Reviews

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

hermoonreads's review against another edition

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4.0

This is one I've had on my TBR for a long time and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it!

Must admit I'm rather proud of myself for figuring out who killed Simon straight away, and later on what Coopers secret would be. And even though I did guess those twists I still really enjoyed the read and seeing how exactly it would all pan out.

I think stories like this depend so much on the cast of characters involved, and I loved every single one of our murder squad, and their siblings, hoping the sequal will be just as good!

pandings's review against another edition

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

4.5

flynntdavis's review against another edition

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

4.0

It’s giving pretty little liars except a hell of a lot less cleaner and more realistic. Love the story of people getting caught up in crossfire. 

em44's review against another edition

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4.0

Good book but murder mystery wise I prefer AGGGTM by Holly Jackson. On to the second one

pepsiandcake's review

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3.0

3
write twice enjoyed first time dragged the second

naemi's review

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

4.0

emmaklapish's review

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dark mysterious sad 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

3.75

jesshugo's review against another edition

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3.5

I felt like it jumped in super quickly and it was hard to follow along with 4 different POVs to the point I couldn’t figure out who they all were when it was initials 😂 Didn’t expect the outcome but did suspect the person

hannah1604xx's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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

laurenkara's review

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1.0

Read this review @ my blog Wonderless Reviews

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: suicide, homophobia, abuse, bipolar

Pitched as the Breakfast Club feat. Murder One of Us is Lying had all my checkmarks for a potential new favourite book:

• Thriller
• Multi POV
• Misfit characters
• MURDER MYSTERY

Unfortunately, it fell short.

In my opinion, what this book did get right is the multiple points of view. Each character being defined to a single trope could spell disaster, but I think Karen M. McManus delivered it perfectly. Whilst I did enjoy certain characters more than others (Ads was my favourite) each one was more than just their main attribution.

One of Us is Lying is very fast paced and I found it so hard to put down. Every time a chapter ended I instantly wanted to keep reading the next one. I did guess the “twist” early on, but I was still kept interested enough to want to see how it all ended.

I had quite a few issues though. There was a ton of misogony – the words “slut” and “bitch” are mentioned a lot and not in a reclaimed positive context. One of the character’s mother also has bipolar and whilst I’m not bipolar I felt like it was handled really poorly. There was no real education on bipolar and the mother was given so many negative traits.

I can’t sit here listening to her promises and hoping it’ll all work out. That she’ll stay sober, stay employed, stay sane.


I like when less “socially acceptable” traits of mental illness are included in fiction and I know that some people must have hard childhoods growing up with a mentally ill parent, but it just felt like such a cop out and an insult to people with bipolar who are genuinely trying to be a good parent or family member. There was also some ableism:

He got a workman’s comp settlement and wound up disabled enough to collect social security.


What kind of rehab-speak is she spewing?


There was also terms like “whack job” used and some casually mentioned “slitting your wrists“. A character’s sexuality was also somewhat used as a plot twist which also never sit rights.

One of the things I think this book did get right was the portrayal of an abusive relationship. It’s why Ads is my favourite character from this book. It really shows just how much an absuive relationship can affect you. At first Ads can’t see the abuse which is the case for a lot of people in abusive relationships, but then she eventually realises what is happening and she removes herself from the situation. I was so proud of her. I know this can’t always happen in abusive relationships, but the situation wasn’t glorified. She also had a fantastic relationship with her older sister.

The main problem I had with this book would be considered a “spoiler” even though I think it’s something that should be talked about in reviews because it really made me feel awful. I’ll try and keep it as vague as possible, but ultimately this glorified suicide so much. This was one of the biggest cases of “suicide revenge” that I’ve seen. It’s not even that the character didn’t display “typical” symptoms because I appreciated that. It was the fact that it made people who are suicidal or who have committed suicide into a “villain”. I know this isn’t a book about mental illness so it’s not going to be the focus, but it was all just used as a negative character trait and it made me so uncomfortable. I’m so over the “mentally ill people are dangerous to society” trope. So. So. Over it.

I realise my opinion on this book is really unpopular to most others, but even though it was fast paced and kept me reading it missed the mark on so many elements. I just couldn’t get past the fact that mental illness was so awfully represented.