Such Charming Liars

Gr 9 Up–Kat and Liam haven’t seen each other for 12 years, not since their parents’ disastrous 48-hour marriage in Las Vegas. Since then, 16-year-old Kat’s life has been anything but normal. After Vegas, Kat’s mom, Jamie, started working for a criminal mastermind named Gem. When Gem takes Kat along on a heist without permission, Jamie knows it’s time to get out. They just have to do one more job—steal a ruby-laden necklace at a billionaire’s birthday party. Liam, on the other hand, has lived a relatively normal life after the “Vegas incident.” But six months before the story begins, his mom dies and he is stuck with his con-man father, Luke. Looking to score big, Luke starts wooing an heiress, who also happens to be the owner of the ruby necklace. When the four characters cross paths on the side of the road heading toward the birthday party, things get a lot more complicated—and deadly. Told through Kat and Liam’s dual perspectives, this novel’s twists take readers on a wild ride until the very last page. While the mystery is thrilling, McManus also deftly explores themes of family, loyalty, love, and class. All characters default to white.