One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a YA mystery about four high school students whose lives are forever changed after they witness their classmate die. It happens when the five students meet in detention, with each student representing a different high school stereotype. There’s the brain, the beauty, the criminal, and the athlete. And finally, there’s Simon, the outcast, who dies suddenly and who also happens to run a gossip app. When police find his unpublished post revealing the four surviving students’ secrets, the students become murder suspects and we’re left wondering: who’s telling the truth and who’s lying?
Firstly, I love the throwback vibes to The Breakfast Club, particularly in the beginning of the novel when the students first meet in detention and acknowledge their different places on the social hierarchy. And throughout the rest of the novel, The Breakfast Club vibes sort of fade, giving way to a distinct Gossip Girl vibe, particularly with Simon’s malicious app playing with people’s lives. With these tributes to old favorites, the book strikes a sort of nostalgic and sentimental chord for me.
When the media catches on about the alleged murder of Simon, the four students are forced to come together to find out what truly happened on that day in detention. As a result, we get a glimpse into their work as amateur sleuths. The armchair detective work the students do together is just plain fun to read!
Moreover, the subplots aside from the murder/whodunit plot make this dynamic and more than just a thriller. The fact that it’s a YA book where the characters face real life obstacles in their social, family, and romantic lives, make this a coming-of-age story as well. And seeing the camaraderie develop between the four suspects is not only entertaining, but also a great lesson in breaking down barriers and seeing beyond labels. The four would not have come together otherwise, but when circumstances sort of force them to, they realize how unnecessary and limiting cliques truly are. In this way, McManus is able to create three-dimensional characters who are not bound by stereotypes.
Although One of Us Is Lying is a unique and all around compelling YA mystery, there are points where it drags and sort of strays too far away from the main story. Specifically, there are points where it feels more like a fluffy romance and where it’s like it doesn’t know whether it wants to be a light rom/com or a dark thriller.
Also, this was another thriller with a “twist” ending that you’ll likely see coming from a mile away. In fact, when it came time for the big reveal, I hardly reacted at all. When so much of a thriller’s enjoyability relies on the unexpectedness of the twist, it’s important that the ending not be SO obvious.
If you can get past the lackluster ending, One of Us Is Lying is perfect for readers looking for a YA mystery that also explores social dynamics in high school and offers a significant romantic subplot.
Rating: 3.5/5
Check out One of Us is Lying on GoodReads.
Pawsitive Reads 