Day: May 2, 2019

Two Can Keep a Secret

Author: Karen M. McManus
Published: January 8, 2019
Audiobook

Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: April 1-8, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars

Book Description:

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone’s declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

Jessica’s Review:

I absolutely loved McManus’ debut Novel One of Us is Lying, so I was looking forward to Two Can Keep a Secret. The covers match perfectly and with similar titles, you think Two is a sequel to One, but it is not. But we do have the sequel to look forward to: It is supposed to be released next year! 

Unfortunately, Two was is not up to the expectations that One set. Yes, we have another murder mystery and have many unknowns, but I was not attached to the characters. I was curious with what was going to happen as the description of the novel is intriguing, but it fell flat for me.  We even have two narrators, which by now you know I love multiple povs.  Our two narrators are Ellery and Malcolm, and Ellery even has a twin brother! And all of these characters are connected in some way.  Usually those things all put together equals a guaranteed enjoyable read. I continued the story as I wanted to know the ending, but by the time I got to the end I really didn’t care about it. 

Maybe reading One first set me up with failure for Two as my expectations were very high.  If you want to give both books a try, I say read Two then One. **Remember the books are NOT connected so they can be read either way.  I would read McManus again and I am still looking forward to the sequel to One

My review to One of Us is Lying is here.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK