Two can Keep a Secret by Karen M. Mc Manus

 

Paperback edition

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

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Title : Two can Keep a Secret 

Author : Karen M. Mc.Manus

Genre : Thriller, Young Adult

Published year : 2019

Language : English

Karen M. Mc.Manus is one of the household names for the young adult thriller since the successful debut One of Us Lying. I bought this book back in 2019, right after the hype of One of Us lying. But, accidently, I sent the book to Indonesia without reading it. That's why I finally read it when I come back to Indonesia.

Reading Young Adult, there is a familiar feeling that spread it to my memory. Just like watching CW series, we watch it because of the familiarity, not the plotline, because mostly we knew it beforehand.

Two can keep a secret is a story about the twin, Ellery, and Erza who moved to a small city on the border of Canada, Echo-Ridge, living together with their barely-know Grandmother. Even on the first day, they arrived, accidents keep happening and poke Ellery's curiosity mind. 

Echo Ridge is a typical small city in America whereas everybody knows everybody. The family name holds history longer than a mind can remember, including tragedy. Thus, the reason why the twin's mother decides to leave the city and come back only for her father's funeral.

The main protagonist of the story is the smart, nerd, and curious Ellery together with the handsome brother of a suspected killer, Malcolm. The story is told from their both point of view. 

A long time ago, when Ellery's mother, Sadie become the homecoming queen, the first tragedy happened. Sadie's twin, Sarah went missing and has never been found until now. Then five years ago, the bright homecoming queen, Lacey, was found dead. Both cases have the same problem, the perpetrator hasn't been caught. 

Now, strange graffiti has been spread around the town, mark the comeback of Lacey's missing. Additionally, Ellery strangely has been voted to run the next homecoming. Ellery, the one that always lay low and never draws attention, was suddenly chosen. 

Ellery did not take it as a compliment, but suspicious. Especially, watching too many detectives and mysterious case-solving, Ellery cannot think of it as a mystery to be solved.

And then the tragedy repeated, Brooke, one of the running homecoming candidates went missing. The last person who is seen together with Brooke is Malcolm. 

Ellery is naturally suspicious. Can she believe Malcolm ignore her feeling toward him? Can Ellery solve the missing girl case together with her Aunt's missing case?

Well, the premise is interesting! 

There are so many names in the book that for me, bit difficult to keep track but overall it is a very interesting plot. I like the characterization of Ellery, a normal teenager that smart but also still amateur. Malcolm is also not jock typical. His anguish feeling toward his brother is also normal and understandable.  But I feel shameful that Ezra didn't have a big portion in this story since the twin were supposedly very close. Ezra is like the missing voice in the book.

The other thing is the slow pace in the beginning and then unfold too fast in the end. I don't like the 'cut the chase scene' in the end part when the point of view is suddenly told in the hospital bed point of view. 

Well,I enjoyed reading the book and spent only several hours finishing it. I have no major complaint or compliment. It is the light version of a thriller  But did it improve from One of us Lying? A bit? Hmm... but the twist is less. 

Did I feel sorry having purchased the book? No!

Did I need to reread it in the future? I think no, but we'll see