManus delivers her signature page-turner, alternating between multiple points of view and mixing in flashbacks, perfect for YA mystery fans and anyone who enjoyed "One of Us Is Lying." Great as a lazy weekend escape, especially if you like your mysteries with a healthy dose of dysfunction and drama.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer fast-paced thrillers, rootable or super-relatable main characters, or meticulously realistic plotting, you might find "The Cousins" a bit lacking. Some readers felt the pacing dragged in spots and wanted more action or depth from the characters. A few found the major plot twists over the top or the ending abrupt and not quite believable. If you like solving the mystery alongside the protagonist, you may find some reveals come too out-of-nowhere. Also, if romantic subplots and good old family baggage aren't your thing, you might want to skip.
About:
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus is a mystery thriller that follows Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah, who are invited to work at their estranged grandmother's island resort. As they uncover family secrets and navigate their complicated relationships, the cousins find themselves entangled in a web of deception and betrayal. The story alternates between the teenagers' perspectives, revealing twists, dark pasts, and unexpected revelations that keep readers engaged till the very end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for the book include swearing, murder, death, minor violence, drinking (including underage), miscarriage, and teenage pregnancy.
From The Publisher:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From the bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You'll never feel the same about family again.
Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised . . . and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point-not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious-and dark-their family's past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over-and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.
Ratings (38)
Incredible (6) | |
Loved It (13) | |
Liked It (10) | |
It Was OK (5) | |
Did Not Like (4) |
Reader Stats (82):
Read It (43) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (31) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (5) |
2 comment(s)
“The Cousins” is a drama and mystery filled novel focusing on the a rich yet distant family reunited under mysterious circumstances. Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah are cousins who barely know each other and who have never met their rich reclusive grandmother. Considering that their grandmother disinherited their parents before they were born, they are each surprised when they receive a letter inviting them to work at the family’s island resort over the summer.
As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the cousins have been invited to the island under false pretenses. After the cousins meet get used to life working on the island, they eventually become friendly and bond over family drama at home. During their time on the island, they discover imposters among them as well as a long kept family secret that caused their parents to be disinherited as well as directly threatening to their futures.
I was surprised that I liked this book since I don’t normally read teen mysteries. The author does a good job of juxtaposing the present day experiences of the cousins with the past experience of Allison, Molly’s mother. Through interjecting Allison past experiences as a eighteen year old, the author effectively provide a rationale showing what caused her and her brother to be cut off from their mother. By the end of the novel, all mysteries have been solved and the some members of the Story family have become closer than ever while other family members are bitter and distant.
I enjoyed this book, especially the dual timelines that were taking place. I liked the way that the ending wasn't as predictable as other YA Mysteries and it concluded in a way that it could stay as a standalone or that it could potentially have a sequal written and it still make sense.
What can you read after
The Cousins?
About the Author:
Karen M. McManus earned her BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross and her MA in journalism from Northeastern University. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying, its sequel…
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