One of Us is Lying

By: Karen M. McManus

Detective Aaradhyaa, reporting for duty!

“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.” – Simon

“Six hours and five minutes from then we were heading to detention. An hour later, he died. Seventeen years, gone just like that.”

A detention room
A cup of water
1 teacher
5 students
4 students
1 dead student

This delightful recipe is the heart of this book, and after thoroughly enjoying unraveling the murder mystery, I’ve decided not to reveal too many details. It’s important to preserve the surprise for other readers who pick up the book!

Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

My Thoughts:

Five kids, one room, one mysterious death and endless possibilities. (dun dun dunnnn!!!!)

One of Us Is Lying presents the classic setup for one of my favorite genres: Mystery.

Those books are like a time machine, whisking me back to the days of devouring Agatha Christie and Holly Jackson stories while pretending to enjoy the great outdoors during summer break.

Add in the fact that this cast is similar to the stereotypical cast of characters found in The Breakfast Club, and you’ve got yourself a formula for a perfect book – it’s like the author took a page out of the 80s movie playbook! Also, a little birdie told me that the show for One of Us is Lying was really good. If you’ve seen it, spill the tea! Did it live up to the excitement or would you lie about liking it? All the reviews are a bit mixed. Apparently the show doesn’t really follow the storyline. Is it good, or is it not good, that is the question.

The story came to life in a fantastic way, and as a result, I breezed through it. Seriously, the only reason it took me a week is because I’m constantly on the go.

Since I couldn’t figure out who was the murderer, I ended up genuinely enjoying the story. It was very… plot twist-y. (Is that a word?) The ending was really shocking.

Getting to the conclusion was an absolute blast, and I never once felt bored or that the story was dragging.

Each chapter unfolds from the perspective of one of the suspects, one of the remaining four kids after detention. Almost every chapter concludes with a revelation of incriminating evidence pointing towards the character. Engage in the guessing game, experience their viewpoint, and piece together the puzzle to solve the mystery alongside them.”

So who’s the culprit? Whodunnit? Let’s get some info about our suspects…

Cooper Clay:

Athlete, Mr. All-American Boy, the golden boy, honorable and honest soul, rising baseball star, overall likable guy, But one hell of a secret that might eventually end his career. Or his relationship with his family and friends.

Nate Macauley:

Outsider, intelligent loner, on probation, bad boy
The obvious culprit, right? 

Adelaide (Addy) Prentiss:

follower, submissive, one of the “popular girls”
But, her secret goes against what we know about her.

Bronwyn Rojas:

Smart, nice girl, respectable, compassionate and driven, ready to go to Yale
Smart enough to plan the perfect murder? 

Every one of them has a secret that could destroy their lives and careers, 
All of them would have a reason to make Simon quiet forever.
But, nothing ever is what it seems to be, now is it? 

All I’m saying is: 
Enjoy the ride and have fun guessing!

XOXO,

Aaradhyaa

#Stereotypes

#Whodunnit