SN: It's been very strange. But I also feel like, in a weird way, there's been this democratization of these author events. Smaller releases and less well-known authors are given opportunities they might not have had otherwise, and more people are getting access to events they might never have been able to attend.

I think aside from the McManus book that just came out last November (“You’ll Be the Death of Me”) this is the only McManus book I haven’t read yet. XD I really love her books because they are always something nice to read in between. In addition to the current timeline, there's also a past perspective following Milly's Mom, Allison, in the summer leading up to their disinheritance. Eventually, it all pieces together into a more than startling conclusion. As The Cousins begins, it appears as if Mildred Story has invited her teenage grandchildren, Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah, to spend the summer living and working at an island resort she owns. The invitation surprises the cousins because Mildred disinherited their parents years ago. The cousins have never met her. They met each other when they were children, but they have not seen each other since.

Twenty-five years ago, the matriarch, Mildred, suddenly disowned her four children, essentially banishing them. The cause behind this act remains a mystery to this day. This book also reminded me of We Were Liars with the islands, family with secrets, very rich people, and the ending. And I didn't like that book. I was able to predict one of the twists at one point though, but there were many subtle hints leading up to it so it wasn't much of a surprise, but STILL. I predicted it and I'm counting it since I rarely ever do. The trio arrives on the island and encounters the old family doctor, Dr. Baxter. When he sees Milly, he thinks that she is her mother, Allison. He says she should not have come. He wants to know if Aubrey’s father, Adam, is there, too. Dr. Baxter’s granddaughter, Hazel, comes to get him and explains that he now suffers from early dementia. I received a review copy from Penguin Random House SA. All opinions are my own. Review Characters – 6/10

They own the largest resort on the island; a remote vacation destination off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

And Jonah: good looking, a little douche, mysterious, smart, perfect pool player: Anders’ son who truly hates his father and we don’t know the reason why!!

I’m going to start this review off by saying that I had some high hopes for this book and they were not met. The main issue I had was with the characters. I was not as invested in their story as I should have been. In her other stories, you can feel that something is already written, quite predictable and not so exciting even if you still wouldn't know who has done what in the end. But in this one - a mix between a We Were Liars vibe and a Truly Devious mystery - the truth is hidden until the very last chapter, the bad guys finally get what they deserve and there's an actually happily ever after - kind of, but for me it's always a bonus.A slow-burn, uneasy beginning ultimately makes way for a frantically paced end peppered with twists that genre fans will happily take in stride. . . . Fans of McManus' previous offerings and of mysteries steeped in family dramatics will be eager for this. Booklist Personality-wise I think Milly was my favourite, and this book might have been better off with only her POV. Atmosphere – 6/10