One of Us Is Lying
By Karen M. McManus, 2017
Delacorte Press
Mystery, Suspense
Rating: 👻👻👻👻 (4 out of 4 boos)
“Pay close attention and you might solve this:
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention:
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom alive. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. He died on a Monday. But that Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates. Now, all four of them are suspects in his murder. Are they guilty? Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?
They all have a motive. They all have something to hide. They all have a history with Simon. And one of them is definitely lying.”
What’s the main character like?
There are four main characters in this book, all with equal page-time. I suppose I could focus on my favorite of the four characters...except...I genuinely enjoyed all of their perspectives. Since I’m keen on all things alphabetical, I’ll talk about Addy. First of all, she is so much more than “the picture-perfect homecoming princess.” In fact, none of the characters can truly be boxed into the stereotypes their peers apply to them. I love that, since that’s how the real world is. As for Addy, she's the sad shadow of her boyfriend. She is a daughter disappointed in her mother. She has hidden athleticism. The right people in her life think she’s fun and funny. And just like all the other main characters, she has a motive for wanting Simon gone...
How scary is it?
Since it is a mystery, rather than a horror or paranormal novel, One Of Us Is Lying isn’t all that scary. But suspenseful and exciting, yes.
Who might like this book?
You don’t get to be a New York Times bestselling author for nothing. Lots of different kinds of readers will enjoy McManus’ novel. Cited as being a combo of Pretty Little Liars and The Breakfast Club, One of Us Is Lying will certainly appeal to readers and viewers of PLL. I felt a little bit of John Green in there too in how McManus delivers well-developed and realistic teen characters.
What did I like best?
Short, well-paced chapters switching from one character to the next made for a quick, thrilling read.
What wasn’t my favorite?
Trying to think of something... but this book was so entertaining it whispered me awake at three in the morning, beckoning me to finish...