One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

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Figure 1. One of Us is Lying book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

Karen M. McManus mastered the art of teasing out a story in her debut book: One of Us is Lying. This mystery lands the reader in a high school where a nerd, a jock, a stoner, and a ditz end up with detention for something they all claim they did not do. Worst part, Simon, the publisher of About That, a gossip app, is there too. When Simon mysteriously dies during detention, their worlds turn upside down after social media sites, the news, and the police suspect that one or all of them killed Simon. This forces the four stereotypes to decide what they think of each other and themselves quickly so that they can face their fears due to leaked gossip about each of them plus figure out if one of them is the murderer.

From the get-go, the plot draws you in because of the format of the book and Simon’s death. First, the chapters are named after plus rotate between the four main characters, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy, and Nate. The chapters also provide the date and time of day. And by the time each person gave an introduction to their story, Simon died. Next, the police share with them that Simon planned to leak a secret about each of them, giving them all a motive to kill Simon. At this point, the story spits between each person’s life and how their family and friends act and react to each one being accused of playing a part in the death, especially after their secret is leaked. It is a rollercoaster ride that does not stop until the end.

The plot acts as the catalyst that forces character development. Because of the murder accusations and the secrets leaked to the public, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy, and Nate must face their deepest fears and decide what they really want out of life. First, Bronwyn always wanted an ivy league education, but maybe other things matter more. Then, Cooper turns his world upside down when he decides to share his real secret to his family. And from this, he soon realizes that happiness comes to those honest with themselves. Next, Addy changes from the girl that need a man to find self-worth to the girl that makes things happen for herself. And last, Nate struggles with his past and family history, deciding if he deserves love. And during all this self-realization, the team tries to figure out whodunnit.

Spoiler alert, the unexpected insights give the whole story away: Simon orchestrated the whole thing. And the crew figures this out because Bronwyn and Cooper’s boyfriend clue into the fact that Simon blogged about being creative when taking down your enemies while also showing signs of depression. This leads to Addy chatting with Janae, Simon’s best friend, about her friendship with Simon and if Simon committed suicide. Janae explains everything, shows Addy Simon’s suicide note, and even explains the twist of why each of them needed to be punished.

Response

Because I teach high school, this book touched me. I see the types of students presented in this book daily. And while About That does not exist for our school specifically, Instagram and Snapchat fill the part, which I personally care about. My students’ moods and ability to work can alter just by them seeing a post about themselves or their friends. Karen M. McManus presented the issues with technology and how all of us need to know that we can support each other and flourish over time. And to sum up, because she helped me identify with my students, I hope more books come in the future; I will read them.

Conclusion

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus relates to young adults. It combines mystery with self-identity, making it an interesting read. Plus, the characters’ constant rollercoaster ride on what might happen next and if anyone will figure out who killed Simon keeps you reading just one more chapter, over and over again. Out of four stars, I give this book four stars.

Citation

McManus, K. M. (2017). One of us is lying. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Willis, C. (2019). One of us is lying book cover (photo). Retrieved March 15, 2019 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/11qqF0EcCnL2Cfk3rNNhcWBGKEHuIBDw7/view?usp=sharing