Review: The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

The book I’m reviewing is called The Cousins. It’s an epic tale of family, inheritance and lies. The storyline is straightforward: Mildred Story disinherited her children with no cause except a letter saying “You know what you did.” Twenty four years later she invites cousins Jonah, Aubrey and Milly Story to Gull Cove Island where nothing is as it seems.

The plot is very engaging and unpredictable. The author has a way of throwing you a curveball each time but eventually you catch it in the end. The characters are easy to relate to and also believable. The story is told from the viewpoint of three cousins; Aubrey, Milly and Jonah. We also have a few flashbacks from the life of Milly’s mum, Allison Story. You get to see the way they think and an in-depth insight into their personalities.

The author’s idea was to show the importance of family and friends, and how acts of betrayal can affect the family. The author brings us on a rollercoaster of a journey filled with twists and turns and leaves you teetering at the edge of your seat. It is a tremendous book. However, at the beginning she starts too abruptly without any background information, leaving the reader to piece the puzzle together until the middle of the book. I would definitely recommend this to people who love a juicy mystery and thriller, and I can’t wait to read her next book.

Daniel Akande, teen reviewer