One of Us Is Lying
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One of Us Is Lying is a young adult mystery/thriller novel by Karen M. McManus, published in 2017. The story centers on five high school students who enter detention, but only four make it out alive after one dies under suspicious circumstances. The four survivors—Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper—each become suspects as it's revealed the deceased student, Simon, planned to expose their deepest secrets on his infamous gossip app. The narrative unfolds from multiple perspectives as the students navigate the murder investigation, burgeoning relationships, and their individual hidden truths, all while trying to uncover the real killer. Aimed at a teen audience, the book explores themes of secrets, lies, social pressures, and self-discovery. The content includes mature themes such as violence, drug use, sexual content, and profanity, making it generally appropriate for readers aged 14 and up.
Things to Consider
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
The book features a significant LGBTQ storyline involving a main character. Cooper Clay, a prominent athlete, is revealed to be gay midway through the story. His sexual orientation is used as a plot point, and his outing causes familial conflict, although ultimately leading to self-acceptance. The TV series adaptation also introduces a non-binary lesbian character, Janae Matthews.
Cooper Clay's secret, that he is gay and in a relationship with a college-aged boy named Kris, is revealed publicly against his will by the police, leading to a rift with his homophobic father. Cooper and Kris are depicted kissing passionately and later holding hands openly after Cooper's relationship becomes public. The book is noted to include 'Homomisia & homomisia slurs' as a trigger warning.
Violence
The narrative is centered around the death of a student, Simon Kelleher, due to an allergic reaction that is later revealed to be a planned suicide. Additionally, the book contains instances of physical violence, including an attempted murder and depicted injuries.
Romance and Sexual Content
The book includes multiple instances of romantic and sexual content, ranging from implied sexual activity and discussions about sex to infidelity and casual sexual encounters. There are also mentions of dubious consent and nonconsensual voyeurism.
Profanity
The book features frequent use of strong language and curse words, with sources indicating 'extreme profanity' used moderately often. This includes explicit expletives and derogatory terms, as well as the casual use of divine names.
Scary & Intense Content
The content involves a murder mystery, suicide, and instances of intense physical violence, including an attempted strangulation. The psychological suspense and the life-threatening situations faced by the characters contribute to a high level of intensity throughout the narrative.
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Additional Context
Best For Ages
14 and up. The reading level and thematic maturity, including a murder mystery, drug use, sexual content, and profanity, align with high school-aged readers (grades 9-12). While some younger readers may comprehend the text, the intense subject matter may be unsuitable.
Good to Know
The book is part of a series, with sequels 'One of Us Is Next' (2020) and 'One of Us Is Back' (2023). Later installments continue the mystery and raise the stakes, bringing back characters from previous books and introducing new dangers, including an escaped character from prison. The TV series adaptation includes additional LGBTQ representation, such as a non-binary lesbian character (Janae Matthews) not explicitly detailed in the first book.
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