An exceptional debut novel with a brilliant sense of character, this book will blow you away and leave you wanting more. The mystery is all-engrossing and I could barely put the book down until I had read every last page, with the ending being well written and satisfying given the increasing tension. I loved every character, and have put Karen McManus straight to the top of my most watched authors list.

*Full review available on the blog*

I was expecting more, based on the other reviews. And it took me longer to finish than I would have liked. I was just plain whelmed.

This is a wonderful Young Adult thriller set in normal American high school, in a normal American town, with the usual set of characters: “She’s a princess and you’re a jock,” he says. He thrusts his chin toward Bronwyn, then at Nate. “And you’re a brain. And you’re a criminal. You’re all walking teen-movie stereotypes.” What isn’t normal is the crime, and the way in which the story unfolds. Each of the detainees has their secrets that they want to hide at all cost. Five of them walk into detention – but only four come out alive. The dead boy, Simon, knows everyone’s secrets, and has made a career of publishing them, seemingly impervious to the pain and anguish his revelations have caused in the past. So, who wants him dead? Every student in the school. But only Nate, Bronwyn, Addie and Cooper had the opportunity to kill him – or was there someone else in the room?
The story is told from the point of view of each of the four main suspects. They each maintain their innocence, but can we believe them? Can they believe each other?
Gradually their secrets come out, giving them more and more motive for murder. The police inquiry seems inadequate – the detention teacher is never suspected, and Simon is only seen as a victim, not as the nasty, destructive individual that all the school knows him to be. The four students at the centre of the police investigation have their lives turned upside down. You would expect each of them to be destroyed by the stress of the inquiry, and by the exposure of their secrets, but in fact they are made stronger. They find friends in unexpected places, make new connections with family members, and come to terms with their new status as school pariahs and murder suspects. I liked all of them, and so desperately wanted them to be innocent. I had my suspicions aroused and struck down so many times. I’d like to
think that I caught on about halfway through, but it was never a fully formed thought until the final reveal.
“One of us is Lying” – but which one?

In One of Us is Lying Karen McManus gives us a 21st century update on that 1980s classic, the Breakfast Club. In a typical American high school five students have detention – there’s a princess, a jock, a brain, a bad boy and an outsider who is both feared and feted for his online gossip column – so far, so close to the film but then Simon, the online gossip, dies suddenly while the supervising teacher is out of the room and things start to go a bit C.S.I.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that nobody is quite what they seem. The bad boy shows that he can be both kind and resourceful (although he’d never admit it), the princess is hugely insecure about her looks, the jock may not be the all-American hero he’s touted to be and the brain may not have got all her grades in the accepted way. We see these young people from their own points of view – each chapter moves from one voice to another – and yet we find that they are not as fixed in their cliques as they first appear. They each have to make choices about who they could become (with shades of Grease as the ‘brain’ makes an Olivia Newton-John style choice of boyfriend) while also trying to work out who could have killed gossip-boy.

Four high school students find themselves suspected of the murder of a classmate in this young adult whodunit. They all barely know one another and it seems they all have something to hide.

For me it read very much like a teenage soap opera story line with lots of emphasis on cute clothes and 'tremendous' hair, and the characters are all obsessed with their phones. I seem to remember Pretty Little Liars being a bit like this book, so if you are a fan of that kind of teenage show/books this should be right up your street. There isn't an awful lot of action, the plot is quite slow moving, and it is more a story of how the characters interact with each other and their own background stories.

Overall I did enjoy the story and I would certainly recommend it, but maybe I am, personally, getting a bit too old for this kind of book.

Loved this book. Such an intriguing premise and convoluted story that keeps you guessing.
Didn't expect to like this book so much but I will definitely be recommending it to all of the teenage readers in the library.

I’m not sure how I feel exactly about this book. I did expect a lot clichés when I started this book (which the blurb makes clear anyway), and clichés there were, but I’m still not sure I liked or not? Sometimes I do want to see how they pan out; sometimes I want something different from the start. Here, I’d say that mostly they don’t really deviate from the usual outcomes (girl falls for the bad boy, girl/boy cheats on partner, etc.), and the plot is a little heavy on high school stereotype drama at times. I suppose I also expected that the four teenagers’ secrets would be ‘darker’ than ‘oh noes I cheated on my partner’, since this seems to be so very common in plots (and here’s a reminder about how everything feels like the fate of the world depends on it, at that age).

On the other hand, even though these things were predictable, and even though I had my suspicions about the murderer halfway throughout the story, I found myself reading fairly fast because I wanted to see if other secrets would pile up on the existing one, if other characters would help shed light on what really happened, or what other clues would appear. Not that many, it turned out, but... it still kept me entertained.

The mystery was... okay-ish? The story focused more on the characters and their lives unravelling than on providing lots of clues or red herrings—entertaining, but not thrilling.

I had trouble with the 1st person narrative: our four suspected murderers take turns to tell the story, but their respective voices sounded too much like each other, so at times I found myself not too sure of who was telling a specific part, and I had to re-read, or use the ‘chapter’s title’ to see who it was about. The style is somewhat juvenile, however it wasn’t jarring (and definitely -less- jarring than that trend of having teenagers speak like 40-year-old chaps!).

Conclusion: Probably a novel that will hold more appeal for younger readers, but not so much if one is already used to such themes/plots and want to go further than stereotypes.

As soon as you read the blurb for One of Us is Lying, the similarities to The Breakfast Club are strikingly apparent. Four teens - a "brain", a "criminal", a "jock" and a "princess" - are brought together despite their disparate social circles, and in detention of all places. However, in Karen M. McManus's debut novel, these teens don't bond that day through dance moves or sharing lipstick. Instead, detention takes a dark and morbid turn for the worst when fellow student Simon Kelleher, the voice behind Bayview High’s gossip app About That, dies when his spiked cup of water triggers his severe peanut allergy. When the police learn from the admin dashboard on Simon's app that he was going to reveal life-ruining secrets about all four students the very next day, our four teens go from unfortunate witnesses to top murder suspects.

This is a very enjoyable YA read. The whodunnit plot is engaging enough to draw us in and McManus does a great job building suspense as we move through the story. There is a build to a big reveal here, but observant readers may figure out the plot twist early on if they pick up on the clues laid down by our author. I, for one, guessed what was going on, but not in its entirety, so it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this story. In fact, I was more eager to get to the end to see if I was right and to see what the facts around the situation were. The twist is certainly dark and certainly twisted, but it made me respect the author for going there. It's certainly a unique storyline!

Each of our teens narrates alternate chapters, each giving us insight into their individual lives. There are some typical teen/YA themes handled here: academic pressures, homosexuality, unlikely romance, the struggle to emerge out of the shadow of an alcoholic father - nothing we haven't seen before. But certainly McManus has succeeded here where other YA novelists haven't: the characters are fully fleshed and relatable. Their feelings and struggles feel real, their reactions genuine and understandable. They are not your average stereotypical teenagers.

I particularly enjoyed this book's ending. Everything isn't sewn up neatly for us. There is a little residual mess and I like that. People make mistakes in this book and there are consequences for them. I found this refreshing, particularly in a YA offering.

Overall, I found this to be a very easy, enjoyable read. It was engaging, fun and a welcome break from the heavier crime thrillers I have been reading of late. Sure, there are some cliché moments and the comparisons with Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl are blatantly obvious, but all in all I think readers will be in a rush to get to the end of this John Hughes-inspired mystery.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Wow, this was a surprise. I did not expect that I would enjoy this book so much.

I am not a fan of YA books. Usually I am not interested in kid’s problems and teenage stuff. When I found this book on NetGalley I was intrigued by the blurb and hit the Request button. I just did not think about the fact that students having detention means they would be quite young. Stupid me. But I am glad now that I requested it because I really enjoyed it. I was into the story from page one. The mystery about the sudden death of one of their friends is a classical whodunit. It is hard to guess what happened and the revelation at the end was a surprise for me.

It is really funny that I liked this book so much. It has a lot of high school stereotypes and the typical teenage love mess. But somehow it worked. I liked the characters and how they changed during the investigation. The story is only told through the 4 students who were in detention when Simon died. There is no insight into the police work. But the whole thing stays a mystery until the end. I could see some things coming but I did not guess the end. It is an easy read and a very likable book. I enjoyed reading it and because I am so surprised that I liked it so much I give it 5 stars.

This is my new favorite book! I got hooked from the first page, and sacrificed sleep and work and real-life responsibilities to tear through the book in a couple of days. One of Us is Lying by debut author Karen McManus is a perfect combination of YA and thriller, written in a compelling style. The plot is far from cliché or predictable, and the characters are interesting and believable. I can't wait for more from the author!

This really isn't my type of book- YA fiction! But OMG it's amazing! Addictive and engaging story, real vibrant characters and that social media modern angle! I read this in a day! Almost in one sitting and I can say without doubt it was unputdownable! The author has real talent and I can't wait to read another! Brilliant twist on the Breakfast Club theme, I have to say that it really does speak for this generation! Also on a side note I couldn't help singing ABBA songs during this book- I guess the title saw to that!

If you want an addictive YA novel to see you through your summer holidays, then please pick this one up; it was smart, thrilling and excellently paced – and one of the only books that I have raced through this year, unwilling to become distracted from the storyline. Five strangers walk into detention, but only four walk out alive. When Simon, creator of a gossip website reminiscent of Gossip Girl, but even meaner, and focused on the students of Bayview High, dies under suspicious circumstances, his fellow detention attendees become suspects – especially when it’s revealed that they all had something to hide that Simon was threatening to expose… On the surface, this was a traditional ‘whodunnit’ read, that kept you guessing as pieces of the puzzle were slowly revealed or, rather, it kept me guessing because I am always terrible at working out the plot until it’s right in front of me – but I suspect that even if you do guess, you’ll still enjoy this novel enormously. Whilst the characters are described as the typical YA/high school stereotypes in the blurb (jock, prom queen, nerd…), they were written with complexity and sensitivity and given unexpected but realistic plot lines that made them more than just bit-part players in a murder mystery. Their lives were messy and real, and I’d have been happy to read about them even without the thriller/mystery element of the plot. I don’t want to give too much away, so you really must read this one for yourself!

Mystery thrillers are always a brilliant read, especially when you’ve been hooked on contemporaries for a while. It was good to shake it up a bit, and I found One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus to be a gripping read from start to finish. It will bring you to the edge of your seat and keep you hanging there for more than 300 pages, suspense and mystery growing to a crescendo. It is an addictive and delectable book, perfect for YA.

One of Us is Lying commences with five characters going to detention at Bayview High:

Bronwyn, a smart, rule abiding student.
Addy, a picture-perfect beauty queen with the perfect boyfriend.
Nate, a slacker with a criminal record on probation for drug dealing.
Cooper, a popular baseball pitcher looking to score a place in the top 5 colleges.
Simon, the creator of Bayview’s ‘About That’ gossip app.
However, Simon dies before the end of detention and his death is ruled as murder. The remaining four later learn he was planning on spilling their secrets on the gossip app and suddenly everyone has a reason to get rid of Simon. Is one of them lying or is there an actual murderer on the loose?

Sounds damn brilliant, right?

The characters are dimensional and relatable.

Despite the fact they initially embody the tropes we all know and love in YA high school drama, these characters were brilliantly written. The tropes slowly fall apart as they are fleshed out with their own backstories and reasons for doing the things they did. Their personalities and differences were easily contrasted but as a reluctant team now bound by the death of their classmate, it was so interesting to watch their journeys of self-reflection as the investigation grew hot on their heels. They acted like teenagers feeling the pressure of the adult world and the judgement of others, and the way they responded was entertaining to read. I liked their mistakes, their upbeat moments and the struggles they all faced to keep their secrets buried. My personal favourites were Nate and Addy. Overall, these characters were wholesome and fantastic to read about.

The plot and suspense building was excellent.

I honestly love a good mystery thriller. I loved the way the book was written with subtle hints dropped here and there about what each of the characters were hiding. The constant questioning and trying to solve the mystery was addictive. While some sections were not as detailed or engaging, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I also liked how the book was split into the four perspectives, adding to that element of mystery and suspense as readers. I did guess a couple of the plot twists and the ending, but I liked how it wasn’t a typical YA ending with couples everywhere and happy days. It was realistic and genuine, something we’re seeing more of in YA.

I did have one issue: the first is the representation of mental illness. Without spoiling, I find that the way the book handled the tough topics was great and mental illness has been prevalent in YA, but some readers may be divided in regards to what occurs with one of the characters and their mental health. It is a delicate issue and one that will have various reactions. I personally thought because it was YA, there may not have been a place to go into more detail behind it, but it would have been good to see it.

Overall, this is a great and fun read for anyone keen on something with a good YA mystery.

One of us is lying has joined my list of books read-in-one-sitting. It was absolutely gripping and I could not put it down until I’d reached the last page. When I finally did reach the final one I didn’t want the book to end.

Karen McManus managed to fill this book with so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The story of the four characters was very well written. I wasn’t just interested in finding out who the killer was as I normally am with most crime books, but I wanted to know the individual story of each character.

At the start of the book each character is stereotyped; Bronwyn is the smart one, Addy the airhead, Cooper the perfect jock and Tate the criminal. But, as the story goes on the stereotypes are slowly stripped away showing the real person beneath.

The book alternates between the characters’ PoVs. At first, it took a couple chapters from each person to be able to switch between the characters. Overall though, it did not take too long to switch from person to person smoothly.

The book overall is a very good YA high school story. It’s not something that is going to become a modern classic, but it’s a fast paced, intriguing and easy read that I’d recommend.

The Young Adult thriller is becoming a respected genre, and there shouldn’t be anything surprising about that. After all passions run high in teen years and sometimes those passions run over sense.

This book is great for fans of The Breakfast Club, Pretty Little Liars and 13 Reasons Why.

One afternoon, five students walk into detention, but only four walk out. Those that walk out are Bronwyn a Yale-bound good girl, Addy, the picture-perfect homecoming princess, Nate, the bad boy and Cooper, the jock. So far so stereotypical.

Simon, the one that dies, is an outcast and the creator of their school’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom.

It seems like his death wasn’t an accident, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about the four he was sharing detention with. Should they be suspects in his murder. Or are they just the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

I must admit most of the reason I read this book was because the publicity department was so full on about it. I got a free review copy and I left reading it until just a couple of weeks ago. I love The Breakfast club and quite enjoyed Pretty Little Liars but this seemed a little to generic for my taste.

Was I right? Yes and no. At first glance the characters are all a little stereotypical; but as their secrets are uncovered there are surprising depths to them. And the plot also has some surprising twists and turns.

Once I started it I found it hard to put down, it has that thing that good thrillers have where you think you know what’s going on but it keeps throwing curveballs so you want to get to the end quickly to prove yourself right. Or is that just me? Anyway I was right!

It isn’t the most highbrow read but it is pacy and has a good moral centre.

3.5 Bites

One of Us is Lying is a mix between the Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars. Five strangers walk into detention but only 4 walk out alive. The four have to work together to find the culprit, but the blame could easily be on one of them.

The book follows all 4 of the students who were in detention. They're stereotyped as the brain, beauty, jock and the criminal. But they are also so much more. The character arcs show how much they change in the weeks after the murder. One of Us is Lying also shows us insights into who they really are and the differences between public and private personas.

The characters were also likable and realistic. Unlike Pretty Little Liars, they dont do stupid things which will put themselves in worse situations. Their problems were also relatable, and their relationships felt real. Some of the issues tackled are social media usage, depression, sexuality, abuse, etc. There's so much packed into one book due to the vastly different characters involved.

The mystery of the book was so interesting and I didn't see it coming. It seems kind of obvious in hindsight, and I know a lot of people did guess. But I very rarely read mystery style books, and I often don't focus too much on the clues. That's my excuse for not figuring it out anyway.

Overall I really loved the book. There was exploration of different societal themes. The writing was good. Characters were likable and interesting. An all round good read. I would definitely recommend.

This is a great mystery / crime story aimed at young adults but can be enjoyed by anyone from teens upwards. I can just remember my teens but I often read Young Adult, I love the fresh originality with a touch of fantasy after some of the more heavy going women's fiction I read, although this one doesn't have the fantasy element. What I did have a little 'difficulty' with as an English reader, was the very American-ness of the writing – if you can get passed that, then the story is quite original and rather gripping.

The opening chapters find five teenagers getting detention at a privileged school, Bayview High. Three are unlikely to step out of line but one, Nate, is often found in detention. The three unlikelies rightly feel annoyed that they are suffering a detention because they all think that mobile phones (cells), which aren't allowed in class, were planted on them. The fifth, well, he ends up dead. With only those four present in the room this is a really intense twisty turny who-dun-it style story. For most of the book I honestly couldn't make up my mind who the culprit was, then it started to dawn on me. I'm not usually very good at guessing endings to books and whether you do or don't guess correctly is of little relevance. It's the journey to the end which is important and this was one very clever telling of quite an original story.

The chapters take turns with the characters and we get to know and love each of them well. The characters are well developed and each have their complexities. There's never a stuttering moment and can honestly say that my interest was kept at a high level all the way through. Karen McManus has created an amazing debut and think One of Us Is Lying will be loved and talked about by teenage readers.

It’s been a while since I don’t finish a book and I am this satisfied. Because guys, one of the reasons I love to read is for plain entertainment. And this book is the very description of entertaining. Moreover, it reads like a movie. A good one. One of those that you are completely engaged from first to last scene. Well, like a good movie, One of Us is Lying has this x factor that makes a story addictive. That keeps you glued to the screen (of my kindle in this case).

“One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.”

But the best part is that murder is not even the best part – I know I am being redundant but hear me out. The strongest point of this book is not the mystery aura of an unresolved crime, the best part is actually the many layers the reader discovers with every page they turn.

This book is written in 4 different povs, alternating chapters and all in first person. And that right there, ladies and gentlemen, is what makes this book so very addictive. Because you get each and every detail from every possible angle. The fact that one can live everything from each of the main characters points of view puts the cherry on top of the already delicious double chocolate cake. And let me tell you, I devoured this cake. I mean, book. The mystery, the way the story is surprisingly character driven for actually being all about a crime, the character development, the importance of all the super actual topics the book brushes over, the ships. THE SHIPS, guys. Okay, I know I said I picked up this book because I wanted a break from my romancey comfort zone and boom. Bang. Boom, again. Out of nowhere, the most perfect one true pair. Bravo, Karen M. McManus. Bravo.

This is like a kind of twisted Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, but in book form. It certainly kept me guessing and my interest piqued while reading the book. Though the book is teen/young adult the writing and storyline are seem far older but still so relevant to teens and adults alike. A very pleasant surprise of a story, i must admit, due to the fact i could not see some of the twists that is what bumps this from 3.5 to 4 stars for me

review on goodreads under the profile name kimothy