Like many writers, I read multiple works by one author to study their patterns: The types of characters they use, the setting, the character flaws and the challenges. Karen McManus has written several YA stories, including the popular One of Us is Lying. I recently read another one of her books, Cousins.

The story sets up an intriguing mystery that is certain to interest teens who enjoy a vicarious journey into a summer gig at a resort off the coast of Massachusetts.  A group of cousins who don’t know each other receive invites to the resort owned by their grandmother who disowned her children long ago. They’re all eager to meet their grandmother, especially since she’s extremely wealthy. And they want to know why Gram isn’t interested in her own family.

Three cousins tell the story in rotating first-person POV. In present tense, these narrators struggle to conquer their obvious flaws. These flaws are relatable – someone is drinking too much, or they’re stuck in a relationship that isn’t going anywhere. Readers will be hooked by these characters who also have significant family problems.

The two girls aren’t sure what to make of their male cousin, especially when he turns out not to be who he initially claims.

And that detail allows Milly, one of the cousins, to start a summer romance. Milly’s character and voice is especially appealing. An excerpt from Milly, “The night is more than a little hazy, but not so much that I don’t remember that I was less talking on the balcony than stumbling around drunkenly and hitting on Jonah.”

The excellent dialogue and character development advances as the cousins learn what might have caused their grandmother to disown their parents. The intrigue continues to the very end when they learn that one trusted character at the resort has been living a lie for over 20 years. They break plenty of rules for all the right reasons and help to take down an imposter. And while their grandmother’s wealth has been exploited, the cousins land on their feet and plot a future that includes staying in touch and continuing a romance.

The author’s techniques in Cousins are similar to the ones she used in One of Us is Lying. Flashbacks help to tell the story. The setting appeals to readers, not just teens, who are looking for an escape from their daily grind. The islands off the coast of Massachusetts present great opportunities for characters to get in trouble, find out who they are, brave the dangers of the unforgiving sea and solve a mystery, often created by the bad behavior of adults in their lives.

McManus fills her books with many characters. In thrillers and mysteries, that strategy is important. Readers have to keep guessing who the villain might be. The strategy also means more work for the author who must develop the characters and give them meaningful interactions in the context of the story. McManus does this very well.

About all, these stories are hopeful with a dose of reality. That hope is what teen readers need in a big way as they find their place in the world.

The average fiction book sells only a few hundred copies. When an author like McManus snags readers and her book sales soar into the millions,  it’s easy to see why she stays with a winning formula.