One of Us is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, is a realistic fiction drama novel. The story takes place in Bayview, a small city in the southern area of California. The temporal setting of the story is in recent years as it is mostly surrounding teenagers and their use of social media. The novel is the first in a series of three, followed by One of Us is Next as well as Two Can Keep a Secret. In One of Us is Lying, readers are introduced to the Bayview four: Bronwyn Rojas, Addy Prentiss, Nate Macauley, and Cooper Clay. Each of these high school students has something going for them; academic achievements, popularity, a liberated criminal life, and sports success. However, each of the kids also has something to hide.  

The four kids find themselves in Mr. Avery’s detention, joined by Simon Kelleher, a student notorious for his gossip blog, “About That”. This blog has become an ominous burden in Bayview High, revealing the worst, darkest secrets of the students of the school. Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper are all still confused about the suspicious mystery of how they ended up in detention together when something completely unexpected happens. Before they reach the end of detention, Simon Kelleher is rushed to the hospital from a lethal allergic reaction. By the end of the day, Simon is pronounced dead and each one of the Bayview four has become a suspect in the case. The investigation becomes much more complicated when police learn that nearly everyone wanted Simon dead.  

“Are we friends, or just a couple of people without better options?” 

Throughout the book, the teenagers learn about what is most important in times of need: Sticking together. When no one else supported them, the four found support in each other, even with the looming thought that one of them could be framing the rest for the terrible crime. They find themselves to be better friends than they thought, ignoring the oddity of the friendships across the social spectrum. With each one of the four going through terrible personal problems, they still need to find a way to prove themselves innocent, no matter what they have to do to achieve this. The kids learn that in order to prove to others that they aren’t guilty, they must prove it to themselves first. The story also teaches readers the gravity of gossip and bullying and how deeply these things can affect not only people but the environment surrounding us.  

Overall, this story was a great one. The plot was intense and the book was nearly impossible to put down. The relationships formed between not only the Bayview four, but others in the book created a different feeling than other books usually do. In addition, the plot of this book is extremely busy, which is great for those who know how to keep up. Readers who enjoy teenage dramas will definitely enjoy One of Us is Lying as it is the embodiment of this genre, only with the added excitement of a murder mystery. One of the greatest parts of the book is piecing together the clues and figuring out for yourself who killed Simon, as the answer is only revealed near the end of the book. I definitely recommend this book, especially if you are willing to read the sequel. 

Check out One of Us is Lying from the Newport Beach Public Library.