A Book Recommendation For July: One Of Us Is Lying

One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

This month’s recommendation is the worst kind of detention any kid could get. For Simon, at least. Five students walk into this detention and only four of them come out alive. The characters are…

Yale hopeful Bronwyn, who has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper, who only knows what he’s doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad boy Nate, only one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy, holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

An outsider, Simon, the creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, and plotting to expose the deepest, darkest secrets of every one of them.

Simon, however, won’t ever get the chance to execute his plan. He dies 24 hours before he can post them online. Investigators conclude it’s no accident. All of the students that were in detention with him are suspects— of course, one of them is lying.

It’s Not That Simple…

In this compelling and twisty international bestselling YA thriller, you’ll be wracking your brain as you try to figure out who is trustworthy, and who is the killer. Author Karen M. McManus does a great job of capturing the tone of each character, as each of them is written to be different and believable in their own unique ways, without relying too much on the stereotypes you might expect from their roles.

One of us is lying is an immersive whodunnit, and these teens are relatable, convincing, and compelling. McManus really makes these kids believable, which is quite chilling when one of them has just murdered one of their peers. And just when you think you have figured out who did the deed, you’ll likely have been fooled again. Then again, if you are paying close enough attention, the clues are there to solve it before the end.

One of us is lying is an addictive read, and you’ll turn pages well into the night. Or you can listen to the equally great audio drama rendition on Audible. Either way, if you’re a fan of The Breakfast Club or Riverdale, this will be of great interest to you.

This novel has been been trending on TikTok among teens for a reason and has even bagged its own Netflix adaption, and it’s easy to see why. Murder mysteries have been around pretty much as long as books have been, and McManus’ story feels influenced by some of the greats. It feels like a thrilling and accessible entry point to the genre; If you end up enjoying this series, it would be well worth looking up Agatha Christie at some point down the line.