Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus

60 reviews

luananki's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this was a perfect ending for the bayview crew, i’m very happy i finally got to read it
although some of the characters felt a little off, i had so much fun with the mystery and the characters’ development and i’m going to miss their little group 

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beckyyreadss's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I wanted to read this book as I really enjoyed this series so far and was intrigued at which member was going to be back. This book was confusing at times, but I'm glad that it got the ending the guys deserved.  

This book follows the gang from the last two books who are still in Bayview. Some of these characters are Addy, Nate, Phoebe, Maeve and Cooper. Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn’t been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren’t killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it’s happening all over again. At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: Time for a new game, Bayview. But when a member of the crew disappears, it’s clear this “game” just got serious, and no one knows the rules. Everyone is a target and now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are getting deadly again. The thing is, Simon was right about secrets – they all will come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it’s still hiding.  

I love being back in Bayview and seeing how the crew was doing even if there was more stress for them during this book. I love that all my favourite couples are still strong and there was no petty breakups over the situation at hand. My favourite part in any mystery book is when the pieces of the puzzle starts to make sense and the killer is revealed. The chapter where the killer and the motive are revealed is written brilliant and the suspense is nail biting especially because Karen manages to drag it on from several points of view that you are waiting just for the answer and what had just happened. I love the friendships that are in this book and that they all stayed closed. My favourite character will always be Nate, I just wanted to hug him to death during this series as he has not had it easy.  

The thing that stopped it from being five stars was Jake. That boy was such a pain in the ass, and I just wanted to punch him in the face. I was also a tad confused when I started this book because I read the second book in 2021 and I couldn’t remember what happened in the second book and some of the side plots from the characters weren’t in my brain, so I was just playing catch up. I would have loved a recap at the beginning of the book. 

I would have liked an epilogue with all the crew being happy and successful and how Bayview was doing. Maybe that will be a book in the future, but I want Nate and Bronwyn to be parents, Maeve and Luis traveling, Cooper and Kris being happy and parents. Addy and Keely being happy and just everyone getting the hell out of Bayview.  

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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have been really liking this series, and I thought this installment was a particularly strong one. Families are so messy, and it's interesting to look at the effect of having the perfect family can have on your social capital. 

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elodiethefangirl's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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dramagirl2003's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

it's so satisfying to finally read the conclusion of the trilogy. it was brilliantly executed, and i loved the revelation of unknown details from the time of the first book

thoughts while reading
p7: I bet it's flipping owen
p8: oh never mind, ofc it's jake
p10: *cough* murderer
p18: oh right, never mind. it's been a few months since i read one of us is next, and i clearly forgot the ending. poor owen, I was wrongly remembering him as a villain. also I forgot he was so young
p136: totally fair, I would also wanna punch that guy even at the risk of losing my job
p137: oh now I really would punch that arrogant smirk off his stupid frickin face
p144: IF THAT DEVIL SPAWN HAS DONE ANYTHING I'LL PLOT HIS MURDER WITH NATE
p148: stab the snow 🤣
p205: it really, really better not actually be owen this time. i'm gonna scream if it is
p210: mr alton is 100% the reason mrs riordan was so excited about work six years ago
p282:
WHAT THE HECK EVIE YOU COW

p284: no but like i'm confused. does nate work at the construction site as well or just the bar? i mean they might have told us at the start of the book and i could've just forgotten
p288: no come on cause nate told phoebe he was at work until 3, but he's still at the bar at 7, so where's the consistency here?? 
wait, did he mean 3am?? ughh can we just have a little more clarity here
p292:
GAVIN!! SHIT!! AND YOU JUST HANDED ADDY OVER TO HIM NATE!!

p297: I FREAKING KNEW IT!! OH SHOOT
p317:
WHATTT JAKE IS ALTON'S SON???

p323: oh shoot, what now??
p327: dear gosh, he really was a murdering psyopath right from the start wasn't he
p331:
shit she's totally gonna shoot jake before she leaves

p332: what did I say
p344: aw knox, my hearttt that was so cute
p347: AHHHH i forgot about that!! thank goodness for addy! 
p351: stoppp 🥺 i'm actually about to start crying 😭
p356:
it's a GIRL!!!

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kshurtz13's review against another edition

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emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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lulibooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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paronomaniac's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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booksaremagickt's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

5 🌟 
THIS IS HOW U END A SERIES💕
I Always quite enjoyed the one of us is lying series, and i was excited to finish the last book! Who knew it was the best out of the three! I dont know the mind games this woman knows how to play but my mental jenga had COLLAPSED. I ALMOST THREW MY FREAKING BOOK. WITHOUT giving anything away
The PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST!? I was gasping, screaming, and losing my mind. Ms Mcmanus i LITERALLY CANT WITH YOU.
But i loved how well the pacing was, i loved how it mislead me so many times, i enjoyed how it basically wrapped up everything in a little bow 🥰😋
More importantly i had so much fun, if u enjoyed the first two PLEASE check out the last one its my favorite out of the three 👏🏽

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bookishexpat's review against another edition

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Lots of filler, too large a cast, and most of the people affected don’t even have POVs which makes everything feel remote and detached. 
It reads like what it is, a portion of a story that was already finished but was made into a THING, possibly also to provide more material for the TV adaptation. 

My recommendation: read the first book maybe, but skip the rest (including the adaotation).

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