Review: One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacourte 
Publication Date: July 2023

 
The explosive third and final thrilling instalment in the acclaimed One of Us... series.

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 beginning 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 understands the rules.

Everyone's a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly.

Simon was right about secrets - they all come out in the end.

The thing is, Simon was right about secrets-they all come out, eventually. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding.

One of Us is Back is the third and final book in the One of Us is Lying series.    I would not recommend reading this one without reading the first two books.  This one spoils a lot from them.  This time around, there seems to be a new game and it's time for secrets to come out. 

It's been a while since the second book came out, but I had no problem getting right back into the characters.  As in the other books, this one is told through multiple view points. And as I said about the other books, it really works well here to further the story.  I did enjoy this last one. It wrapped up a few loose threads from the previous two books and added more context to others.  I was once again kept guessing and didn't call the end.  I highly recommend this one and the trilogy as a whole.  They are some of the best YA mysteries that I have read.

Review: Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: August 2022

True crime can leave a false trail.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher. The case was never solved, but she's sure that the three kids who found Mr. Larkin's body know more than they're telling, especially her ex-best friend Tripp Talbot. He's definitely hiding something.

When Brynn gets an internship working on a popular true-crime show, she decides to investigate what really happened that day in the woods. But the further she dives into the past, the more secrets she finds.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. Now it's time to uncover the truth . . .

Nothing More to Tell is a twisty YA Mystery full of secrets and red herrings.  Brynn wants to be an investigative journalist.  When she gets an internship for a popular true crime who, she pitches the mysterious death of her former teacher.  Can she figure out what really happened to him while navigating fitting into her old school?

I really enjoyed this one. I thought the characters were great.  I was never annoyed by them.  I found myself rooting for Brynn.  I enjoyed watching her  rekindle her friendship with Tripp.  It was very sweet. I also loved the relationship she had with her younger sister.  The msytery was really engaging.  I was kept guessing and I loved the multiple twists.  One of my favorite types of mysteries is when I don't know who to trust.  Ms. McManus has another winner on her hands.  I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

Review: You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen. M. McManus

Publisher: Delacoutre Press

Publication Date: November 2021

Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day.

Type A Ivy lost a student council election to the class clown, and now she has to face the school, humiliated. Heartthrob Mateo is burned out--he's been working two jobs since his family's business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up.... again.

So when Cal pulls into campus late for class and runs into Ivy and Mateo, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn a bad day around. They'll ditch and go into the city. Just the three of them, like old times. Except they've barely left the parking lot before they run out of things to say...

Until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school--and follow him to the scene of his own murder. In one chance move, their day turns from dull to deadly. And it's about to get worse.

It turns out Ivy, Mateo, and Cal still have some things in common. They all have a connection to the dead kid. And they're all hiding something.

Now they're all wondering--could it be that their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all?

I have been reluctant to write this because this author has blown me away with every other thing she has written.  I was really looking forward to You'll Be the Death of Me.  Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.  It was "OK".  I loved the premise of Ferris Beuller's Day off with murder.   I also liked the use of  the multiple perspectives that kept the story moving and didn't really cover old ground.  

That was about it.  I didn't like any of the characters.  They were generic and stereotypes.  Ivy was way too over the top.  Maybe I'm just seeing it through an adult lens, but losing a student council election is not the end of the world.   The "podcast" was ridiculous and made the whole thing too comical.  This may be a bit spoilerish, but I detested the relationship that Cal was in and that there were zero consequences in the end for it.  That is never OK, especially when it is a student/teacher relationship.  18 or not.  I was disappointed that it was included in this book.  The mystery wasn't very hard to figure out, even with the red herrings thrown in here and there.  The ending was the most disappointing part.  I still love this author, and it's not overly bad, I just expected more.

Review: The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen M. McManus 
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: December 2020

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised... and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

The Cousins is the latest from an author who has quickly become a favorite YA mystery author for me.  I think I have said this before about books by this author, but this is exactly the type of mystery that I craved when I was in high school.   The Cousins is a stand alone mystery featuring Milly, Aubrey and Jonah.  They are cousins who barely know each other because their parents are not close.  They are each invited to work at their estranged grandmother's resort for the summer. Each is encouraged to go in the hopes that they will get their parents back into their grandmother's good graces.

I really enjoyed this mystery.  I did call one twist that comes toward the end very early one.  However, the book is filled with them, so I wasn't disappointed. It was a twisty yet well planned out plot.  The book is told through the perspective of all three of the cousins. I thought that worked to the book's benefit.  It helped me get to know each of the cousins as individuals.   All of the cousins were great characters.  They all have things to hide from their home life and put on a different face to the world.  I didn't find any of them clichés and that was refreshing.   Sprinkled throughout that book, we get a glimpse into what happened during the last summer before the cousins' parents were disinherited.   I highly recommend this one. I can't wait to see what is next for Karen McManus!

Review: One of Us is Next by Karen McManus

Author: Karen McManus
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 2020

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.

Until now.

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.

One of Us is Next is the sequel to One of Us is Lying.  I loved that book and was hoping this one would live up to it.  I'll start by saying that if you have not read One of Us is Lying, then do not read this book first.  It will spoil the first book for you.  It can be read as a stand alone, however, the solution to the first book is spoiled early on in this one.  I found this one  just as enjoyable as the first one.

This book follows a new cast of characters, however, some familiar faces make appearances.  As in the first book, we get the points of view from each character without going over previous territory.  I liked that because it kept the story flowing smoothly. The characters were  interesting and I felt invested in them and what would happen to them  I don't want to really talk about the plot too much because I don't want to risk giving away any key secrets.  I love this author and how well she builds suspense. I had an idea of what was going on, but my theory was way off base. I didn't call the ending!  I highly recommend this one.    Just remember..always take the dare! 

Review: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Date of publication: January 2019

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

Two Can Keep a Secret was on my most anticipated list for 2019.   This story involves twins who move in with their grandmother while their mother is in rehab.  They end up getting involved in  solving the mystery of who killed their aunt and who is stalking the current homecoming queen nominees.

While I didn't love this one as much as One of Us is Lying, I did really enjoy the book.  I thought the mysteries were really good and definitely didn't call the reveal.  The last sentence brought the book up a notch. What a great way to end the book!  It  felt like a good old fashioned teen murder mystery.  I found the main characters interesting and ones I could care about. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Ellery and her twin Ezra. The story is told through Ellery and Malcolm's point of view.  Malcolm's brother is suspected in the murder of one of the homecoming queens a couple of years before.  

My only really complaint is that it felt like there were too many characters at times.  I did have a hard time keeping track of them and what generation they fell into.  When you read it, that will make more sense.  I do definitely recommend this one.  I'm looking forward to seeing what Ms. McManus comes out with next!

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Date of publication: May 2017

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

This is one of the first YA books that I have really enjoyed in a long time.  I read it in one sitting because I was sucked right in from the first chapter.  The premise of One of Us is Lying is that five students get detention and only four leave the room alive.  Sound mysterious?  It really was. The story is told through the eyes of the four students who left the room.  At first I wasn't sure if that was going to work for me, but I ended up liking the format.  It was helpful to get all four perspectives on the situation.  

I thought this was a very solid mystery.  I was kept guessing throughout the entire book. I honestly could not guess what really happened on that day, so I was genuinely floored at the reveal.  There were a lot of surprises and everyone had secrets.  What I liked the most was I actually liked all four of the main characters.  I genuinely cared about them and didn't want any of them to be guilty. I definitely recommend this one.  This is a debut book and I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future.