Review: Rumoured - Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso

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Review: Rumoured - Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso - July 2025

After abandoning my previous read as a DNF, I was desperately hoping my next book would reignite my reading spark. Enter Rumoured by sister duo Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso, purchased from BookHero NZ, and I'm thrilled to report I was absolutely hooked from the first page.

The story opens with investigative journalist Naomi working for Celeb News in LA when breaking news explodes: beloved singer Harlow Hayes has been arrested for murder - multiple victims. The details are scarce, victims unnamed, and everything unfolds at breakneck speed. Naomi is immediately dispatched to New York to follow the story, but what begins as a celebrity scandal quickly transforms into something far more sinister and deeply personal.

Upon arriving in New York, Naomi discovers unsettling connections between one of Harlow's alleged victims, Jade Dutton, and her own sister Faye's death. The similarities are too striking to ignore, and suddenly Naomi isn't just chasing a story , she's potentially uncovering the truth about what really happened to Faye. This shift from professional investigation to personal quest adds tremendous emotional weight to an already gripping narrative.

What truly elevated this book for me were the clever Easter eggs and Beatles references thoughtfully woven throughout. These touches added layers of enjoyment for attentive readers willing to connect the dots. By the ending, I had my suspicions about the truth, but wasn't entirely certain until the reveal. That moment of confirmation was brilliant , suddenly everything I'd read clicked into perfect, complete sense. The Mancaruso sisters expertly planted breadcrumbs throughout that retrospectively illuminate the entire story.

My only minor criticism? The em dashes. In certain sections, their frequency felt slightly excessive, occasionally disrupting the reading flow. However, this stylistic choice didn't diminish my overall enjoyment.

If you loved Daisy Jones & The Six or the LA Candy series, Rumoured will be your next obsession. It masterfully blends celebrity culture, mystery, and emotional depth in a way that kept me reading late into the night. Fair warning: you may find yourself tumbling down a rabbit hole with this one, unable to stop until you've devoured every page.

I'm eagerly anticipating what the Mancaruso sisters publish next. Rumoured was exactly the book I needed after my DNF disappointment, restoring my faith in finding that perfect, unputdownable read.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qB81eo








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