Parents' Guide to

Nothing More to Tell

By Lucinda Dyer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Teen investigates cold-case murder in terrific page-turner.

Book Karen M. McManus Mystery 2022
Nothing More to Tell Cover

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Goodforumkvies
Goodforumkvies Parent of 11-year-old
January 5, 2023
age 10+

Mild iffy content, in page turning thriller full of twists and turns

Karen writes another murder-mystery full of twists and fun. Karen wrote ONE OF US IS LYING, ONE OF US IS NEXT for kids around 13 years and up, but she also wrote THE COUSINS, TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET, and NOTHING MORE TO TELL (this book) for around 12 year olds. The most mild book is the cousins by Karen. But (personally) I also think that NOTHING MORE TO TELL is not very tense like ONE OF US IS LYING. Expect profanity, plus talk about alcohol (nothing is described). For violence, there’s brief talk about murder plus punching, and adults holding guns but no shootings. There’s also quite a bit of kissing as well. There are some messages about friendships and sharing things with families and friends when we are in unfortunate situations. The novel also mixes teens from different cultures and different nationalities. Teens are brave strong & perseverant.
Thankfulmom
Thankfulmom Parent of 15-year-old
November 28, 2022
age 14+

Twists and Turns Galore

There are many twists and turns in this mystery. There is a fair amount of language including the religious variety. Several main characters drink a lot of alcohol regularly. The content of conversation is often more mature which is why I rated it 14 and up. The ending is weaker than the rest of the book which is why I gave it 4 stars.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

NOTHING MORE TO TELL begins in a place Brynn Gallagher thought she'd never see again: Saint Ambrose High School. After four years away in Chicago, she and her family have returned to Sturgis, Massachusetts, and Brynn will be finishing her senior year at the private school. While she's welcomed back by some old friends, she gets a chilly reception from her former best friend, Tripp Talbot. Before she left Saint Ambrose, Tripp had publicly accused Brynn of stalking him, something she still finds terribly hurtful and inexplicable. Equally as puzzling to Brynn is discovering that scholarship student Tripp has become friends with the rich and entitled Shane Delgado and Charlotte Holbrooke. There's a bright spot in her return, as aspiring journalist Brynn is hired as an intern by the true-crime podcast Motive. Brynn immediately pitches a story idea to producers: an investigation into the unsolved murder of Saint Ambrose teacher William Larkin. Bludgeoned to death in the school's woods, his body had been found by Tripp, Shane, and Charlotte. And it was Tripp who provided alibis for both Shane and Charlotte. Could this, wonders Brynn, be the reason behind their unlikely friendship? As the investigation unfolds, Brynn goes undercover at Saint Ambrose for Motive, and her list of suspects is narrowed to just one.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Author Karen M. McManus takes a popular storyline (spunky teen solves murder) and gives it a sparkling refresh with complex characters and a plot certain to keep readers guessing. Nothing More to Tell will appeal both to readers looking for a light-on-the-blood-and-gore mystery and those looking for a can't-put-it-down read with characters who are dealing with tough issues like teen alcoholism, family dysfunction, and broken friendships.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the mending of relationships is handled in Nothing More to Tell. Have you ever had a falling out or misunderstanding with someone close to you? What happened? Were you able to mend the relationship?

  • Tripp has a serious problem with alcohol. Does your school or community have programs to help teens battling addiction? Do you think more can be done help?

  • Are you a fan of true-crime podcasts or TV shows? Which are your favorites?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate