The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Bibliographic Information:

• Title: The Cousins
• Author: Karen M. McManus
• ISBN: 9781984842152
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Copyright Date: November 30, 2020
• Audiobook Narrators: Sarah Skaer, Kate Reinders, David Garelik, Julia Whelan
• Duration: Approximately 9 hours

Audiobook Quality: The sound quality of the audio book was excellent. The narration was clear with no static or glitches. The book was told in the first person perspective of four different characters. Each character had a different narrator, which enhanced the listening experience.

Genre: Fiction/Suspense/Thrillers

Format: Audiobook

Awards/Honors: New York Times Bestseller, Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee 2021

Reading Level/Interest Level: Teen- Grades 10-12, Ages 15-18 (Baker & Taylor, Titlesource360)

Plot Summary: When cousins Jonah, Aubrey, and Milly receive a cryptic invitation to spend the summer with their estranged grandmother, their parents force them to go. Their grandmother, Mildred Story, had cut off her four children years earlier and had no contact with them or any of their children since. The parents were eager to get back into their mother’s good graces (and family fortune) and thought that by sending their teens, it would restore family ties.

The three cousins, who barely knew each other, set off to Gull Island to work at their grandmother’s exclusive resort for the summer. They arrive to find things are not as they appeared- their grandmother has no interest in seeing them and they uncover family secrets that have been hidden for decades. The longer they stay, the deeper they become embroiled in the families dark past. A surprising twist at the end will have readers wondering if they really know their know their own families! Perfect for fans of YA suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

Author Background:

Karen M. MacManus is the New York Times bestselling author of One of Us is Lying, Two Can Keep a Secret, One of Us is Next, and The Cousins. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. McManus attended College of the Holy Cross and received her masters degree in journalism from Northeastern University. Her books have been translated into more than 40 languages.

In an interview in BookPage (Barisich, 2019), McManus stated that she had never planned on writing novels. Her main interest was journalism. After the death of her husband, McManus had been working two full-time jobs and raising her son. She decided to “take a leap into writing full time.” Fortunately, it worked out. Her first novel, One of Us is Lying, became a New York Times bestseller. She has written three novels since and each one has been a bestseller. According to McManus, her background in journalism has helped with writing mysteries since it taught her how to look for holes in the story.

Critical Evaluation: The Cousins by Karen M. McManus is a well-written thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well developed and readers will feel as if they know them by the end of the book. The story is told in first-person perspective of the four main characters. It is mostly set in the present time but does jump back to the past at several points. It was easy to follow due to the different narrators in the audiobook. The setting of the story is Gull Island, a fictional, small island off the coast of Massachusetts near Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The setting is described in enough detail to be able to picture the island but no so much that it detracts from the plot. Teens will relate to this book since the three main characters are high school students who are interested in activities that typical teens enjoy- sports, shopping, social media, and partying. The teens have issues with their parents which add to the interest of the story.

Creative Use for a Library Program: A great library program tie-in for The Cousins would be a Murder Mystery Party. I would have the event after hours and set up the scenes in different rooms throughout the library. I would use a murder mystery kit that the library owns or download one. Each participant would receive a workbook and examine each scene and follow the clues to figure out “who dunnit!” Snacks would be served after the crime scenes were examined.

Speed-Round Book Talk: Do you know your family? I mean really KNOW them? When the grandchildren of reclusive Mildred Story receive an invitation to spend the summer at her exclusive resort, their parents force them to go. Upon arriving, the three teens realize that nothing is what they expected and things are not what they appear to be! The longer the Story grandchildren stay, the more involved they become in the family’s dark past and secrets. This book is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seat until the surprising twist at the end.

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense: The only potential challenges I see in The Cousins are under-age drinking and teenage pregnancy. Since the book is rated for students age 15 and up, I do not think that this would be a problem for most readers.

Reason for Inclusion: I included The Cousins by Karen M. McManus because I love McManus’s books! I consider them “light” thrillers. I can’t put them down but they do not keep me up at night. McManus’s books are very popular and well liked by many teens. They circulate well in my library and its consortium.

References:

Barisich, J. (2019, January). Karen M. McManus: The cutest towns always have the darkest secrets. BookPage. Retrieved from https://bookpage.com/interviews/23558-karen-m-mcmanus-ya#.YD0ftmhKg2w

GetUnderlined. (2020, December 1). The Cousins- official book trailer. . YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL-sS12CoJQ&ab_channel=GetUnderlined

McManus, K. (2021) About. Retreived from https://www.karenmcmanus.com/about

Wikipedia. (2021, January 30). Karen M. McManus. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_M._McManus