One of us is Lying

Justification

One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus was a recommended read from several English teachers at the high school I work at. It is also a popularly checked out book in our library. One of us is Lying has also been reviewed by Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Kirkus Reviews and Voice of Youth Advocates.

Response

Mystery is probably my second favorite genre next to fantasy, so I was excited to read One of us is Lying. I have only read one other teen mystery novel so it is a bit strange to read about teenagers being accused of murder. (a) Although I was never involved in any such things as a teenager myself, I did find myself connecting to the characters lives. One of the characters is a studious young girl, always striving to do what is right and to get good grades- that was me as a teenager. I also felt a connection to the stereotypes that occur in high school, especially since I work as a high school teacher. (b) I found some of the story a bit unrealistic to how the world actually works in high school. A teacher allowed to search students' bags, a teacher not scrutinized for each action during a crisis, etc. (f) Even with the discrepancies from realistic life, I was still able to enjoy this book. As a form of entertainment, it kept me guessing for a while on who the murderer was. Although I found it to be slightly predictable in that area, the goings on behind the scenes was interesting to piece together.

Conclusion

One of us is Lying is an exceptional teen mystery novel. I know several students reading this book, who are constantly questioning me and reasoning out their own theories of who could be the murderer. I would recommend this book for teenagers who enjoy piecing the puzzle together as they read.

Citation

McManus, K. M. (2017). One of us is lying. Delacorte Press.