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Set in the small town of Echo Ridge, Two Can Keep a Secret is a riveting thriller that tells the story of a serial killer with a penchant for homecoming queens.
Twins Ellery and Ezra Corcoran have never visited Echo Ridge, the town where their mother grew up and their aunt disappeared. It’s also the town where Lacey Milduff, the homecoming queen of five years ago was murdered – both cases remain unsolved.
With their mother Sadie in rehab for the short term, the twins are staying with their grandmother and getting a first-hand taste of small-town life.
Echo Ridge has a dark history and Ellery, who is obsessed with true crime stories, intends to investigate one of the cold cases as soon as she can. The towns most infamous murder was that of homecoming queen Lacey Milduff who was discovered strangled at a theme park appropriately named Murderland. The blame immediately fell on her boyfriend Declan, who soon left town but no one could ever prove that he was responsible. Malcom his brother remains and deals with the stigma of being a murderer’s brother every day.
In true Echo Ridge style, the twins immediately encounter drama on their way home from the airport when they discover a hit and run victim. When they discover that this is a teacher from the high school they are just about to attend, Ellery can hardly contain her curiosity.
When Ellery and Malcom become friends, she is even more determined to find out what happened to Lacey. Inevitably details start to emerge about their mother Sadie (also a homecoming queen) and the disappearance of her twin Sarah, and this drives Ellery to continue her investigation. Will they finally discover what happened to their aunt all those years ago and who their father really is?
However, plans to search for more clues are interrupted by threats that start turning up all over town – implying that the murderer has returned and has the new line up of homecoming nominees in their sights.
Filled with intrigue, Two Can Keep a Secret is undeniably a page turner for 15+ teen readers. This is the second book from author Karen M. McManus about the murder and disappearance of high school students, with her debut One of Us is Lying being described as a cross between Pretty Little Liars and The Breakfast Club, which sounds like a winning combination for teens! Fair warning – parents may also find themselves unable to put it down.
About the Author:
Karen M. McManus earned her BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross and her MA in journalism from Northeastern University. When she isn’t working or writing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, McManus loves to travel with her son. One of Us Is Lying is her debut novel. To learn more about her, go to her website, karenmcmanus.com, or follow @writerkmc on Twitter.
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