One of Us Is Lying is a young adult, mystery/suspense novel by American author Karen M. McManus. The book is her debut novel, originally published in the US by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on 30 May 2017.[2] Show
The book uses multiperspectivity to show the points-of-view of all four student suspects. It has received several accolades including a 166-week run on the New York Times best-seller list.[3] A sequel, One of Us Is Next, was published on January 7, 2020. A television series adaptation premiered on October 7, 2021. At Bayview High, Bronwyn, Simon, Nate, Cooper, and Addy attend detention with teacher Mr. Avery after he found mobile phones in each of their school bags, against the high school's no-phone policy. However, each of the students claims that the phones are not theirs and that someone played a prank on them. They hear a collision in the school parking lot, and Mr. Avery leaves to investigate. Simon—creator of the 'About That' gossip app in which the personal lives of students at Bayview High are posted for the rest of the school to see—begins a speech about the stereotypical personalities of the other four students and how he, through his app, is the omniscient narrator. He drinks water from a plastic cup and suffers a fatal allergic reaction due to his peanut allergy. The others attempt to help, but it is too late and Simon dies in the hospital. Initially, the incident is considered an accident, but after a Tumblr post claiming that Simon's death was planned and the killer watched him die is shared, the police begin to investigate and find an unpublished post by Simon that features the secrets of the other four students. Each of the secrets would affect the students’ future: Bronwyn's cheating on a test could impact her college applications; Nate's repeated misdemeanor could send him to jail; Addy's infidelity might end her relationship with Jake; and the accusation of steroid use could halt Cooper's potential baseball career. The four are initially suspicious of one another but begin to grow closer due to their shared situation. The investigation receives media attention and the four are dubbed the 'Bayview Four.' After Simon's funeral, his post is leaked and the rest of the school learns the four's secrets, triggering the consequences: Bronwyn's parents are disappointed, Nate's house is searched for drugs, Addy's relationship ends, and Cooper's performance is investigated. This prompts Maeve, Bronwyn's younger sister, to investigate Simon's online activity, which brings to light an encrypted original post about Cooper, and Simon's activity on massacre-worship forums, where he mentions a similar desire. Addy befriends Janae, Simon's friend. Bronwyn and Nate return to the latter's home to avoid the media and find his mother, whom he claimed was dead, but whom had in fact suffered from bipolar disorder and drug addiction and subsequently moved to Oregon, leaving Nate and his father behind. She claims to now be sober and wishes to reconcile with her son and help. The encrypted file regarding Cooper is opened by the police, revealing that the steroid accusations are false and that Cooper is actually gay. This in turn outs him, causing a rift between Cooper and his father, who is homophobic. When Cooper is bullied verbally in the cafeteria after this news is leaked, Nate defends him, and the group sits together, demonstrating their new solidarity and friendship. Evidence is found tying Nate to the murder and he is arrested. Bronwyn contacts Eli Kleinfelter, a lawyer she saw on television defending the 'Bayview Four' on the crime show 'Mikhail Powers Investigates', asking him to help.
Jake is taken into custody and Nate is released but is shaken from his time in the juvenile detention center, rejecting Bronwyn's concern and breaking off their relationship. Addy heals in the hospital and after, Ashton asks Addy to live with her, which Addy happily accepts. Cooper's college options begin to reappear and his relationship with his father starts to improve. Bronwyn applies to Yale and begins dating Evan Neiman, another student, though she does not consider it serious. She later finds Nate waiting for her after a major piano recital when he apologizes for dismissing her. The story ends as she accepts his offer to a movie, leaving the door open for a future relationship. Characters[edit]Main characters[edit]
Other characters[edit]
Reception[edit]Reception of One of Us Is Lying has been mostly positive, receiving multiple awards and nominations, primarily within the Young Adult category. Reviewer Mary Cosola of Common Sense Media comments that the plot "raises lots of ethical questions" and "provides good discussion topics", receiving an overall rating of four-stars, with an age rating of 14+.[4] Nivea Serrao of Entertainment Weekly praises the author for the nuanced characters and their development, and for challenging the initial stereotypes, but notes that the slow reveal of the secrets leaves the reader with less time to engage with the ending's more fully developed characters.[5] Kirkus Reviews acknowledges the "insights into common adolescent struggles" and "opportunities for self-reflection" for young readers, also rating the book for readers between 14-18, however criticizes that author's use of language and the plot, which they suggest "border on cliché". It also mentions how, although Bronwyn, Maeve, and their father's side of the family are Colombian, the cast is predominantly white.[6] One of Us Is Lying has been described on several occasions as a cross between The Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars.[7][8][2] Awards and recognition[edit]Nominations:
A sequel, One of Us Is Next, was published by Delacorte Press on January 7, 2020.[21] Set 18 months later, the novel follows the residents of Bayview as someone starts playing a sinister game of truth or dare.[22] Television adaptation[edit]A television series based on the novel was originally in development from E! in September 2017. However, the project was moved to NBCUniversal, who gave it a pilot order in August 2019 for Peacock.[23][24] After the pilot was filmed in November 2019,[25] the project was given a series order in August 2020 for a total of eight episodes.[26] The remaining seven episodes were filmed in New Zealand.[27] The series premiered on October 7, 2021.[28] The show's second season preimired on October 20, 2022.[29] The series made it's linear premiere on E!, the network it originally was pitched for, on October 22, 2022. [30] Is there a book 2 of One of Us Is Lying?Sequel. A sequel, One of Us Is Next, was published by Delacorte Press on January 7, 2020. Set 18 months later, the novel follows the residents of Bayview as someone starts playing a sinister game of truth or dare.
What happens in One of Us Is Lying book 2?SYNOPSIS: Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this. A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.
How many books are in the one of us is lying sequel?The One of Us Is Lying Series: One of Us Is Lying (2017) One of Us Is Next (2020) One of Us Is Back, coming in 2023.
Is two can keep a secret a sequel to One of Us Is Lying?To be clear, Two Can Keep a Secret isn't a direct sequel to One of Us is Lying—it's just another book with a very similar vibe where some unsuspecting teenagers find themselves in the middle of a bloody true crime situation, and everyone is hiding something.
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