Rumoured: a gripping celebrity thriller about a pop superstar accused of murder and the truth behind the headlines

by Kelly Mancaruso, Kristina Mancaruso

A gripping celebrity thriller about a pop superstar accused of murder and the secrets hiding behind her fame.

***** 'My favourite read of the year'*****
*****'Outstanding 5-star debut'*****
*****'It felt like scrolling through a real scandal in real time'*****
*****'Absolute perfection, I was hooked from start to finish!'*****
*****'I had so much fun reading this!'*****

The world knows Harlow Hayes. Or at least they think they do.

She's a global pop sensation adored by millions. Her music dominates the charts, her fans worship her, and her star only continues to rise.

Then, at the height of her fame, she's arrested on suspicion of murder.

As speculation explodes and the headlines grow more sensational by the day, the world becomes obsessed with one

Is Harlow Hayes an innocent pop star... or a cold-blooded killer?

Everyone thinks they know who Harlow is. But the truth behind her carefully crafted image is far more complicated.

And some secrets are worth killing for.

From the authors of Scandal, this is a tense, salacious and addictive thriller about celebrity culture, obsession, fame, murder and the dangerous gap between public image and reality.

Perfect for readers who
*Psychological thrillers with shocking twists
*Celebrity and pop-star fiction
*Fame, scandal and social media drama
*Murder mysteries and criminal investigations
*Unreliable narrators and hidden secrets
*Easter eggs and clues layered into the story
*Fast-paced, addictive thrillers

If you loved RUMOURED, don't miss SCANDAL, the twisted new thriller from the Mancaruso sisters, perfect for readers who loved A Flicker in the Dark, The Perfect Marriage and Luckiest Girl Alive.

'Packed with unpredictable twists' MEGAN COLLINS, author of CROSS MY HEART
'Your next obsession' SIAN GILBERT, author of SHE STARTED IT
'Incredibly fun and addictive' ASHLEY WINSTEAD, author of This Book Will Bury Me
‘A rollercoaster ride' RACHEL WOLF, author of THE SKI WEEKEND

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Ebooks, Suspense, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published July 3, 2025

Reviews

[Kelly Mancaruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this with my sister so I am biased :) but we had the best time writing this and hope you enjoy reading if you choose to pick it up! It’s for thriller readers craving a bit of glamour. It’s for Taylor Jenkins Reid fans looking for something a bit darker. It’s for the pop stans like us who pore over lyrics in search of clues (if you’re a swiftie sleuth, there’s a good chance you’ll love it!). It’s for anyone who enjoys searching for Easter eggs in their favorite artist’s work. It’s for celebrity gossip gluttons who love a good conspiracy… and hopefully many other readers!

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love juicy celebrity drama, truly shocking twists, an inside look at the music industry, or whodunnits with beyond clever plotting, Rumoured is an absolute must-read. After all, it was filled with fun pop culture references all while spinning an addictive tale of potential suspects, multiple murders, and a whole host of mind-blowing secrets and lies. The best piece of all, though? That was easily the earth-shattering twist. Turning the whole book on its head, even I missed most of the Easter egg-style clues. So despite the slow start and definite need to suspend all disbelief, I fell for this complex mystery in no time at all. Besides, who doesn’t love a book that has a mixed media format and cliffhangers galore? And the fact that it’s a debut? All I can say is HOLY COW!

Done and dusted, while the beginning was a tad slow for my liking, once I got halfway through, I couldn’t have loved it more if I tried. With an escalating level of tension as the investigative journalist narrator searched for the truth, I flip-flopped from being all in and looking at Naomi as slightly unhinged. Was she an unreliable protagonist or onto to something big? I’ll leave it for you to find out, but just know that there’s one heck of a big surprise coming your way. A deft mix of suspense/thriller and crime fiction but with a mild Daisy Jones & The Six kind of feel, there was something in it for everyone—especially if you love a good scheme. After all, I happily didn’t see that twist or conclusion coming at all and usually I’m pretty good at armchair sleuthing. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

Innocent celebrity or heartless murderer? It's time to find out...

Harlow Hayes: the pop star.
I'm a global sensation adored by millions, and my star only seems to keep rising.

The icon.
My fans say I speak directly to them through my music, that I know who they are. How else could I write such visceral, personal lyrics? They love me, and I love them right back.

The murderer.
Then, at the height of my fame, I was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The world thinks they know who I am. But they have no idea.

Thank you to Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso and Head of Zeus Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: October 7, 2025

Content warning: grief, anxiety, drug and alcohol use, violence, mention of: drug overdose, toxic relationship

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this isn't the summer smash hit of 2025, I'll eat my flip-flops!

Harlow Hayes is at the top of her game. She's more famous than Taylor Swift. A megastar. A true success story.

Naomi Barnes is in the mist of grieving her sister, who died suddenly a few years back. She works for C*Leb news as a journalist, and when Harlow Hayes gets arrested for murder, the media is all over it, including Naomi.

This book was written for me and all conspirators globally. Whether it's who replaced Avril Lavigne, were Furbies spying on us, or did aliens build the pyramids, I'm all in. I LOVE a conspiracy.

Add to that TikTok's, Internet sleuths, and secret symbols, I'm in my element.

Then, the sister loss / grief representation - chef's kiss. This is never well portrayed in a thriller, yet they smashed it here.

My only grumble would be that I wish Emily had more closure, but I understand why that decision was made.

Five stars - I had so much fun reading this!

[Emily Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Heathers_readss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about an iconic popstar who gets caught up in a messy murder accusation, lots of drama to follow 😂

This book was fun, I’d call it a popcorn thriller, there is a lot happening and some of it is arguably far fetched and unrealistic however we don’t need our fictional books to be an accurate representation of real life all the time so I thought it was entertaining and personally loved the drama.

The main character definitely makes some questionable choices so even though she has likeable qualities it’s hard to know whether to root for her and have her back or not 😆

I liked the use of lyrics to sprinkle clues and subtle messages throughout the book.

Id recommend the read, its quick and entertaining.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the gifted copy! #campnetgalley

Publishes : October 7th

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ | If you enjoy a good murder mystery and the music industry, this one you’ll certainly enjoy. Imagine living your best life, your career is on 🔥, your music is at the top of the charts and then suddenly you’re thrown into a murder investigation.. Not as a witness, but as the prime suspect! This is exactly what happens to Harlow. And then there’s Naomi, an investigative journalist that soon realizes she has a personal connection with the case.

This whirlwind story took quite a few turns before the big reveal. And if anyone says that ending was predictable, I would be very surprised. I absolutely did not see that coming! Overall a super fun, quick & entertaining read. It was cool to see all the references to real celebrities & real incidents that have occurred. This sister duo did a great job on their debut novel, and I’m looking forward to following their writing career.

Thank you Bloomsbury USA and Camp NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Publication 🗓️ : 10.07.25

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

✨2 stars✨

I really wanted to like this book as the description sounded intriguing, however the execution of this book let it down for me.

The story follows journalist Naomi as she covers the story of pop star Harlow Hayes after she’s been arrested as she is suspected to murder someone. However, she’s let out after the DNA that the police has doesn’t match. Then there’s a secondary plot following the death of Naomi’s younger sister Faye three years earlier as Naomi begins to suspect that there may have been foul play and that Harlow may be responsible…


There were several parts that let this book down for me (🚨WARNING POTENTIAL SPOILERS🚨):

- Everything was all too convenient. For example, the tracklist literally spell out “N FORGIVE ME”. If this was such a big secret you’re telling me not one person found this out?

- The whole ‘using a body double to impersonate a famous person’ and using Paul McCartney as an example seemed so far-fetched that it actually made me laugh😂. You’re telling me that Faye/Harlow’s family never noticed the similarities between the two even before she had plastic surgery? Wouldn’t Harlow’s family have noticed that their loved one is a whole different person?

- The ending felt so rushed and Faye/Harlow never receives any repercussions for her actions… so is she just going to keep on pretending to be Harlow for the rest of her life? And considering Faye has been lying to everyone for three years, Naomi was awfully quick to forgive her!!

- When Faye/Harlow was finally telling Naomi the truth in the hospital, she acted like such a brat and defensive as if she didn’t murder a woman and then just take on her life for three years?!

- Is this book adult or Young Adult? Because it reads incredibly young!

- For a so-called thriller, this was actually quite a slog to get through as the narrative felt disjointed due to the flipping between past and present and the different forms of media.

Sadly this book wasn’t for me.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[kiki’s delivery witch ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book is serving pop-star scandal with a side of investigative sass, and your girl is here for it. I got an ARC of this glitter-dusted thriller for Camp Netgalley, and I devoured it faster than you can say “Harlow Hayes slays.” I’m slapping 3.5 stars on this baby: think of it as a fabulous night out with one slightly underwhelming afterparty. It’s got everything we love: drama, secrets, and a heroine who’s giving us life.

Rumoured drops you into the dazzling, chaotic world of Harlow Hayes, a pop goddess so iconic she makes the charts look like her personal playground. Think Taylor Swift meets Ariana Grande with a dash of early-2000s Britney drama. When Harlow gets tangled in a murder scandal hotter than a TMZ headline, it’s like the universe said, “Let’s make Twitter explode.” (sorry but if you ever hear me call Twitter "X" just know that's a imposter wearing my face). Enter Naomi Barnes, our grieving, fierce, and slightly messy investigative journalist who’s working for C*Leb News. Naomi’s not just chasing clicks—she’s got a personal connection to this case that’ll make your jaw drop like you just saw a paparazzi shot of your fave stars wardrobe malfunction.

The Mancaruso Sisters know how to craft a vibe. This book is like scrolling through a juicy Twitter thread while sipping a martini at a VIP afterparty. It’s got social media posts, Harlow’s cryptic song lyrics, and articles complete with shady reader comments. The way they capture stan culture is hella accurate, it’s like they’ve been lurking in the group chats with us. There’s this one moment where Naomi’s decoding Harlow’s lyrics for clues, and I swear I felt like I was deep in a DeuxMoi blind item thread, trying to figure out if it’s about that A-lister we all suspect.

Naomi gives us grieving-but-glamorous, with a side of “I’ll solve this mystery or die trying.” Her personal tie to the case (no spoilers, but it’s gasp worthy) PLOT TWIST.

I take a half star off for thst ending. It’s like the DJ cut the music just as the dance floor was heating up. After all the delicious buildup, it wrapped it up faster than you can refresh a webpage trying to wait for tickets to go live. I was dying for Naomi and her crew to throw down the “bad guys” (keeping it vague, no spoilers here!). I wanted a full-on Charlie’s Angels showdown, maybe with some witty one-liners and a mic-drop moment. Instead, it’s like they solved the whole mystery via a quick DM. It’s not a total flop, but it left me wanting.

All in all, Rumoured is a must-read for anyone who lives for celebrity gossip, twisty thrillers, or just a good “what in the actual eff” moment. Or if you're a Taylor Swift fan and love to find "Easter eggs." (The authors were nice enough to help me solve them).

[Michelle (Shell’s Plot Twists) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun one! All Swifties unite! 😂 Ok, I’m not a Swiftie by any means, but any one who is will probably love this book!

A pop star named Harlow Hayes is arrested for the murder of an ex-boyfriend. Did she do it? A celebrity journalist, named Naomi, is tasked with digging into this case and finding out who Harlow really is. 👀

This case becomes personal for Naomi when she discovers that her deceased sister Faye and Harlow knew each other. Could Harlow have also killed her sister? Naomi is determined to figure out if there was more to her sister’s death than what they were made to believe.

The twists are twisty and this story held my interest the entire time, I couldn’t put this down! And just like Taylor Swift and other artists, Harlow Hayes leaves Easter eggs 🥚 in her music for her fans to uncover. Is she confessing to murder or are her lyrics just a coincidence? The hidden easter eggs are soooo much fun to find! But wait, there’s more!

Not only does Harlow leave Easter eggs but the author went deeper and left special Easter eggs for the reader to discover! I mean, I have never spent so much time flipping through a book I’ve already read than this one! I found some of the hidden clues but haven’t completely solved it yet, TBC!! 😂

Fun fact: you can message the author Kelly Mancaruso for hints if you get stuck trying to find the clues, how cool is that?! I don’t think anyone has found them all yet!

Hint: Read the author’s notes!

If you’re a fan of Jeneva Rose or Holly Jackson, you will enjoy this book!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fact:
I had not heard of this book until I signed up for NetGalley's CAMP NETGALLEY, and boy am I glad I did.

One of my top reads of 2025 now, this book is KILLER 🔪
If you love:
Thriller/Mysteries
All things Taylor Swift-ish
Easter eggs in music, lyrics and photos
Music conspiracy theory

Then YES- this book is for you!

Harlow Hayes is one of the top pop stars in the world, and she's just been arrested for murder....

When Naomi Barnes, an entertainment journalist, is put on the story she has to return to NYC. Her old stomping ground, every corner has the ghost of her sister, who she lost recently.

Can Naomi work to investigate the Harlow Hayes story and stay objective as she navigates the dark underbelly of the music industry?

5 stars, 10 stars- just say it's on my top 10 reads of 2025! Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury USA and The Mancaruso sisters for the chance to become a Hayes-ie myself.

[Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for Camp Netgalley 2025 (otherwise I probably wouldn't have read this...)

I read this as part of the Camp Netgalley offerings because I'm a sucker for a completion badge, digital or otherwise. Perhaps I should have chosen another option, since I had an inkling this might be where I ended up but the premise was interesting enough and I liked the cover.

I am 100% sure this book will find its audience. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I guessed the biggest twist about 15% of the way in. (To be fair, I'm also a chronically online girlie who is honestly mostly against my will very familiar with the Avril Lavigne body double/replacement conspiracy theory. So it might be more obfuscated until later in the story for others.) I might have bought in more to the twists and turns if I wasn't so distracted by the writing. I found it overwrought and angsty in an unironic way. There was a version of this that could have leaned heavily into the camp and it would have been more enjoyable for me personally. This was especially true for the songwriting. I get it, songwriting is hard. But if you're going to talk a big talk about this character being a lyrical genius...it would be better if like 90% of the lyrics you share didn't make me absolutely cringe. And call me an elitist or hater or whatever you will, I just continue to be startled by the reality of people dissecting "secret messages" in such a parasocial way, and that aspect of it made it read a bit more YA-toned for me.

I do think there was the glimmer of something interesting about the fame conversation here, but it was left by the wayside in pursuit of "twists."

[☆Amanda☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twists and turns, up and down...this book is all over the place. Very gossipy, tabloidy, full of Easter eggs and conspiracy theories.

If that's your thing and you like looking into the secret messages in lyrics, then you'll really enjoy this book.

It's a fun read that keeps you on your toes.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably it's a 'me' thing, but I found the story pretty 'meh'.

Not in the beginning, though. I was invested in the beginning. The whole 'pop-star arrested for killing her ex' seemed quite interesting. And then the possibility that she could have killed more people had potential.

But then Naomi, the celebrity journalist investigating the case, went down the "celeb rabbit hole" and became quite mad. I didn't find it pretty when she was trying to explain her suspicions to her friends and coming out completely insane. As someone used to write news about celebrities, Naomi became a mess when communicating verbally people in her inner circle.

And what was that thing between Naomi and Leo?!

But it was the final revelation that did it for me. I didn't like it. Sure, it wasn't what I was expecting. But the story could've gone a completely different way. I just didn't like how the authors decided to explain the whole affair.

1,5 stars rounded up to 2.

[Kayla T (kaylabobayla) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6⭐️

This is the book for you if you love Swiftie / BTS fandom vibes; if you crave a FMC journalist turned investigator with a dark, trauma-filled past; a slow unraveling of the twisted underbelly and influence of Hollywood and music industry tyrants; and ESPECIALLY recommend if you love fan theories, lyric deep dives, and hidden messages! This was a crazily creative debut mystery novel. I am a huge fan of books that incorporate magazine article type clippings, or album cut outs, or social media posts and comments, which this book utilized. Made this feel even more real and authentic, like this scenario could exist in our current pop culture zeitgeist! And this tickled that guilty pleasure part of my brain that rubbernecks at pop culture fan theories, and loves knowing the hot gossip of celebrities but via 20+ minute deep dive compilation videos on YouTube (are two of the 1D boys secretly dating? Were Britney and Christina truly ever feuding? Is Beyoncé part of the Illuminati??) If any part of you takes pleasure in learning or buys into pop culture conspiracy theories, add this to your TBR! Thank you to The Mancaruso Sisters, NetGalley and Bloomsbury for this ARC!

[Tam Sesto · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a complete miss for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters, and I found the author’s writing style to be too pretentious. The constant switching between present, past, and social media became overwhelming and distracting.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

[Ashley Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ehrm excuse me?!

What a bloody twist!!! God I’ve missed the feeling you get when a twist is so good you don’t see it coming!!

I definitely had a love/hate relationship with our main character Naomi but we ended on love so that’s the main thing!!

I was fully expecting for this book to be about a boring made up pop star following her pov for the whole book, so I am so glad that it is nothing like that! I loved that Harlow Hayes was a made up pop star but set in our world along side of Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter etc!!

We follow Naomi who works for C*leb news! With the news pop star Harlow Hayes has been arrested for murder Naomi gets to be the journalist for C*leb!

Honestly blown away by this debut!!

[liz ౨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s clear that this book was meant to be if Taylor Swift had a dark side and murdered people… And that’s not meant as a compliment. Even Harlow’s discography felt like a ripoff of Taylor’s, despite her being mentioned in the book.

I could barely get past the horrible formatting issues that this book had, but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt as this is an advanced readers copy, and all edits are not final.

I don’t know, something about this book just felt off to me. Whether it was the formatting issues or the T.S. ripoff, this book just didn’t hit the spot.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rumoured is about a pop star accused of murder. It is told mostly from Naomi’s point of view. Naomi is a journalist for a celebrity magazine. Harlow is the accused popstar, and we do get her point of view later in the novel.

The pacing of Rumoured starts slow, but it ramps up later in the book. A suspenseful and twisted mystery of lies, secrets, obsession, and revenge.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confession: I requested this book solely based on the cover. This was wild and filled with all the celebrity gossip you could ever want. I loved the multimedia aspect of the book and really appreciate all of the Easter Eggs and the work that went into the format of the book. This did get a little crazy but it was an enjoyable fast read. 3.75 juicy stars! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Charlene (pageandplace) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Investigative journalist for celebrity gossip, Naomi Barnes is assigned a juicy story…Pop star Harlow Hayes has been arrested for murder! Get the latest here as the story unfolds!

Told through narrative, lyrics, research/news articles, this unique blend provides various perspectives to the unfolding story as well as pieces of the background. I almost DNFd but thankfully kept going and ended up enjoying the last third of the book! The wrap up and conclusion brought together everything that I struggled with in the beginning. So yay for not calling it quits!

I think this will hit really well with music lovers and there is definitely the Easter Egg hunt that will either help you solve the mystery or drive you crazy trying to figure it out!

Thank you to the author, Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso, Publisher Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I received an epub and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[AmyJ_booktok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating - 4⭐️

This was my first mixed media book and I loved it!

Harlow Hayes, pop superstar, the country’s sweetheart - well until she is arrested on suspicion of murder.
Naomi, a journalist, is send to New York to uncover the story of Harlow. Reluctant to return to the place of her sisters death, Naomi follows deep into the Harlow lore and all the corresponding conspiracies. Who is Harlow? What did she do?

I really loved this book, fast paced with mixed media. It felt like a breath of fresh air. I loved how we had real life pop stars and legends in this book; such as the beetles and Taylor swift. I loved as we moved further into the book, we got another persons pov. I was genuinely shook when the twist happened as I didn’t see it coming at all. I was GAGGED

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumoured by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso. Thanks to @bloombury #bloomsburymycreatorcircle for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When pop star Harlow Hayes is arrested for murder, only rumours go around about her and the truth.

Any fans of music fiction and/or Taylor Swift type pop with Easter Eggs will enjoy this one. It’s super fast paced, with lots of news articles and social media posts leading the story. I personally didn’t find any of the Easter eggs but I bet more astute readers will find them!

“Baby, there’s no such thing as happy endings in a world so violent and cruel.”

Rumoured comes out 10/7.

[Amanda Hopwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I went into this book blind, and honestly applied for the advanced reader copy because the cover ! It had a very strong hook to start, kind went a little dull in the middle but came through with a strong finish!

Naomi, an investigative journalist, is called back to New York to report on a high profile case of Harlow a huge pop star accused of murder.
Naomi hasn’t been back to NY since her sister passed away three years ago.

Naomi uncovers the truth and secrets that hit way too close to home !!

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 26, Harlow Hayes has the world at her feet. Platinum records, a cult following, and a pop empire built on charisma and a carefully managed image. But when her long time producer and rumored lover is found dead, the spotlight that once adored her turns cruel. Overnight, Harlow becomes the prime suspect in a murder that captivates the entire world. Journalist Naomi Barnes, once known for her fearless reporting, is desperate to reclaim her credibility after a scandal derailed her career. When she's assigned to cover Harlow's story, Naomi seizes the opportunity, only to realize that the truth behind the headlines is far murkier than she imagined. The deeper she digs, the more she's drawn into the toxic glamor of celebrity culture, where loyalty is currency, lies are strategy, and everyone has something to protect. As the whispers rage across social media, the line between reality and rumor blurs. Was Harlow a victim of fame, a manipulative superstar hiding dark secrets or both? And how far will Naomi go to uncover the truth, even if it means becoming part of the story herself?

Rumored is juicy, glossy, and full of the kind of celebrity scandal that keeps you turning the pages. Harlow is a great pop princess turned suspect, and the alternating POVs between her and Naomi make for an engaging read. That said, the pacing drags in the middle and some twists felt more tabloid headline then what I was wanting. It's still an entertaining read, part thriller, part gossip column. A darkly glittering look at the price of fame... not flawless but still bingeable.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Mancaruso Sisters, and Head of Zeus for this eARC! Publication date is October 7th, 2025.

[BansheeBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repeat after me: "Woah" is not a word.

This reads like fanfic and I don't know that that's a bad thing!

Rumoured is a super fast-paced thriller that is going to be an absolute homerun with its target audience. Admittedly, I am probably not that person but I still enjoyed this as a bit of literary eye candy.

Harlow Hayes is a mega pop star akin to Taylor Swift. (The similarities are such that I'm sort of impressed there have been no lawsuits over this book!) Everyone talks about her, fans dissect her every lyric and liner note yet no one really knows the TRUE Harlow. When she is arrested under suspicion of murder, social media is on fire as her stans fight it out with her haters. Celebrity news journalist, Naomi Barnes, finds herself sucked into the fray while trying to distinguish Harlow's carefully curated public persona from the potential murderer behind the designer duds. Her investigation turns to obsession as Naomi begins to unravel a twisted web of deceit, passion, revenge and the relentless pursuit of fame.

Pros: VERY fast-paced - can easily be binged in one sitting
The authors invite you to find clues hidden in song lyrics
Has a fun sort of voyeuristic aspect to it - like spying on the rich and famous
The epistolary fiction aspect adds a nice feel of being involved in the story in real time

Cons: Has a definite YA feel to it
I grew a little weary of reading song lyrics
If you aren't prepared to COMPLETELY suspend disbelief, this is not the read for you

I think we can all remember, to some degree, what it was like to be a teenager and have everything be so damned meaningful and important and life changing. This book took me back to the times of wattpad and LiveJournal, the days when a social media status was everything and when every song lyric was just wrought with meaning for my angst or joy. It evokes those feelings and the very capricious changes of emotion that come with the territory. Apart from all the drugs and sex, I think this would have been a wildly successful YA thriller.

It will absolutely find an audience with fans of celebrity and gossip websites, Swifties and other pop culture fandoms and anyone who loves a fast-paced thriller. It doesn't make any real sense and that's part of the fun of it. A fantastic beach read. 3.5 stars

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love celebrity gossip and a good thriller, so the premise of a Taylor Swift type being a possible murderer was right up my alley! Unfortunately, it was a major miss for me. I found the C*Leb articles mixed in with the social media comments, which was also mixed into the narratives to be messy and hard to read and stay engaged. Granted, this was an advanced copy, so maybe if the final copy is stylized to *look* more like a social media comment section or just visually stylized to be obviously different from the narrative, it might work? Sometimes the “comments” were in red font, but sometimes they weren’t and even when they were, with all the @‘s and hashtags, visually it was just messy.

To avoid spoilers I can’t really say all the things that made me roll my eyes (and omg do I want to!), but I can say that for the most part, the pieces don’t really start to “fall into place” until about 80% of the way through the book, and those pieces are basically all brand new information at that point.

I guess I just wished they had focused on the serial killer thing OR the Beatles thing, or least made the sister make sense as being connected to the famous characters in any way. The whole story felt like it was revving up to be a big twist, but then it just fell flat and came across as very convoluted and ridiculous.

Thanks, #NetGalley, for the ARC!

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, this is a seriously wild ride! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, there was another crazy twist I couldn’t have anticipated. I am appalled (and in slight disbelief, if we’re being honest) about how it all wrapped up.

If you enjoy puzzles, easter eggs, off the wall conspiracy theories, and - of course - celebrity drama, this one is for you! The main character, Harlow Hayes, is HEAVILY based on Taylor Swift, and she enjoys creating little games and secret messages for her “Hazies.” Turns out, the Mancaruso’s love leaving them for their readers as well. You’ll have a great time trying to locate all the little clues and easter eggs they’ve hidden throughout the story. I also really enjoyed learning about the real life conspiracies surrounding certain celebrities. I was unaware of some of them, and I am so intrigued to dig deeper on my own.

I thought the mixed media writing style was really fun. The authors included news articles, interviews, social media posts and comments, Naomi’s notes, Harlow’s song lyrics, etc. to make the readers feel as though they were in the midst of seeing a real scandal unfold. It was really engaging!

I did have a bit of trouble getting into the story at the beginning, and the first half was sort of slow going for me. I think that it’s a personal problem, because I’ve seen a lot of other reviewers saying that it grabbed their attention right away and they couldn’t put it down. For me, I think it came down to likability of the characters. I wasn’t initially a fan of Naomi, and felt a little icky about the TMZ style “investigative reporting” she was doing. However, the more she uncovered about the case, the more invested I became.

Overall, this is a fun read, and anyone who loves celebrity gossip, pop culture, conspiracy theories and easter egg hunting is going to have a good time with it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and the Mancaruso sisters for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my review!

[Micronova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rumoured by The Mancaruso sisters (Kelly & Kristina.)
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
3 stars

I believe this book has been marketed as a murder mystery (thriller?) however, it wasn’t really a mystery and most definitely did not hit as a thriller (for me.) I was initially drawn to the book because of investigative journalist aspect along with the use of social media posts, news articles etc…to tell the story. Shortly after starting the book it started to feel like a hokey B rated film. I identified the big twist regarding Harlow Hayes very early. This made the rest of the novel less interesting for me.

There are some things I just didn’t have an appreciation for, I guess? The journalist, Naomi started out as a favorable character. An investigative journalist finds herself chasing the story of pop star Harlow Hayes when she’s arrested for murder. Celebrity murder drama, big story right? She was a decent character until she seemed to start to justify why murder might have been acceptable. (I mean if you’re a celebrity you can get away with murder, look at O.J. Simpson who didn’t get incarcerated until he was caught for armed robbery & kidnapping 😂) Harlow Hayes was annoying as f***. Lyrical genius? Hardly. Her songs were teenage angsty poetry at best.

The things I did appreciate: the IDEA of leaving Easter egg clues in song lyrics, the pacing and the cantankerous sh** posting between Harlow fanatics and her haters (this is very realistic as evidenced by keyboard warriors all over the world.)

So, while this book was obviously not for me it IS geared perfectly towards a YA audience. The content, the writing, the social media aspect and the obsession with celebrities are all relatable to the youth of this generation (this is the reasoning for giving it three stars.) This wasn’t my cup of tea but it IS someone’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion, publish date is October 7th.

[B needs coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rumoured by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso is a fun and fresh idea for thriller lovers everywhere. It is a story full of intrigue and elements of a good old fashioned mystery. Harlow is a sensational pop star and lives in the spotlight. But as popularity grows, secrets tend to spill out. There is a murder, but of whom? Who did it? The reader is asked to help Naomi figure out the answers to these questions. As an investigative journalist, Naomi must delve into the star struck and seedy world of Harlow. Her fame, stardom, and the cost of having such a life. There are many twists and turns, along with a somewhat surprise ending. A must read! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read such a fun book!

[Jennifer Grewen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had an interesting plot, but it was really hard for me to read. There were several grammatical and spelling errors; I didn’t know if the author intentionally put them in.

There was also a lot of content that was unnecessary and didn’t move the plot forwards.,

I think the story could be a cool movie though, so I hope these authors find some success from this.