Such Charming Liars

Former stepsiblings reunite to solve a murder in this uneven thriller from McManus (One of Us Is Back). Kat Quinn, 16, and Liam Rooney, 17, haven’t seen each other since their parents met, eloped, and divorced during a weekend in Las Vegas 12 years ago. Kat’s mother then joined a jewelry theft ring, while Liam’s father started fleecing lonely women. When Kat’s mom announces her intentions to pull one last high-stakes job before going straight, Kat contrives to tag along. Mom hopes to use “half billionaire” Ross Sutherland’s 80th birthday bash as a distraction to steal a ruby necklace, but upon arriving at the Sutherlands’ compound in Bixby, Maine, Kat encounters Liam, who reveals that his father is there with his newest mark, Annalise—the necklace’s owner and Ross’s daughter. Complications avalanche, and after someone shoots a Sutherland, Kat and Liam find themselves on the run from an unidentified killer. Following a lengthy setup, the narrative slips into high gear, executing hairpin twists and exploding bombshells that catapult the tale to an electrifying close. Kat and Liam take turns narrating, and their candid first-person-present accounts confer tension and texture. All characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (July)