Unfortunately not my favourite from the series. I think the books ended at the right time and this book just felt like an unnecessary addition.
Had lots of twists and turns like the original series but was lacking in the “high stakes” feelings of the other book.

Karen McManus has done it again! This conclusion to the One of Us Is Lying trilogy was everything I hoped it would be. Though it had been quite a while since I read the first two, I was instantly transported back into the story. Though this is a young adult book, I recommend this series to adults who are looking for a fast-paced mystery full of twists.

My teen readers are big fans of McManus, and I will definitely be purchasing for my high school library. Good continuation of series.

This book just went off the rails way too quickly. I get that it's YA, but the complete lack of involvement by the police when someone is clearly drugged and someone else is murdered is just inexcusable.

Also, there are WAYYYYY too many characters. By combining those from the first book with those from the second book left a huge cast that was very hard to keep straight, because there really was nothing distinguishing about them. I also didn't truly remember what happened in the first two, and while this book makes mention of events, it really doesn't do a good job of recapping what happened in the past.

Then there is the side storyline of "six years ago," which explores the relationship between Jake and Simon in the past. This obviously leads to the present, but it just felt awkward to jump to the past. And the connections to the past were never mentioned before? I get this is a sequel and she had to come up with something new but some of this was so huge that perhaps it would have come up before.

Excellent mystery. I loved the premise and the surprises throughout. Great character building and plot development.

This wasn't my favourite Karen McManus book. I struggled following this one. I love the other two books in the series but this one - it was a struggle as there were so many characters. I just had a hard time following it because of how many people were in the story. Thank you for the ARC - I won't post a review on Goodreads so it doesn't hurt the ratings. :)

to be completely honest, i didn't expect very much from this book. it seemed like an unnecessary continuation to this series, and every book mcmanus has released that is not a part of this series has been a letdown. however, i ended up enjoying this way, way more than i expected. i forgot how much i truly love these characters, something i've found missing from all of her other books, and it felt like a nice conclusion to this series.

I was so excited to come back to the Bayview world! The One of Us Is Lying series is one of my gold standards for YA mysteries and I always recommend it to my students, and will recommend other books based on whether they liked (hopefully loved!) it. This trilogy finale hit all the marks and I'm sad to see this group go, but I was very satisfied with how the world wrapped up!

Good story, but it is time to be finished with this group. It wraps some loose ends up, but I was kind of tired of the same characters. Kind of like the scream franchise, how many times can the same group of kids get targeted?! Worth reading once, but then move on.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. The third installment of the One of Us is Lying story brings characters from the other 2 books together to solve another dangerous game player in Bayview. Someone hacked into the a billboard to invite all the players to a new game and that's when things begin. Secrets are dangerous in Bayview, and Simon's legacy lives on.

So fun to be back in Bayview! Appreciated that this closed so many loops from previous books. Admittedly I struggle with so many POVs and keeping track of who is who in each chapter but that’s a me thing. It does create a nice tension within the mystery to flash to someone else’s perspective so I do like the tool in the writing.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Love this series and Karen M. McManus so much! Completed a partnership in collaboration with Get Underlined for this title. ᵕ̈

this was by far my favorite out of the entire trilogy & definitely comforted me after the show got cancelled. so many different character dynamics were explored in this one while also staying true to the original—no character overshadowed another. i did worry that it’ll be weirdly written since there were only 3 point of views, but it worked out great in the end. such a great way to end a story, will absolutely miss the murder gang

I absolutely love Karen McManus, the way she can write a book that leaves you guessing until the last page. After the first two books, I really didn't think there could be an opening for all the characters to return, I'm glad so they did, I really did miss the characters. This book was amazing, exactly what I was hoping for. I could not stop reading it. I practically read it in one sitting I was captivated by the writing and the story.

This newest addition to the series was okay. Feels like McManus is stretching these characters along for too long, like a tv show that should have ended 3 seasons ago (Lost, I’m looking at you lol). Purchase where you have die-hard fans of the series.

I love this series and author! I love young adult mystery thrillers. This one had a lot of twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and I loved the mysterious aspect.

"One of Us is Back" by Karen M. McManus is another thrilling installment in the acclaimed "One of Us" series that will keep you guessing until the very end. As a fan of McManus's mysteries, I was once again drawn into the intricate web of secrets and suspense, eagerly devouring every twist and turn.

McManus has a talent for crafting compelling mysteries and complex characters that readers can't help but become invested in. From the very first page, I found myself immersed in the lives of the Bayview Crew, eagerly trying to piece together the clues alongside them.

What I love most about McManus's writing is her ability to keep readers on the edge of their seats while also weaving in deeper themes and character development. "One of Us is Back" not only delivers heart-pounding suspense but also explores the consequences of secrets and the importance of confronting the truth.

As someone who will pick up absolutely anything McManus writes, I was thrilled by the tension and excitement that permeated every page of this book. It's a testament to McManus's skill as a storyteller that she can keep readers guessing until the very end, leaving us eagerly anticipating her next release.

Overall, "One of Us is Back" is another successful thrill ride from Karen M. McManus that fans of mysteries and suspense won't want to miss. With its compelling plot, engaging characters, and unexpected twists, it's a must-read for anyone craving a gripping and addictive read.

One of Us is Back was the final book in the One of Us is Lying young adult thriller series. It felt like good ending to this series. While I have enjoyed this entire series, this one might be my least favorite because the story seemed a bit more far fetched than the others. I did like that we got the returning characters of the "Murder Club" as they call themselves, and we got to see some loose ends tied up. I'm not sure that it was entirely necessary, but I did enjoy it. I think Addy's character arc throughout the entire series was my favorite, so I was happy that we ended with her. Overall, a fun read that finished off a great young adult thriller series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

While I didn’t think this series needed a third installment, I’m glad it’s the last and that it tied up the story so neatly. I adore these characters - they are so complex and complicated and contain multitudes as humans beings, and are so loving and messy in a beautiful way. I really enjoyed Simon’s posthumous return to the plot and found the old unsolved mystery element very intriguing. However, the plot felt ultimately farfetched to me and not nearly as compelling as the first two installments in this series. Nevertheless, I always enjoy McManus’ books and am glad to see a happy ending for the Bayview Crew.


Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press!

I was worried reading this book because the second book in this serious did not live up to the first, however I was pleasantly surprised. I liked getting to read about all the characters again and I enjoyed this book. I have really enjoyed the majority of books by Karen McManus.