Reviews - One of Us Is Next

11k reviews for:

One of Us Is Next

Karen M. McManus

3.85 AVERAGE

kyle0984's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

sandyreadss's review against another edition

5.0

#unputdownable
So... let’s talk about a book that I literally finished in less than 24 hours.
Yep.
Less than 24 hours.

One of Us is Next takes place 18 months after the the first book in the series. Things at Bayview High are just starting to get back to a new normal when a text blast sends waves. A game of truth or dare. Harmless, right?

The end of every chapter has you wanting to read just one more which what easy to make this a #bookaday
I really enjoyed getting to catch up with the original characters and see how they had developed over time.
I must admit that I loved this book even more that the first in the series and am hoping she will write a book 3.

If you didn’t preorder or haven’t bought this book yet, do it now! Seriously... make it happen.

delgellert's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

kks5499psu's review against another edition

Ok so here’s the thing. I think this one was my fault. I think I read it too soon after the first book and I just loved the characters and the story from the first book so much that I simply couldn’t fully engage with this story.

This is my fault, not the book’s.

hanna_montana's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

isabel_is_reading's review against another edition

2.0

mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

When One of Us Is Lying first dropped into the YA mystery scene, it became relatively popular—offering a twisty, tightly-plotted thriller with an addictive blend of high school drama and deadly secrets. It wasn’t perfect, but it had, suspense, and compelling character arcs for a YA novel. So, naturally, the announcement of a sequel made people excited, I was neutral, but I decided to check it out. I wanted to see if things would improve and maybe I could have some lighthearted fun. Unfortunately, One of Us Is Next doesn’t rise to the occasion. While it flirts with the same kind of intrigue and danger that made the first book partly effective, it quickly becomes weighed down by too many plotlines, indistinct characters, and, most critically, a missing sense of urgency. What was pitched as a high-stakes game of Truth or Dare devolves into a plodding tangle of teen drama, minor reveals, and an underwhelming mystery that leaves little impact.

Let’s start with the premise: A year after Simon’s death and the unraveling of his morbid revenge plot, a new anonymous figure emerges to torment Bayview High. This time, it’s not a gossip app but a group text, inviting students to play a game of “Truth or Dare.” Refuse to play? Your darkest secrets might be aired. Accept the dare? Prepare for some dangerous consequences.

Sounds exciting, right? Except the game barely gets off the ground before it fizzles out. After a single character suffers serious harm from a dare, the entire game abruptly stops. That pivotal element—marketed as the core of the novel—is dropped less than halfway through. We don’t even get to witness most of the dares as they happen; they’re recounted after the fact, removing any suspense or adrenaline. The rest of the book focuses on unraveling who was behind the texts and why, but the narrative limps along with low stakes and frustratingly slow pacing.

The mystery itself is disappointingly transparent. There’s really only one character acting strangely, and readers familiar with mystery conventions will clock the culprit early on. In a genre that thrives on misdirection and twists, that’s a significant letdown. McManus does try to compensate by layering in subplots—lots of them. But rather than adding richness, the sheer number of plot threads becomes overwhelming and dilutes the focus. There are storylines about a hate-filled message campaign against a nonprofit, a lawyer’s wedding, a character’s traumatic family history involving police corruption, and more. It’s simply too much, especially when most of it gets hastily wrapped up in the final 20 pages in a way that feels rushed and unsatisfying.

Characterization, too, takes a hit. Our new main trio—Maeve, Phoebe, and Knox—are likable in theory but underdeveloped in execution. McManus alternates between their perspectives, but each voice feels remarkably similar, making it difficult to tell them apart. I often had to flip back to the beginning of a chapter to remember who was narrating. There’s a lack of depth in their inner worlds that prevents readers from truly connecting with them. Maeve is Bronwyn’s younger sister, and there are moments where her character hints at more complexity, especially regarding her leukemia relapse. But those moments are few and far between.

Likewise, the romantic subplots fall flat. The chemistry between characters feels forced, and the emotional stakes aren’t as compelling as those in One of Us Is Lying. The original “Bayview Four” had distinctive personalities and relationships that organically evolved as the mystery progressed. Here, the connections feel more like side notes than meaningful dynamics. Even cameo appearances from Bronwyn, Nate, and the others can’t quite breathe life into the newer cast.

Where the novel does manage to score points is in its handling of some of the more grounded issues. Maeve’s chronic illness, Knox’s post-breakup vulnerability, and Phoebe’s grief and family struggles are portrayed with empathy and nuance. These real-life challenges occasionally cut through the fluff and remind us that McManus has a gift for capturing the everyday turbulence of teenage life. If only that strength had extended to the central mystery.

Ultimately, One of Us Is Next suffers from the common sequel problem—it doesn’t know how to recapture what made the original work without feeling like a watered-down imitation.

And perhaps most telling of all: a few days after finishing the book, I found myself struggling to remember character names or plot details. That’s a sure sign of a forgettable read.

wortmarie's review against another edition

4.0

After my disappointment with the first one, I didn't think I would like the sequel this much. But the premise was different and interesting enough, and one of my students chose it for a project, so I thought I'd give it a go..

What I expected: Students in agony because they receive evil dares but cannot risk their secrets to be exposed so they go as far as killing someone.

What I got: A solid suspenseful whodunnit pageturner with a satisfying ending. The latter isn't a big twist but instead of finding it predictable I appreciated the (not so subtle) clues and felt very clever for picking them up. Shush, Mrs Obvious is allowed to feel good about her self.

As with the first book, this one didn't give me what I expected from the premise. Other than the first one, this time it felt like my expectations were part of the deal -or game- and the narrative made use of them.

This book was perfect for a quick and easy bookish snack.

hplteenbookreviews's review against another edition

It’s been over a year since Simon died, and the games aren’t over at Bayview High. In fact, they’ve only just begun. This time, it’s an anonymous texter. Truth or Dare? If you chose not to text back, your deepest, darkest secret is revealed to all of Bayview High. And the dares are becoming deadly. Maeve (Bronwyn’s younger sister), Knox, and Phoebe are caught in the middle of the web. When the game goes a little bit too far, they have to race to figure out the anonymous texter before they are targeted. I thought this book was even better than the first one and I can’t WAIT for book 3 (I’m pretty sure it's coming out next year). And the ending – WOW. Like I said last time, not the best quality writing, but it still gets your mind racing.

Age recommendation: 14-17

Rating: 7.5/10

-Review by Cate
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One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus is a mystery novel, which is a continuation of the One of Us Is Lying series. This novel is about three kids at a high school who become friends and solve the mystery of who started a dangerous Truth-or-Dare game at their high school. I found this story interesting because I really enjoyed the first novel of the series, One of Us Is Lying and this novel continued with some characters that remained the same, but some new ones that were also interesting and unique. I really enjoyed the suspense of the novel, and how it kept me wondering what would happen until the very last chapter, when the secret was revealed and was not what I expected at all. The only negative about this book was that it was a little confusing to follow if you have not read the first novel, or if you do not remember the characters and their traits, because they are mentioned a lot in this novel. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries or who enjoyed One of Us Is Lying.

-Review by Shanna

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