The Cousins

You know by now that Karen McManus is one of my favs! She writes the best YA thrillers. (If her name sounds familiar, you’ve probably read One of Us is Lying or One of Us is Next). This one kept me on my toes and I did NOT guess the twist, which you know I love. Cousins Jonah, Milly and Aubrey Story have grown up not knowing each other – their extremely wealthy grandmother cut their parents off before they were born (she left a brief and cryptic note: You know what you did!) and they didn’t make an effort to stay in touch after that. Now, the cousins are all around the same age and are summoned to their grandmother’s island resort (off the coast of Cape Cod) to spend the summer working, and getting to know their grandmother. But when they arrive, it’s clear she had different intentions for them. And everyone has some pretty big secrets, past and present. I really enjoyed this. I liked the relationships between the cousins and the family dynamics that arise throughout (I can’t say much more!), I loved the mystery, and of course I loved that it kept me guessing throughout! Highly recommend for a fun, “read it in a day” sort of thriller.