The Cousins is an epic story of family, inheritance and deceit, with a touch of murder.
Oh, I absolutely ate this book up. It was fast-paced, engaging, and has the enemies-to-lovers trope — what more can you ask for?
What is The Cousins about?
20 years ago, Mildred Story disinherited her four children, cutting them off from any contact with their mother. The only explanation they got was a mysterious letter signed by their family lawyer with five words: “You know what you did.”
So when Milly, Aubrey and Jonah receive an invitation from Mildred, their grandmother, to work at her island resort for the summer, they are surprised and curious. The cousins hardly know each other, but their parents are set on them going in the hopes of getting their inheritance back.
When the cousins arrive at the resort, things start turning strange and the cousins soon realise that their family is hiding a very dark secret.
What I enjoyed about The Cousins
McManus's writing is effortless. It's simple, engaging and straightforward. It has all the right elements to hook you in right from the very first chapter.
Not only is McManus's writing style addictive, but she also has a wonderful way with words. She sucks you into the world of Gull Cove Island and takes you on a tour of the place, going past Cutty Beach and entering the infamous Catmint House. I could practically smell the salt air and rusty doors when I opened my book.
Some honourable mentions of the Taylor Swift references I caught on pages 156 and 163.
The story is told from multiple points of view — Milly, Aubrey and Jonah in the present, and Allison in the past. You cannot help but fall in love with the main characters when you hear about the adventures they go through from their perspective. Even though they come from various backgrounds (to a certain extent), there is a similarity in the way they are written which I thought was a cute touch to show how alike they are despite their family's heightened tensions. Even though the cousins made mistakes, I still found myself rooting for them because of the pure determination and courage these teenagers uphold. McManus crafted out some well-developed protagonists that you will inevitably adore.
What I did not enjoy so much
I wouldn't say that the ending took me by surprise because I did predict what was going to happen about three-quarters into the book. However, I wished we had more time during the ending scenes because it seemed rushed and was concluded haphazardly.
Despite the minor setback, I really enjoyed this book and would strongly recommend it to my high school mystery junkies. But of course, all are welcome to enjoy it as well.
You best believe that I am reading every book Karen McManus has written after I'm done writing this review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Genre: Mystery
Series: Standalone
Number of pages: 325
Year published: 2020
Version read: Paperback
TW: Alcohol addiction, arson, miscarriage, murder, violence
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