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familiar_diversions's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Grief
that_person22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I absolutely loved this book. I was making theories every five second and when I discovered that the murderer was Peter I felt sick to my stomach. What a plot twist! I absolutely adore the characters and love how there lives and family’s aren’t perfect! Absolutely devastated that the book is finished.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, and Alcohol
sorcha's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
spearly's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
“You might want to tell that sister of yours to lie low for a change. Doesn’t seem like a great year to be homecoming queen, does it?”
Someone in Echo Ridge has it out for prom queens. First, a girl named Sarah disappears on Homecoming night 20 years ago. Then, Queen Bee Lacey disappears 5 years ago. When Ellory and Ezra's mother - who also happens to be Sarah's twin - is admitted to rehab, they are shipped off to live with their Grandmother in Echo Ridge. That's when the threats start showing up; I'M BACK. PICK YOUR QUEEN, ECHO RIDGE. HAPPY HOMECOMING
Honestly... I've been spoiled. A Good Girl's Guide to Murderhas set the bar for YA mysteries, and unfortunately, Two Can Keep a Secret just fell short.
Told in dual POV, the story follows Ellory, whose aunt disappeared from town 20 years prior, and Marcus, the brother of the guy everyone thinks killed Lacey 5 years ago. Which is all fine and good, except their voices were so similar, I had trouble remembering whose chapter I was reading.
The side characters felt weak, indistinct, and honestly, kind of pointless. The only one who ended up mattering to the story was Officer Rodriguez. I was disappointed to see that even Ellory's twin Ezra was relegated to c-character status. You'd think he'd play a larger role, given that all that familial trauma (of not knowing their father, of losing their aunt, of their mother having a drug problem and needing to go to rehab) that affects Ellory on a daily basis should alsoaffect Ezra. And yet, we barely see him.
I had a large issue with pace, too. It's more than halfway through the book by the time any real investigating goes on. For a murder mystery, readers never really get that satisfaction of clues falling into place, of solving the crime alone with our MCs, of rushing to put the puzzle together before it's too late. Ellory is a self-declared true-crime aficionado, and yet we're barely following her and Malcom solve the mystery because every theory of theirs is wrong. The only real sleuthing they do is when
That aside, I still feel that One of Us Is Lying is the stronger mystery from McManus. More intrigue. More teen detective work. Better reveal. Better characters.
But credit where it's due. You seldom read a mystery where the antagonist doesn't spell everything out for the MCs in some forced villain speech (even A Good Girl's Guide to Murder does this), but that is not the case here. Our villain reveals very little, and readers don't find out the whole story until after the climax. Which is a nice reprieve from the expected.
Overall, not the best teen mystery I have ever read, but a quick, easy read that kept me turning the page nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Death of parent
claire_luna's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
While it took a couple chapters for the stage to be set and a bit of time spent figuring out the various characters and the timeline, after chapter 10 the story had me completely hooked. There were some predictable elements while other twists were entirely surprising. Interspersed in the story there were moments of reflection and issues that were touched upon, giving it depth beyond merely the tension of the general plot. Overall a very satisfying mystery/thriller.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship
chrysalis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
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