Paperback: 304
Published: 2020
Rating: 5 / 5 stars
Now this was a very twisted mystery, but sure worth every single page.
So let's start at the beginning. Karen M. McManus is one of those authors that for me, can do absolutely no wrong. Their books are an auto buy by now, knowing ahead that they will be a 5 star read and so far, they have not disappointed.
The Cousins is a more recent book by this author and certainly my favorite so far. Each one goes into the YA mystery and murser mystery genres, understanding the assignment to perfection.
The book follows cousins Milly, Aubrey and Jonah Story, each having received a letter from their grandmother with a request to spend the summer at her resort, jobs already set in place for them.
Pretty innocent so far, right?
Wrong.
The story is far more intertwined than a simple summer job and a sudden family reunion with a long lost grandmother that is more of a legend for them than a relative.
20 years ago, Mildred Story disowned her children and banned them from their family home for no apparent reason, as well as cutting them off. The only explanation her children got was a letter, stating:
"You know what you did"
And yet, neither knew. Each of the 4 Story siblings was even more confused than the last.
Fast forward 20 years, each of them sees an opportunity through the letters their children received, hoping to either get their inheritance, or reconnect with their estranged mother and maybe find out what prompted her to kick them all off the island.
Starting to sound more interesting, isn't it?
Throughout the book we get all of the grandchildren's POVs, and so we discover their background stories, family life and how they feel about a grandmother they never met.
Milly is guarded from the very first page, opting for meaningless fun rather than a deep bond with someone, yet secretly craving the acceptance and love she deserves, Aubrey is a very sweet girl that seems to carry a burden too heavy for her alone and Jonah is...odd. It's the best way I can describe him, to be honest.
Whether they want it or not, all 3 end up on a ship, on their way to the Story family resort for the next months.
So here's the thing about this book: I had a rollercoaster with it. I was unsure about it, then I got intrigued. Afterwards I started questioning the author and some scenes in the book but then it seemed to be going back to normal. And finally, the mystery thickened and I was sold.
Oh and then the questionable scenes made sense. Almost forgot to mention that.
Over the course of the book I started bonding with some characters and picking favorites and Milly and Jonah have won first prize here. The author has a very unique way of writing these characters, it's just impossible not to love them and relate to them on some levels. And I'm talking about all the books here.
Now, the thing is, I can't reaaaaally say too much because it's a murder mystery and I would just spoil it all for you, but I'll say this.
We have skeletons buried by the older generation, aka the parents, we have revenge and we have secrets all around.
The Cousins is a book that I recommend fully on any given day. If you're looking for a good mystery, a very twisted story with a crazy past and a book to keep your adrenaline pumping, then you came to the right place. This book checks all the boxes.
If you're a fan of the genre or looking for something to get you into it, then I think you should definitely give this one a try. It's more than worth your time.
Enjoy 🤗
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