What would you do if you were framed for murder? Personally, I would look back at One of Us Is Lying, the 2017 young adult murder mystery novel by local author Karen M. McManus, for tips. The book that started it all is told from the alternating perspectives of four teens: Bronwyn, the nerd; Addy, the princess; Nate, the criminal; and Cooper, the jock. They are quickly known as the Bayview Four when they are framed for the murder of their classmate, Simon, who runs the school gossip app that has a secret on all of them. They must quickly decide if they will work together to solve the case or let each other get taken down.
One of Us Is Lying is thrilling and fun, as any teen mystery should be, while tackling a laundry list of issues that real teens are forced to encounter. This includes suicide, coming out and outing, dating violence, substance abuse, and parental problems. However, the book is by no means dark or depressing, and the tough topics are written about in an honest, accessible style. Of course, resources for any readers experiencing these issues are provided at the end of the book. In short, McManus expertly attracts teens with the premise of a twisty whodunit and then draws their attention to serious issues that they need to be equipped to deal with if they are not already.
McManus expands on character stereotypes as well. Bronwyn goes from an uptight nerd to a cunning, motivated leader and activist in the way I aspire to. Cooper too expands on the jock stereotype with his heart of gold and surprising secret, although at this point, “over-worked student-athlete pressured by parent” is becoming a trope in itself. But it’s Addy’s character growth that most affected me as she moved from a codependent, insecure trophy girlfriend to a carefree, alternative baddie. And Nate, whose life is extremely different from mine and who I doubt I would interact with, is one of those characters that makes me remember there is a shared humanity in everyone. Don’t even get me started on how much I love Nate and Bronwyn’s dynamic and how they bring out their respective character growth in each other.
Admittedly, the writing itself is nothing spectacular, and no setting comes to life on the page. And why is everyone so conventionally attractive? I could have used a bit more racial, ability, or body diversity in this otherwise-excellent book. Finally, while this is an extremely small critique, I feel as though McManus’s team missed a design opportunity to cover her own face with notebook paper in the author profile as the protagonists are stylized on the cover. However, none of these take away from the book as an enthralling, complex work.
If you are looking for a conversation-starter of a book, I highly recommend One of Us Is Lying. The Lincoln High School Roaring Readers Club thoroughly enjoyed it, and I met one of my best friends by talking to him about it. I look forward to reading the two sequels and watching the two-season TV show on Peacock.
