One of Us is Lying/One of Us is Next - Karen M. McManus

One of Us is Lying/One of Us is Next - Karen M. McManus

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. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

*

I'd seen so much hype over these books on bookstagram that I knew I had to get my hands on them. They sounded like they would be right up my street. YA mixed with mystery - perfect!

I really wasn't disappointed. Once I got my head round which character was which, I found One of Us is Lying to be a really fast-paced, detailed and interesting story, while still being incredibly fun and easy to read. I often find with books like this, it's hard to get the balance right between accurately portraying teenage lives, and making the story mature enough to handle more serious content, but this got it spot on. 

When I came to reading One of Us is Next, I wasn't sure it could live up to the first book, but I found that to be up to just the same standard. I think what I really love about these books is the way they handle really mature and important themes, whilst still being accessible for young adults. They really made me think about morality, and the mistakes that people can make.

I loved the relatable characters and the intriguing storylines, and the feel reminded me a lot of shows such as Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. I'd definitely recommend them for any fans of YA fiction, as this series was one of the best stories of that genre I've read in a long time.

Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫

Read more for my full review, but expect spoilers!

One of Us is Lying

The Characters

One of the main reasons I think this book was such a success was because of the cast of characters that McManus put together. You have all your high school stereotypes; nerd, jock, outcast, and queen bee. I loved how these different characters were brought together in this book, and each taught us something.

Bronwyn: Bronwyn is the character that I related to the most. She's an overachiever who feels so under pressure to keep achieving. It's definitely a feeling I relate to, and I thought Bronwyn was such a well-written character. She tries so hard to keep on top of everything, and it's no real wonder she stole the answers to an exam to maintain her perfect record. Bronwyn teaches us that we don't always have to be perfect. The only person who really cares what you're doing is yourself, and everybody else is too wrapped up in their own world to do more than pass a momentary judgement.

Nate: Nate is the absolute antithesis of Bronwyn. He has a poor home life, he doesn't care about school, and he doesn't care what other people think of him. Despite the poor decisions he made, McManus made Nate a character I really sympathised with, and I definitely rooted for him and Bronwyn. They supported each other wholeheartedly, and brought out the best, and most unexpected, in each other. Nate teaches us that despite any disadvantages we may have, we can always turn things around, and we all deserve love.

Addy: I think Addy's story is the one that resonated the most strongly with me. She has a perfect life; or so she thinks, until she loses it. Then she begins to realise that being a popular girl maybe isn't so special, especially when it means she cannot be herself. I loved witnessing Addy's journey, and she really blossomed by the end of the story. I especially thought it was a powerful storyline that followed Addy's relationship with Jake. She is warned that he is possessive and manipulative by her sister, and it is only when she is out of the relationship that she begins to realise how toxic this was. Having been in a relationship that turned abuse, this really struck a chord with me. It's so difficult to see when you're in the relationship that it isn't right. It's even harder when you're safely out and your friends don't believe you, or worse, they believe you but don't care. Addy teaches us that we should never accept poor treatment, and we should always be ourselves.

Cooper: Cooper was the classic jock that we expect to see in all American high school fiction, and yet he keeps his sexuality a secret because he feels it will hurt his chances of playing making it big playing baseball. The fact that this was even an issue broke my heart. People should not have to worry about their career path because of their sexuality, but I know that it's an issue for some gender-stereoyped careers. I really felt for Cooper when the truth came out without his consent, but I was so happy that he, and Kris, ended up in a good place. Cooper teaches us that we should never be ashamed of who we are, and that our real friends will always stand by us.

Simon: Simon has been cast out by all of the different cliques in Bayview High for some reason or other, and for that he wants revenge. I thought it was made very believable that he would want to set up the revenge website, and the circumstances leading to his death certainly did cast suspicion...

The Story

I loved everything about this story. I thought the mystery was fun, and the plot twists were all really unexpected. From these four students all ending up in detention, the story really captured me. The real wonder of this story is the way it captures how rumours can really mess with your mental wellbeing, whether true or not. All of the characters go through the rumour mill and are churned out the other side, feeling hard done by and in some cases with massive changes to their lives. I thought this was a fantastic commentary on the harm that people can do to each other. High school can be the best time of your life, but it can also be the worst. I really liked that this book highlighted how you can come through all of that the other side, and better for it.

The mystery aspect was really fun, and it brought a genre that I love - crime - to YA. It was really detailed and well put together, and I really enjoyed reading a new spin on a traditional murder mystery. I did guess what had really happened to Simon, but that didn't dampen my enjoyment of the story, and I definitely didn't guess all of the circumstances around the mystery. 

The book was super easy to read, and I was gripped from start to finish. I absolutely loved it!

One of Us is Next

The Characters

I was a little disappointed when I found out that the sequel didn't follow the same characters as the first book. I'd grown so invested in Bronwyn, Nate, Addy and Cooper, and I really wanted to see more of them! However, when I started reading, and realised what the new focus was going to be, I was content. We still get to see the original characters pop in and out, which was nice, but it was nice to have this as background noise to a new set of characters, and in hindsight, I think a new cast was the right idea. It was refreshing to read about new personalities.

Maeve: I did think it helped that Maeve was one of the three; we already have a connection with her through Bronwyn, and it helped me get into the flow of the new book a little more easily. I loved Maeve; she's a very understated character. She's undeniably herself, but she is still insecure, and I think a lot of people can relate to that. Maeve goes through an awful lot over the course of the story, which is a reminder that this author does not shy away with tackling different topics. The way Maeve deals with the possible recurrence of her leukemia whilst experiencing such high school drama is really powerful, and even more so when Knox casts aside any existing tension to care for his friend. Maeve teaches us that we have to be brave and face up to our realities, as only then can we make them better.

Knox: Knox is doing his best, but he still cannot seem to please his father. Despite attending high school and working on the side at a popular law firm, he cannot seem to get the support of his father. When he gets involved with the investigation into Brandon's death, he finally feels like he has achieved something, I thought Knox was typical of a high school student who doesn't feel supported by their parents, and was written really well. Knox teaches us to push ourselves to be the best we can be, not for anybody else, but for ourselves.

Phoebe: Phoebe was the character I found the most interesting. She wasn't necessarily the most likeable, but definitely the most interesting. I thought her family situation was very real, with her brother and sister making her home dynamic very relatable. I appreciated the storyline that followed her complicated connection to Brandon. Again, the author does not shy away from tackling a complicated but very real storyline, as we see Phoebe reject Brandon, and consequently get abused by him, and find herself forced upon. She also displays bravery in facing up to the wrong she has done by her sister. Phoebe teaches us that even if we make mistakes, we can make them better.

The Story

I was incredibly concerned that One of Us is Next would not live up to how much I loved the first book. I didn't see how a similar story could be done to the same effect, and not be repetitive or boring. It turns out, I needn't have worried. The story is similar, and the setting is what we already know. However, the game has changed, the characters are different, and the events are also not the same. I think this installment was a lot more sophisticated than the first. The author clearly tried to keep the style of the books, but advance them, and I think it was really effective.

If the first book highlighted the dangers of the rumour mill, this second book highlights the dangers of reacting to a bully. Although the 'players' of the Truth or Dare game all had secrets that they would rather not have shared, choosing the dare ended the life of one, and hurt others. Bronwyn was hurt when Jules decided to kiss Nate because of a dare, and Brandon, of course, lost his life. Although Phoebe and Maeve were hurt by their truths being revealed, they were able to patch back together their lives and relationships. The message being, don't do things that can hurt people, and if you do, make sure you tell the truth about it. I think this book, like the first, is a fantastic commentary on the problems many high school students face, and demonstrates through the relatable characters how one can avoid drama and be happy.

As with One of Us is Lying, I half guessed what must have happened to Brandon. I figured that Emma must have been involved in some way, as the way she deteriorated had to have been caused by something. However, I was completely surprised when it was revealed that Owen was involved! I feel like I should have seen it coming, but it caught me off guard! That's the beauty of a really well written mystery; it all makes sense, but it still leaves us feeling shocked in some way!

The Verdict

I had really high hopes for this duology, and I am really pleased that they did not disappoint me. As soon as I started reading, I loved the feel of the book. It had the feel of a YA while also incorporating mysery, and I think it was really successful!

I loved the characters that we followed in both One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next. They are real, flawed, messy and insanely relatable. They carry the story so well. It's often hard to follow books told from multiple points of view, but this was no problem for me when reading these. The plot of each, although I guessed bits and pieces, held up really well, and by the end of each story I wasn't in the least disappointed. 

But what I think I loved most of all, which not everybody may have really paid too much attention to, was the way some pretty powerful messages were shared through the stories. The characters experience controlling relationships, homophobia, serious illness, and many other real concerns for high school students. I think these were dealt with really maturely, but in a way that is still really accessible for a younger audience.

I really loved these books, and would recommend them to anybody who was on the fence about reading them.