Author: Karen M. McManus
Natalia (12) / 3.5/5
The novel, One of Us is Lying, is a captivating mystery and suspense novel by Karen M. McManus. The novel is centered around five high schoolers who attend detention but things get heated when only four come out alive.
Nate, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy and Simon could not be more different from each other if they tried. Nate is a disobedient drug dealer; Bronwyn is smart and focused on his academics, while Cooper is a star athlete; Addy is the pretty and popular girl and Simon is a social butterfly who loves to gossip.
They all ended up in detention when Mr Avery found cell phones in their bags which is against school rules. All five students maintained their innocence claiming the phones didn’t belong to them and that someone had put them in their bags.
Simon suddenly dies during detention and the other four students immediately become suspects after it is known that Simon was poisoned. Nate, Bronwyn, Cooper and Addy work together to prove they’re innocent. As they begin their investigation to clear their names they uncover heaps of secrets, lies and unknown connections between themselves and Simon.
The novel is told through each of the remaining four highschoolers' perspective making it an interesting read since we get to be in each suspect's head. The many twists and turns throughout the novel keep you on your toes and wanting more. While I thoroughly enjoyed this novel it lacked substance at certain parts. I felt the author could have made a better connection between the characters and the reader.