What do you think?
Rate this book
One of Us Is Lying #3
Yksi meistä on palannut
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2023)Kolmas ja viimeinen piinaava YA-trilleri Yksi meistä -sarjassa
Bayview’n murhien ensimmäinen uhri Simon oli oikeassa yhdestä asiasta: salaisuudet paljastuvat aina lopulta. Menestyskirjailija palaa ensimmäisen kirjansa maisemiin ja henkilöhahmoihin.
Kaikki alkoi siitä, kun Simon kuoli jälki-istunnossa ja Bronwyn, Nate, Addy ja Cooper joutuivat todistamaan syyttömyytensä. Seuraavana vuonna kostonhimoinen jäljittelijä iski uusiin uhreihin. Ja nyt kaikki alkaa alusta. Ensin se vaikuttaa vain mauttomalta vitsiltä, mainostaululla teksti Aika aloittaa uusi peli, Bayview. Mutta kun yksi alkuperäisjengistä katoaa, on selvää että peli on otettava vakavasti. Kukaan ei vain tiedä kieroutuneen pelin sääntöjä. Kun odottamattomin hahmo menneisyydestä palaa kaupunkiin, peli muuttuu kuolettavaksi ja joka ikinen on kohde.
Bayview’n murhien ensimmäinen uhri Simon oli oikeassa yhdestä asiasta: salaisuudet paljastuvat aina lopulta. Menestyskirjailija palaa ensimmäisen kirjansa maisemiin ja henkilöhahmoihin.
Kaikki alkoi siitä, kun Simon kuoli jälki-istunnossa ja Bronwyn, Nate, Addy ja Cooper joutuivat todistamaan syyttömyytensä. Seuraavana vuonna kostonhimoinen jäljittelijä iski uusiin uhreihin. Ja nyt kaikki alkaa alusta. Ensin se vaikuttaa vain mauttomalta vitsiltä, mainostaululla teksti Aika aloittaa uusi peli, Bayview. Mutta kun yksi alkuperäisjengistä katoaa, on selvää että peli on otettava vakavasti. Kukaan ei vain tiedä kieroutuneen pelin sääntöjä. Kun odottamattomin hahmo menneisyydestä palaa kaupunkiin, peli muuttuu kuolettavaksi ja joka ikinen on kohde.
364 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2023
3220 people are currently reading
154845 people want to read
About the author
Karen M. McManus
31 books37.7k followersHi, and thanks for stopping by my Goodreads page! I don't visit this site often, so the best way to reach me is via my website at www.karenmcmanus.com or on Instagram, where I'm @writerkmc.
------
Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, Nothing More to Tell, and Such Charming Liars. Karen’s critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages. To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Instagram.
------
Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, Nothing More to Tell, and Such Charming Liars. Karen’s critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages. To learn more, visit www.karenmcmanus.com or @writerkmc on Instagram.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,325 reviews
Read
May 3, 2021Coming your way in 2023 :)
More info here: https://www.instagram.com/p/COaYZozL__t/
More info here: https://www.instagram.com/p/COaYZozL__t/
September 15, 2025
The Bayview Crew is back and better than ever! It couldn't be truer that the third time's a charm, as this book is by far the best novel in the series. It masterfully brings together characters of two previous books as founders of the murder club with the original Bayview Four Members. Even the villains from the first book are back, with their own narrations. Fortunately, Simon is not returning as a ghost to haunt the Bayview Four, but we do get to read his narration from six years ago. The contribution of the villains is important in answering so many questions about the past and connecting them with the wrapping up of the new mystery.
At first, I had some hesitations about how the author would equally insert each character into the story, but I take back my words because she managed to do it impeccably. The main narrators are Phoebe from the second book, whose sister left the country after her connection with their father's killer's death was revealed, and Phoebe also discovered the ugly truth about her little brother's involvement in the murder. Nate, whom I would save from death if I had to choose two characters, Addy, who nearly got killed by her ex Jack and is now reviewing her sexual orientation while bonding with her sister who is expecting, and surprise surprise, we have narrations from Jack and Simon to reveal events from six years ago that may help us understand many unanswered questions from the entire series and look at the characters from different perspectives.
This time, the main mystery starts with a billboard hack displaying a bad joke and an eerie message that warns something earth-shattering is about to come out. On top of that, Jack gets an early release from prison and starts lurking around the Bayview area with his probation officer, giving Addy extra nightmares from their dark past. Then, one of the Bayview Crew is kidnapped during Nate's house party. Could Jack be involved in this kidnapping? Is he planning to make them pay for putting him behind bars?
With the Rojas sisters' research skills and Bronwyn's logical assumptions, Cooper, Nate, Kris, and Luis' muscle power, Addy and Phoebe's determination to release the past that holds them back, they make the perfect team to reveal the new mystery threatening their town.
I have to say, it was an amazing experience to spend more time with the characters I truly loved. I have soft spots for both Nate and Cooper! I couldn't guess the culprit until the end. The pacing was riveting and extra exciting, making me sit on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, barely gathering my composure, and stuffing popcorn into my mouth as if I were watching my favorite thriller movie. It's even more enjoyable than binge-watching the Scream series!
I'm not sure this will be the last time we see the Bayview Crew, and I never say no to another installment, but I'm telling you, this is the best book in the series, and you shouldn't miss it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for sharing the digital copy of one of the most anticipated books of 2023 in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter
At first, I had some hesitations about how the author would equally insert each character into the story, but I take back my words because she managed to do it impeccably. The main narrators are Phoebe from the second book, whose sister left the country after her connection with their father's killer's death was revealed, and Phoebe also discovered the ugly truth about her little brother's involvement in the murder. Nate, whom I would save from death if I had to choose two characters, Addy, who nearly got killed by her ex Jack and is now reviewing her sexual orientation while bonding with her sister who is expecting, and surprise surprise, we have narrations from Jack and Simon to reveal events from six years ago that may help us understand many unanswered questions from the entire series and look at the characters from different perspectives.
This time, the main mystery starts with a billboard hack displaying a bad joke and an eerie message that warns something earth-shattering is about to come out. On top of that, Jack gets an early release from prison and starts lurking around the Bayview area with his probation officer, giving Addy extra nightmares from their dark past. Then, one of the Bayview Crew is kidnapped during Nate's house party. Could Jack be involved in this kidnapping? Is he planning to make them pay for putting him behind bars?
With the Rojas sisters' research skills and Bronwyn's logical assumptions, Cooper, Nate, Kris, and Luis' muscle power, Addy and Phoebe's determination to release the past that holds them back, they make the perfect team to reveal the new mystery threatening their town.
I have to say, it was an amazing experience to spend more time with the characters I truly loved. I have soft spots for both Nate and Cooper! I couldn't guess the culprit until the end. The pacing was riveting and extra exciting, making me sit on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, barely gathering my composure, and stuffing popcorn into my mouth as if I were watching my favorite thriller movie. It's even more enjoyable than binge-watching the Scream series!
I'm not sure this will be the last time we see the Bayview Crew, and I never say no to another installment, but I'm telling you, this is the best book in the series, and you shouldn't miss it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for sharing the digital copy of one of the most anticipated books of 2023 in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
September 15, 2025
One of Us Is Back is the third, and reportedly, final installment to the One of Us Is Lying series by beloved YA Thriller author, Karen M. McManus.
First things first, I just want to take a moment and say thank you to the cover designers for McManus' books. Staying with this theme through all the recent releases, whether they are part of a series or not, is such a great choice.
I love how they all look together on the shelf!!!
I have loved this series since the very start and have been anxiously awaiting this release. It was so great to return to Bayview and be reunited with some well-known characters.
The kids in Bayview have been through a lot, but they made it through Simon's detention death and all that went with it, as well as a vengeful copycat developing a deadly game of Truth or Dare.
Unfortunately, the chaos isn't over yet...
When a local billboard gets hacked and is set-up to display the words, 'Time for a new game, Bayview', many in town take it as a bad joke. For the Bayview crew, however, it triggers a lot of bad memories and new anxieties.
Then after one of their own disappears, their greatest fears are realized. It's clear something dangerously-fishy is going down in Bayview...again.
I had a lot of fun with this story. I listened to the audiobook, as I have for the rest of the books in the series, and definitely recommend that format. The full cast really helps to bring the characters and intensity to life.
I loved the intrigue and suspense. It was extremely fast-paced, and I flew through it in a day. I loved being back with these characters and their amateur investigations were well-plotted and paced.
I thought the baddie was creative and I didn't see the reveal coming, but once I did, it made a lot of sense.
Overall, this was another successful thrill-ride from McManus. I love her mysteries and characters. I always end up getting so invested.
Long story short, I will pick up absolutely anything McManus writes and cannot wait to see what's next from her. I know this is the last book in this series, but I am really hoping it's not the last story set in Bayview.
A town known for revenge, is a town I want to read about!
First things first, I just want to take a moment and say thank you to the cover designers for McManus' books. Staying with this theme through all the recent releases, whether they are part of a series or not, is such a great choice.
I love how they all look together on the shelf!!!
I have loved this series since the very start and have been anxiously awaiting this release. It was so great to return to Bayview and be reunited with some well-known characters.
The kids in Bayview have been through a lot, but they made it through Simon's detention death and all that went with it, as well as a vengeful copycat developing a deadly game of Truth or Dare.
Unfortunately, the chaos isn't over yet...
When a local billboard gets hacked and is set-up to display the words, 'Time for a new game, Bayview', many in town take it as a bad joke. For the Bayview crew, however, it triggers a lot of bad memories and new anxieties.
Then after one of their own disappears, their greatest fears are realized. It's clear something dangerously-fishy is going down in Bayview...again.
I had a lot of fun with this story. I listened to the audiobook, as I have for the rest of the books in the series, and definitely recommend that format. The full cast really helps to bring the characters and intensity to life.
I loved the intrigue and suspense. It was extremely fast-paced, and I flew through it in a day. I loved being back with these characters and their amateur investigations were well-plotted and paced.
I thought the baddie was creative and I didn't see the reveal coming, but once I did, it made a lot of sense.
Overall, this was another successful thrill-ride from McManus. I love her mysteries and characters. I always end up getting so invested.
Long story short, I will pick up absolutely anything McManus writes and cannot wait to see what's next from her. I know this is the last book in this series, but I am really hoping it's not the last story set in Bayview.
A town known for revenge, is a town I want to read about!
lost-interest
May 7, 2021[May 7, 2021]:
TITLE REVEAL AND I WAS SO OFF💀💀 One of Us is Back... wow that doesnt sound concerning at allstill think One of Us is Dead sounded cooler
https://twitter.com/writerkmc/status/...
[May 4, 2021]:
I KNEW IT.
i knew there'd be a 3rd book😌 betting its going to be called One of Us is Dead
TITLE REVEAL AND I WAS SO OFF💀💀 One of Us is Back... wow that doesnt sound concerning at all
https://twitter.com/writerkmc/status/...
[May 4, 2021]:
I KNEW IT.
i knew there'd be a 3rd book😌 betting its going to be called One of Us is Dead
December 16, 2025
5 stars – spoilers marked 📼 ׂ ༉‧₊˚.
⊹ . ⟢ thoughts before i read the book:
to be honest, i just wanted to get out of my slump and thought this would help since it's a thriller and i really liked the first two books.
⊹ . ⟢ overall thoughts:
this was the first book i've ever cried because of and that just shows a lot. this series will forever be important to me and i love these characters so so much ! i honestly wish there was another book but sadly there won't be one. it was also nice to read a book set around the same time i was reading it and it talked a lot about summer too so i liked that vibe. this book is so perfect and it makes me want to read it again and you know the book's good when you want to re-read it soon after finishing it.
᭡ knox + phoebe:
᭡ bronwyn + nate: OH MY GOD I LOVE THEM SO MUCH NO ONE AND NOTHING COULD MAKE ME HATE THEM !!
⊹ . ⟢ favourite quotes:
᭡ 'i’m going to marry you, bronwyn rojas. just so you know.' she puts her hands on either side of my face and pulls me close enough to kiss. but first, she says, 'oh, i know.'
᭡ i don’t understand how you can look at someone who’s obviously hurting and think, 'you know what this person needs? more time in their own head.'
᭡ nonny offered to give him a down payment for a new car—apparently, she bought a lot of apple stock in the nineties.
.° 🎧 playlist: ⟢
᭡ so high school, taylor swift
᭡ cruel summer, taylor swift
᭡ august, taylor swift
᭡ no body, no crime, taylor swift
᭡ favourite crime, olivia rodrigo
— buddy read with adelyn !! <3
⋆ ࣪ ៸៸ “what is bayview best known for? revenge.” ꫂ
⊹ . ⟢ thoughts before i read the book:
to be honest, i just wanted to get out of my slump and thought this would help since it's a thriller and i really liked the first two books.
⋆ ࣪ ៸៸ “it doesn’t matter how many times she smiles at me like that; i still forget how to breathe for at least a few seconds.” ꫂ
⊹ . ⟢ overall thoughts:
this was the first book i've ever cried because of and that just shows a lot. this series will forever be important to me and i love these characters so so much ! i honestly wish there was another book but sadly there won't be one. it was also nice to read a book set around the same time i was reading it and it talked a lot about summer too so i liked that vibe. this book is so perfect and it makes me want to read it again and you know the book's good when you want to re-read it soon after finishing it.
⋆ ࣪ ៸៸ “it's unreal how fast the inner voice you thought was gone can jump back into your head to tell you how much you suck.” ꫂ
᭡ knox + phoebe:
᭡ bronwyn + nate: OH MY GOD I LOVE THEM SO MUCH NO ONE AND NOTHING COULD MAKE ME HATE THEM !!
⊹ . ⟢ favourite quotes:
᭡ 'i’m going to marry you, bronwyn rojas. just so you know.' she puts her hands on either side of my face and pulls me close enough to kiss. but first, she says, 'oh, i know.'
᭡ i don’t understand how you can look at someone who’s obviously hurting and think, 'you know what this person needs? more time in their own head.'
᭡ nonny offered to give him a down payment for a new car—apparently, she bought a lot of apple stock in the nineties.
.° 🎧 playlist: ⟢
᭡ so high school, taylor swift
᭡ cruel summer, taylor swift
᭡ august, taylor swift
᭡ no body, no crime, taylor swift
᭡ favourite crime, olivia rodrigo
— buddy read with adelyn !! <3
June 28, 2023
It’s two months after the last shenanigans occurred in Bayview, and the Bayview Crew are all back in town for the summer. A billboard soon shows up with an ominous line that suggests they’re not in for a peaceful summer. And when a member of their crew disappears one evening, they know that things are serious. But this time, no one knows the rules and it’s just getting started.
This is the third (and final?) book of this series. I’m honestly not entirely sure why this one exists. It’s a solid 25% through the book before anything happens aside from becoming reintroduced to the characters and their relationships, regrets, and rehashing the first two books. Then it’s almost another 25% before something else happens. And then it’s not until the last 20% of the book that the pace picks up to anywhere remotely close to being a “thriller mystery.” But by that point I wasn’t engaged with the minimal plot or mystery, which made it difficult to feel invested in the ending.
One of the things I disliked about this book was that it combined the characters from the first and second books. This left many characters being juggled around, including many characters that were never that strong or well written to begin with, that most of the MCs from the previous books didn’t have a meaningful presence in this one. The characterization in this book is also weak. Their voices are not unique – the POV swaps between Pheobe and Addy in this book, and they sound so similar that when I put the book down in the middle of a chapter, I’d have no clue whose POV I was reading when I picked it back up again. I did like that Nate was given a bit of character growth since the first book, but even his voice often sounded like the girls’. This lack of compelling and well written characters made the slow pace almost unbearable.
I don’t feel that this book is a necessary read – if you liked the first one, and/or second one, it would be reasonable to stop there. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for allowing me to read this work, which will be published July 25th, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the third (and final?) book of this series. I’m honestly not entirely sure why this one exists. It’s a solid 25% through the book before anything happens aside from becoming reintroduced to the characters and their relationships, regrets, and rehashing the first two books. Then it’s almost another 25% before something else happens. And then it’s not until the last 20% of the book that the pace picks up to anywhere remotely close to being a “thriller mystery.” But by that point I wasn’t engaged with the minimal plot or mystery, which made it difficult to feel invested in the ending.
One of the things I disliked about this book was that it combined the characters from the first and second books. This left many characters being juggled around, including many characters that were never that strong or well written to begin with, that most of the MCs from the previous books didn’t have a meaningful presence in this one. The characterization in this book is also weak. Their voices are not unique – the POV swaps between Pheobe and Addy in this book, and they sound so similar that when I put the book down in the middle of a chapter, I’d have no clue whose POV I was reading when I picked it back up again. I did like that Nate was given a bit of character growth since the first book, but even his voice often sounded like the girls’. This lack of compelling and well written characters made the slow pace almost unbearable.
I don’t feel that this book is a necessary read – if you liked the first one, and/or second one, it would be reasonable to stop there. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for allowing me to read this work, which will be published July 25th, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 2, 2024
3.5 stars ⭐️
⤷ minor spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
“What is Bayview best known for? Revenge.”
this book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. it did get a bit draggy, and the romance was lacking compared to the first two books, but i was genuinely surprised by the plot twist. the way everything linked back to jake and simon was intriguing too. i don’t know how i feel about the ending though. it seemed a bit rushed and left things hanging 🤷🏻♀️
overall, it was still an enjoyable mystery read, and reading this was very nostalgic ~ i’m glad this series ended on a good note ^_^
pre-read:
i remember enjoying one of us is lying and one of us is next so i hope i enjoy this one too!!🤞🏻❤️ (i definitely need to read the book summaries of OOUIL and OOUIN to refresh my memory since i read them years ago 🫢)
⤷ minor spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
“What is Bayview best known for? Revenge.”
this book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. it did get a bit draggy, and the romance was lacking compared to the first two books, but i was genuinely surprised by the plot twist. the way everything linked back to jake and simon was intriguing too. i don’t know how i feel about the ending though. it seemed a bit rushed and left things hanging 🤷🏻♀️
overall, it was still an enjoyable mystery read, and reading this was very nostalgic ~ i’m glad this series ended on a good note ^_^
pre-read:
i remember enjoying one of us is lying and one of us is next so i hope i enjoy this one too!!🤞🏻❤️ (i definitely need to read the book summaries of OOUIL and OOUIN to refresh my memory since i read them years ago 🫢)
Want to read
May 14, 2021One of Us Is Back? Jake is that you???
September 25, 2024
That wonderful cast from the Four Star One of Us is Lying and not-as-wonderful cast from the Three Star One of Us is Next have their hands full this some as one of them has a big secret from 'One of us is Next' and one of the antagonists of 'One of Us is Lying' is back with vengeance in mind!
It's all about the realism of the cast for me, their behaviours, interactions and most of learning from their mistakes. This book is as good as the first and the big bonus we get to see more of Simon K's shenanigans. A fun series with a deliciously dark heart set in near idyllic reality that hides multiple and seemingly endless secret histories :) 8 out of 12, Four Star jam!
2024 read
It's all about the realism of the cast for me, their behaviours, interactions and most of learning from their mistakes. This book is as good as the first and the big bonus we get to see more of Simon K's shenanigans. A fun series with a deliciously dark heart set in near idyllic reality that hides multiple and seemingly endless secret histories :) 8 out of 12, Four Star jam!
2024 read
Want to read
August 2, 2021lol 2023 isn’t a real year. when’s it really coming out Karen
March 15, 2024
↳ 3.75!! ☆ [spoiler free]
“what is Bayview best known for? Revenge. YES LMAO
its hard to believe i picked up this trilogy in january & just finished now. this series started in 2018 and ended in 2023, so you could imagine thats a while. so im thankful i had access to all 3 books just like that 🤭
i dont know what it was about this series but it was addictive, in a good way. like i could never put them down, but i also would probably never make this to be a 5-star series sooo! but they will always have a special place in my heart. doesnt live up to my fav YA mystery series, but i couldve been!
𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 🌑
↠ the plot: did yk that this couldve been a standalone book?! if it weren't for the love of one of us is back, i would've never dreamed of this one. & wow, all those secrets bayview still had 😭but i read this one mostly for my fav/comfort characters. the plot was there, but was just fun and intriguing, i didn't fully care, yk? wish we got our epilouge tho 🥲
↠ overall experience: im grateful, these characters hold such a special place in my heart now, i miss some of them. if this was the series that got me into reading, it would've been a 5 stars, i just know it. but im glad i picked this trilogy up on a whim. ill miss the setting, the feeling, the connection, characters, and all that drama 🤣 but seriously, i loved the idea of this. karen m mcmanus is a genius, who knows, maybe ill pick up more of her books! but im glad she got to give HER characters, their ending, i know they mean a lot to her 🥹
𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 🌑 [best part!!]
↳may i give a special mentions to nate & bronwyn? MY BABIES, i adore them so much. im getting flashbacks, from the first book, when their relationship started. their childhood, to now being lovers. them also watching divergent and other movies tgt. i just cant find anyone else like them. they are the main reason i wanted to finish this to see their ending. but i hope my babies our happy now, nate the guy u are now, and bronwyn, my lovee! SO PROUD OF THEM BOTH, the character arcs 😍 im biased i know, but they ARE my faves ever.
↳i could not forget addy and her family, ashton + eli + more. i am also so VERY proud of her, and i hope shes doing well now, after!! she deserves a lot 🥹 im glad we got her POV in this one. and i LOVE ashton <33 also cannot forget, kris & cooper, maeve & luis, i also LOVEE them, i hope they're also well now 🤭 lastly, knox and phoebe, their way bigger in OOOUIN, but i like them too <3 im glad i got my closure!!
↳overall i love the "bayview crew" all of them hold such a special place, and i just love friendgroups/found family, i could name a TON 😭 also for simon: just wow... but yeah, for them, it was worth it :)
NATEWYN MY LOVES <33
overall, i hope they're all safe and happy, & off to college. i feel like we can still get more, like a spin off with that ending... but who knows! ill always love them, if you want, you can just read ONE OF US IS LYING and go from there if youd like! :) ah, what a series to finish in march, ILOVEYOU guys, i hope all is well 🥹
୨୧・・・・୨୧
preview!! yeah so im reading this, getting this trilogy DONE. also i cant stop thinking about natewyn, yes i love THEM BOTH SO MUCH, fav couple and quite literally the only ppl i care about. anyways time to go into more drama!! 😍
“what is Bayview best known for? Revenge. YES LMAO
its hard to believe i picked up this trilogy in january & just finished now. this series started in 2018 and ended in 2023, so you could imagine thats a while. so im thankful i had access to all 3 books just like that 🤭
i dont know what it was about this series but it was addictive, in a good way. like i could never put them down, but i also would probably never make this to be a 5-star series sooo! but they will always have a special place in my heart. doesnt live up to my fav YA mystery series, but i couldve been!
𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 🌑
↠ the plot: did yk that this couldve been a standalone book?! if it weren't for the love of one of us is back, i would've never dreamed of this one. & wow, all those secrets bayview still had 😭but i read this one mostly for my fav/comfort characters. the plot was there, but was just fun and intriguing, i didn't fully care, yk? wish we got our epilouge tho 🥲
↠ overall experience: im grateful, these characters hold such a special place in my heart now, i miss some of them. if this was the series that got me into reading, it would've been a 5 stars, i just know it. but im glad i picked this trilogy up on a whim. ill miss the setting, the feeling, the connection, characters, and all that drama 🤣 but seriously, i loved the idea of this. karen m mcmanus is a genius, who knows, maybe ill pick up more of her books! but im glad she got to give HER characters, their ending, i know they mean a lot to her 🥹
𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 🌑 [best part!!]
↳may i give a special mentions to nate & bronwyn? MY BABIES, i adore them so much. im getting flashbacks, from the first book, when their relationship started. their childhood, to now being lovers. them also watching divergent and other movies tgt. i just cant find anyone else like them. they are the main reason i wanted to finish this to see their ending. but i hope my babies our happy now, nate the guy u are now, and bronwyn, my lovee! SO PROUD OF THEM BOTH, the character arcs 😍 im biased i know, but they ARE my faves ever.
↳i could not forget addy and her family, ashton + eli + more. i am also so VERY proud of her, and i hope shes doing well now, after!! she deserves a lot 🥹 im glad we got her POV in this one. and i LOVE ashton <33 also cannot forget, kris & cooper, maeve & luis, i also LOVEE them, i hope they're also well now 🤭 lastly, knox and phoebe, their way bigger in OOOUIN, but i like them too <3 im glad i got my closure!!
↳overall i love the "bayview crew" all of them hold such a special place, and i just love friendgroups/found family, i could name a TON 😭 also for simon: just wow... but yeah, for them, it was worth it :)
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” he asks roughly. “I do,” she says, her voice softening. “I love you too.”
“It doesn’t matter how many times she smiles at me like that; I still forget how to breathe for at least a few seconds.”
NATEWYN MY LOVES <33
overall, i hope they're all safe and happy, & off to college. i feel like we can still get more, like a spin off with that ending... but who knows! ill always love them, if you want, you can just read ONE OF US IS LYING and go from there if youd like! :) ah, what a series to finish in march, ILOVEYOU guys, i hope all is well 🥹
୨୧・・・・୨୧
preview!! yeah so im reading this, getting this trilogy DONE. also i cant stop thinking about natewyn, yes i love THEM BOTH SO MUCH, fav couple and quite literally the only ppl i care about. anyways time to go into more drama!! 😍
![Profile Image for ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ mimi ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ [im back].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1717798941i%2F161661704._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 16, 2024
picking up all the natewyn crumbs i can get 🧎🏻♀️ … rtc
~~~~~~~~~
time to finally finish this series 😌
~~~~~~~~~
time to finally finish this series 😌
August 29, 2024
Second read rating: 4.75 stars!
I know this is the second time I read this book, but it felt different reading it this time. I already had tears in my eyes by the time I closed this book.
I read the first book when I was still a teenager and had probably a newbie on Goodreads (though I wasn't (because didn't know at that time how to) interacting with other fellow readers) I though 'One of Us is Lying' was the best thing I've ever read.
This series never seems to disappoint me and always amazes me with its intrigue and twists.
Goodbye, Bayview. Hope somewhere in the (far) future I'll get to read about you again.
______________________
First read rating: 3.75 stars!
Can 2023 come faster? Because after finishing 'One of Us is Next' I needed this book STAT!
I know this is the second time I read this book, but it felt different reading it this time. I already had tears in my eyes by the time I closed this book.
I read the first book when I was still a teenager and had probably a newbie on Goodreads (though I wasn't (because didn't know at that time how to) interacting with other fellow readers) I though 'One of Us is Lying' was the best thing I've ever read.
This series never seems to disappoint me and always amazes me with its intrigue and twists.
Goodbye, Bayview. Hope somewhere in the (far) future I'll get to read about you again.
______________________
First read rating: 3.75 stars!
Can 2023 come faster? Because after finishing 'One of Us is Next' I needed this book STAT!
lost-interest
June 15, 2021Excuse me, we are getting a third book?
WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?!
The title is weird ngl. Really nothing better other than One of Us is Back? The previous books have way cooler titles.
seeing the release date is for 2023 *glares*
WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?!
The title is weird ngl. Really nothing better other than One of Us is Back? The previous books have way cooler titles.
seeing the release date is for 2023 *glares*
August 16, 2023
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“But we all know what Bayview’s real game is, right?” she continues. “Revenge. Except they keep doing it wrong.
Nobody ever targets people who are actually guilty. Even though this town is full of them.”
Inquiring minds would really like to know, what was the sole purpose of One of Us Is Back; because for the life of me, I cannot figure out why it was necessary to write this sequel? Simply to give us justifications for the motives behind why these kids acted the way that they originally did, and also to introduce us to a new mystery, that didn't even need to be written for this series?! 😒😒
“What’s the point of doing the right thing when assholes like that never bother, and get whatever they want anyway?”
That really surprised me - it's one thing for a sequel to wrap up existing storylines - but to hash out a whole other copy-cat mystery to the scene of the crime - to try to explain the rationality behind the first acts from the first book - to introduce the culprits, only to have their outcomes be so unresolved and highly conveniently unexplained just in order to give the heroes a happy ending. 😶 The new mystery was flimsy at best, completely out of the scope of the plot, and just felt like it was contrived - that it didn't make me feel any sympathy or connection or even remorse for the characters - the good ones or the bad ones. 😮💨😮💨
“The kids in this town are flat-out horrible, aren’t they?”
Indeed, some of them were, so much so, that again, I don't like that YA authors resort to making the police force completely oblivious to the crimes - please, it would not hurt to bring some forth of realism to the stories. Just writing them off, as a work force that is not taking the crimes or deaths seriously, all the more annoyed. ☹️ And then, to have the ending, not even bring decent closure to all the characters - it leaves it all so wishy-washy, and even makes me believe that there may be a spin-off or sequel in the works, because it still left some story lines hanging! It was as if, it was written for the sole intent of making the bad guys completely unlikable and not even redeemable for their cause of actions.😩😩
“Human unpredictability,” she says with a shrug. “People are full of surprises, even when you think you know them.”
Despite my annoyances, please allow me to highlight the few points that I did appreciate. Thank you for providing that brief overview of the character's at the start - it gave me a brief reminder as to who each person was. Thank you for limiting the story to only a few selective perspectives - as vast as a cast, it was, the selected few were, honestly the most important to the story and helped navigate the story in a better streamline. 👍🏼👍🏼 Thank you for showing the camaraderie between the Bayview Crew - they've all experienced a lot and their concern and care for each other was duly noted. Thank you for the little twist at the end - as cliché as the reveal was, it honestly caught me by surprise. Thank you for writing the unnecessary sequel with clear, concise and direct writing - having it straight-forward and simple kept the pace flowing. 👌🏻
“Secrets are power ---”
Apart from that, I'm glad I'm able to put this series behind me - I'm always up for a good YA mystery-thriller, but I'd always love it more if it rounds up in a satisfactory fashion. 😞 Sadly, this did not do it for me, but, perhaps, down the line, if a book stands as a stand-alone, I might be tempted to pick up another one of her books in the future.
“But we all know what Bayview’s real game is, right?” she continues. “Revenge. Except they keep doing it wrong.
Nobody ever targets people who are actually guilty. Even though this town is full of them.”
Inquiring minds would really like to know, what was the sole purpose of One of Us Is Back; because for the life of me, I cannot figure out why it was necessary to write this sequel? Simply to give us justifications for the motives behind why these kids acted the way that they originally did, and also to introduce us to a new mystery, that didn't even need to be written for this series?! 😒😒
“What’s the point of doing the right thing when assholes like that never bother, and get whatever they want anyway?”
That really surprised me - it's one thing for a sequel to wrap up existing storylines - but to hash out a whole other copy-cat mystery to the scene of the crime - to try to explain the rationality behind the first acts from the first book - to introduce the culprits, only to have their outcomes be so unresolved and highly conveniently unexplained just in order to give the heroes a happy ending. 😶 The new mystery was flimsy at best, completely out of the scope of the plot, and just felt like it was contrived - that it didn't make me feel any sympathy or connection or even remorse for the characters - the good ones or the bad ones. 😮💨😮💨
“The kids in this town are flat-out horrible, aren’t they?”
Indeed, some of them were, so much so, that again, I don't like that YA authors resort to making the police force completely oblivious to the crimes - please, it would not hurt to bring some forth of realism to the stories. Just writing them off, as a work force that is not taking the crimes or deaths seriously, all the more annoyed. ☹️ And then, to have the ending, not even bring decent closure to all the characters - it leaves it all so wishy-washy, and even makes me believe that there may be a spin-off or sequel in the works, because it still left some story lines hanging! It was as if, it was written for the sole intent of making the bad guys completely unlikable and not even redeemable for their cause of actions.😩😩
“Human unpredictability,” she says with a shrug. “People are full of surprises, even when you think you know them.”
Despite my annoyances, please allow me to highlight the few points that I did appreciate. Thank you for providing that brief overview of the character's at the start - it gave me a brief reminder as to who each person was. Thank you for limiting the story to only a few selective perspectives - as vast as a cast, it was, the selected few were, honestly the most important to the story and helped navigate the story in a better streamline. 👍🏼👍🏼 Thank you for showing the camaraderie between the Bayview Crew - they've all experienced a lot and their concern and care for each other was duly noted. Thank you for the little twist at the end - as cliché as the reveal was, it honestly caught me by surprise. Thank you for writing the unnecessary sequel with clear, concise and direct writing - having it straight-forward and simple kept the pace flowing. 👌🏻
“Secrets are power ---”
Apart from that, I'm glad I'm able to put this series behind me - I'm always up for a good YA mystery-thriller, but I'd always love it more if it rounds up in a satisfactory fashion. 😞 Sadly, this did not do it for me, but, perhaps, down the line, if a book stands as a stand-alone, I might be tempted to pick up another one of her books in the future.
May 28, 2025
Interesting
This was a perfect ending to the series.
I liked that the writer gathered all the characters from the first and second books for this one.
I loved how their friendship evolved into something truly strong and beautiful. The character development was top-notch.
There was a lot of betrayal, and a lot of karma. Truth always emerges in the end, no matter how long it takes.
The storyline was interesting; I figured out the plot, but that didn't diminish its quality.
I think one of the key points of this book is that if a child makes a mistake, you need to punish them accordingly, right away. Otherwise, they'll think they can get away with anything. You might think covering up for them is protection, but it actually ruins them even more, and you'll be a big part of it. Eventually, someone else will have enough of a grudge to punish them instead of you.
The entire series was a fun read.
This was a perfect ending to the series.
I liked that the writer gathered all the characters from the first and second books for this one.
I loved how their friendship evolved into something truly strong and beautiful. The character development was top-notch.
There was a lot of betrayal, and a lot of karma. Truth always emerges in the end, no matter how long it takes.
The storyline was interesting; I figured out the plot, but that didn't diminish its quality.
I think one of the key points of this book is that if a child makes a mistake, you need to punish them accordingly, right away. Otherwise, they'll think they can get away with anything. You might think covering up for them is protection, but it actually ruins them even more, and you'll be a big part of it. Eventually, someone else will have enough of a grudge to punish them instead of you.
The entire series was a fun read.
July 28, 2024
･:*:･ﾟ⁀➷ 3.75/5 ★
This was such a fun read! 🤍 I didn't have super high expectations, but it was a very enjoyable ya murder mystery 🥰🫶
➷ “What is Bayview best known for? Revenge.”
Tropes:
🔎 Ya
🔎 Murder mystery
🔎 Multi pov
it's been absolutely ages since I read the first two books in this series, so I wasn't sure I would love this one. however, i had such a great time! I read this on a road trip and it was perfect for that 🫶
⤹ Tw: death of a friend, death of a parent recounted, attempted murder, kidnapping, stalking, gun violence (this isn't everything so pls check a more thorough list & stay safe!)
Let's get into my thoughts! 🎧
ೃ⁀➷ What i enjoyed:
honestly being back in this world was sm fun! i have such a vivid memory of reading the first two books in this series so seeing all these characters again felt so nostalgic 🥹🥹 plus i really enjoyed the plot in this book. the murder mystery was one of the best of karen m mcmanus' that i've read. it was really eerie and creepy, and that was really entertaining! 🤍
plus karen m mcmanus' writing is so bingeable and easy to read! i would definitely recommend her books if you want to get out of a reading slump 😙
➷ “I’m going to marry you, Bronwyn Rojas. Just so you know.” She puts her hands on either side of my face and pulls me close enough to kiss. But first, she says, “Oh, I know.”
ೃ⁀➷ What i didn't enjoy:
honestly the actual solution to the mystery was kinda meh.... 🫣 following the mystery throughout the story was fun, but the ending wasn't the craziest thing in the world. and while the i have a special place in my heart for the bayview four, the other characters from the second book are just kinda there? idk i didn't care about them that much.
➷ “It doesn’t matter how many times she smiles at me like that; I still forget how to breathe for at least a few seconds.”
ೃ⁀➷ In conclusion:
A very entertaining conclusion to this series 🫶 I would recommend this series if you want:
✔️ V simple & bingeable writing
✔️ Fun characters
✔️ Entertaining mysteries
I'm glad these characters have finally got their happy ending! 🤍✨️
《 2024 Challenge: Book 77 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ pre-review:
➷ wow this was a pleasant surprise! 🥹🥹 a really solid ending to the series imo 🥰🤍
rtc 🎧
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ preread:
➷ time to finally finish this series, 2 years after reading the first two 🫣 hopefully I remember enough, but I'm in the mood for a ya mystery! 🤍🤍
This was such a fun read! 🤍 I didn't have super high expectations, but it was a very enjoyable ya murder mystery 🥰🫶
➷ “What is Bayview best known for? Revenge.”
Tropes:
🔎 Ya
🔎 Murder mystery
🔎 Multi pov
it's been absolutely ages since I read the first two books in this series, so I wasn't sure I would love this one. however, i had such a great time! I read this on a road trip and it was perfect for that 🫶
⤹ Tw: death of a friend, death of a parent recounted, attempted murder, kidnapping, stalking, gun violence (this isn't everything so pls check a more thorough list & stay safe!)
Let's get into my thoughts! 🎧
ೃ⁀➷ What i enjoyed:
honestly being back in this world was sm fun! i have such a vivid memory of reading the first two books in this series so seeing all these characters again felt so nostalgic 🥹🥹 plus i really enjoyed the plot in this book. the murder mystery was one of the best of karen m mcmanus' that i've read. it was really eerie and creepy, and that was really entertaining! 🤍
plus karen m mcmanus' writing is so bingeable and easy to read! i would definitely recommend her books if you want to get out of a reading slump 😙
➷ “I’m going to marry you, Bronwyn Rojas. Just so you know.” She puts her hands on either side of my face and pulls me close enough to kiss. But first, she says, “Oh, I know.”
ೃ⁀➷ What i didn't enjoy:
honestly the actual solution to the mystery was kinda meh.... 🫣 following the mystery throughout the story was fun, but the ending wasn't the craziest thing in the world. and while the i have a special place in my heart for the bayview four, the other characters from the second book are just kinda there? idk i didn't care about them that much.
➷ “It doesn’t matter how many times she smiles at me like that; I still forget how to breathe for at least a few seconds.”
ೃ⁀➷ In conclusion:
A very entertaining conclusion to this series 🫶 I would recommend this series if you want:
✔️ V simple & bingeable writing
✔️ Fun characters
✔️ Entertaining mysteries
I'm glad these characters have finally got their happy ending! 🤍✨️
《 2024 Challenge: Book 77 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ pre-review:
➷ wow this was a pleasant surprise! 🥹🥹 a really solid ending to the series imo 🥰🤍
rtc 🎧
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ preread:
➷ time to finally finish this series, 2 years after reading the first two 🫣 hopefully I remember enough, but I'm in the mood for a ya mystery! 🤍🤍
June 18, 2024
“What is Bayview best known for? Revenge.”
One of Us is Back seriously wove the threads of the previous books in this satisfying way! 🙌 The characters from book one and two coming together? It's like getting that sweet dose of nostalgia while being shook by the intrigue!
The writing was hella engaging and KMM's talent in setting that eerie vibe with these well written characters was 🤯! Reading this book is like binge-watching a Netflix series you CAN'T stop 📺💥
Those flashback chapters from Jake and Simon? BRUH. Unsettling and had me on edge! 🕵️♂️💥 The final plot twist had me dead.
Low-key sad to say goodbye to the series, but this book? It's the PERFECT ending to the Bayview crew's journey! 😭✨
Thank you to penguin random house for the e-Arc>
One of Us is Back seriously wove the threads of the previous books in this satisfying way! 🙌 The characters from book one and two coming together? It's like getting that sweet dose of nostalgia while being shook by the intrigue!
The writing was hella engaging and KMM's talent in setting that eerie vibe with these well written characters was 🤯! Reading this book is like binge-watching a Netflix series you CAN'T stop 📺💥
Those flashback chapters from Jake and Simon? BRUH. Unsettling and had me on edge! 🕵️♂️💥 The final plot twist had me dead.
Low-key sad to say goodbye to the series, but this book? It's the PERFECT ending to the Bayview crew's journey! 😭✨
Thank you to penguin random house for the e-Arc>
July 6, 2023
5/5 stars
thank you so much berkley for this arc
so this book was my most anticipated read of the year so far and it absolutely did not disappoint! being back in bayview is truly a dream come true, i missed my bayview four plus some more and all the content we got of them was so sooo fun to read! the mystery in this book is truly top tier, the stakes are infinitely raised and with more lives at risk this time around you really never know what’s coming next! there’s so many emotions i had while reading this book, the sweet moments between our established couples, and budding relationships was something i couldn’t get enough of, i love my babies for real. the action in this book will really keep you on your toes and looking over your shoulder more than once. i loved this book and if your looking for a murder mystery book with a little bit of everything, i’d say to definitely pick this one up!
thank you so much berkley for this arc
so this book was my most anticipated read of the year so far and it absolutely did not disappoint! being back in bayview is truly a dream come true, i missed my bayview four plus some more and all the content we got of them was so sooo fun to read! the mystery in this book is truly top tier, the stakes are infinitely raised and with more lives at risk this time around you really never know what’s coming next! there’s so many emotions i had while reading this book, the sweet moments between our established couples, and budding relationships was something i couldn’t get enough of, i love my babies for real. the action in this book will really keep you on your toes and looking over your shoulder more than once. i loved this book and if your looking for a murder mystery book with a little bit of everything, i’d say to definitely pick this one up!
June 27, 2025
I’m on BookTube now! =)
”The Bayview Police are nothing if not consistent. No matter what kind of crisis they’re faced with, they’ll focus on the wrong problem one hundred percent of the time.”
I swear, truer words have never been spoken! I mean, wow, the way the Bayview Police is standing in its own way and sabotaging itself is definitely one of a kind. If I’d live in Bayview I wouldn’t trust them as well. *lol* No wonder those kids try to solve all the murder mysteries and missing people cases all by themselves, I’m convinced they are better off that way, though. XD But I’m getting ahead of myself here, so I guess it’s better to start at the beginning of this story! ;-)
”That’s what I’ve been waiting for – the reason I keep torturing myself by watching these. I don’t want to see it, but I need to acknowledge that it exists. That glint in Jake’s eye. The one he can’t hide for a full Q&A session, no matter how hard he tries. The one that reflects all the anger he’s pretending he no longer feels. The one that says, I’m not sorry.”
Okay, first things first: I think this might have been my favourite book of the entire series! I just loved the fact that we’re back with all the faces of the first two books and that the author chose to give us not only 3 different POVs of the former books, but also added Jake’s and Simon’s perspective into the mix. What makes it even more interesting is that Addy’s, Nate’s and Phoebe’s POVs play in the present while Jake’s and Simon’s narration takes place 6 years ago. This way of storytelling helped immensely to answer some of the questions that were still unanswered by the end of the second instalment and I personally found this very helpful. By the end of the book, Karen M. McManus managed to pull all the different strings of the story together and turned them into a lovely bow, which is no small feat! Especially with so many different characters that grew on the readers! It’s not easy to find a balance people can live with, but I think she did it, and I’m happy I could spend some more time with the Bayview Crew!
"It must drive you crazy, huh?" he asks in the kind of buddy-buddy tone the golf guys use when they try to make me talk sports. "That even though I spent a lot more time than you did behind bars - wrongly, I might add - you still have to serve me. And you always will." His eyes glint as he folds his arms on the counter. Jake to Nate
Of course, we also get to see more of the unpleasant people we didn’t want to see more of, namely Jake and Simon. Those two already caused enough harm in the previous books, but as it seems people are more prone to forgive and forget when it are young and privileged golden boys like Jake. The way he was allowed to roam freely around Bayview was sickening, and I felt sorry for Addy who had suffered so much already. Addy is strong, brave and has a heart of gold, though, so she didn’t allow him to make her feel small again and helped her friends as best as she could.
”I don’t mind being single – I’ve come to love it, in a lot of ways - but I want it to be by choice. Not because I'm too afraid for anything else."
And there were many things they had to deal with in this final book. It all started with a mysterious billboard and continued with people going missing. One of them even a member of their Bayview Crew. Is Jake involved in this? Does he want revenge or is it some copycat that tries to get his attention now that he’s back in town? I found the entire mystery really interesting and I got pretty close to solving it. Well, at least with the things I was allowed to see. The author has a way to let you figure out some of the things by yourself. That is, if you pay close attention to the plot, but there are always some details outside of the readers grasp that make it impossible to draw a 100% correct conclusion. You might say Karen M. McManus likes to keep her readers on their toes and you either enjoy this or you don’t. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Luckily I’m among the people who can live with this kind of narration style.
"The problem with Simon was, he never had any compassion about why people lie," Maeve says. "Most people aren't malicious; they're afraid. There's nothing scarier than letting people see the parts of yourself that you wish weren't there."
What I really loved about this story wasn’t the mystery, though! This time around I was so here for all the ships and the found family vibes! They were extremely strong in this book and no matter if it was Cooper who took care of an angry and frustrated Phoebe; Nate who would jump in front of his friends in order to save their lives or Luis and Kris who would defend their friends with providing their muscle mass whenever it was needed; the found family was always there. I adored them and their dynamics and it was nice to see that all of them stuck together and were there for each other even if it sometimes didn’t seem to be that way. =)
“I asked her what she meant, and she said, ‘Well, she hasn’t said anything specific. But I can tell.’ Nonny’s never wrong about stuff like that.” Cooper turns and holds the sledgehammer out to me. “You don’t have to say anything. But if it’d help to take a swing at something – go ahead.”
Thankfully, not only Addy’s storyline was picked up again, but also Phoebe’s, because that open ending in book two needed to be resolved. I thought about it ever since I finished the last page and I just couldn’t let it go. I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda relieved the author decided to work through the Emma/Phoebe/Owen situation because poor Phoebe and Knox didn’t deserve to suffer that much. Closure was needed! At least for me it was. As for Bronwyn and Nate, those two were too sweet and their love was as strong as in the first book, if not even stronger, which was so beautiful to see. Those two are so good for each other and Nate deserves nothing but happiness! Nate, Cooper and Addy are still my favourites. <3 Nothing changed there.
"It makes your future easier, but it doesn't make it possible. You did that by yourself."
"You helped," I murmur, pressing my forehead to hers.
"I love you so, so much," Bronwyn says. It's one of those perfect moments that I try to grab hold of even while it's happening, because I know I'm going to want to remember it. "Love you more."
Conclusion:
Overall, “One of Us Is Back” was another amazing murder mystery and I enjoyed it a lot! It was awesome to be back with the Bayview Crew and to see how they fared after the happenings of the first two books! To read this story felt kinda nostalgic and I loved how Karen M. McManus managed to convey not only the found family vibes that developed throughout the books, but also succeeded in giving her readers some dire needed closure! A great ending for an awesome series! Period! To say it with one of the author’s book titles: There’s “Nothing More to Tell”. ;-P
________________________________
This felt so nostalgic!
Being back with the entire cast of book one and two was such a fun and sweet experience!
I loved all the found family dynamics between the Bayview Crew and we finally got a proper ending to this great series!
Full RTC soon! I really, really enjoyed this! =))
_________________________________
Technically “One of Us Is Back” is on my April TBR, but I’m way too curious and tomorrow it will be April 1st so I decided to cut myself some slack here. *lol*
I mean, let’s be honest, I’ll finish it in April anyway. ;-)
This said: I can’t believe I’m going to be reunited with the entire cast of the first two books again!
I can’t wait to see how Nate and Bronwyn are doing and what Addy and all the others are up to!
I wonder whose POVs we’ll get to read!
I’m so pumped for this! XD
Find me on:
My Blog
Instagram
”The Bayview Police are nothing if not consistent. No matter what kind of crisis they’re faced with, they’ll focus on the wrong problem one hundred percent of the time.”
I swear, truer words have never been spoken! I mean, wow, the way the Bayview Police is standing in its own way and sabotaging itself is definitely one of a kind. If I’d live in Bayview I wouldn’t trust them as well. *lol* No wonder those kids try to solve all the murder mysteries and missing people cases all by themselves, I’m convinced they are better off that way, though. XD But I’m getting ahead of myself here, so I guess it’s better to start at the beginning of this story! ;-)
”That’s what I’ve been waiting for – the reason I keep torturing myself by watching these. I don’t want to see it, but I need to acknowledge that it exists. That glint in Jake’s eye. The one he can’t hide for a full Q&A session, no matter how hard he tries. The one that reflects all the anger he’s pretending he no longer feels. The one that says, I’m not sorry.”
Okay, first things first: I think this might have been my favourite book of the entire series! I just loved the fact that we’re back with all the faces of the first two books and that the author chose to give us not only 3 different POVs of the former books, but also added Jake’s and Simon’s perspective into the mix. What makes it even more interesting is that Addy’s, Nate’s and Phoebe’s POVs play in the present while Jake’s and Simon’s narration takes place 6 years ago. This way of storytelling helped immensely to answer some of the questions that were still unanswered by the end of the second instalment and I personally found this very helpful. By the end of the book, Karen M. McManus managed to pull all the different strings of the story together and turned them into a lovely bow, which is no small feat! Especially with so many different characters that grew on the readers! It’s not easy to find a balance people can live with, but I think she did it, and I’m happy I could spend some more time with the Bayview Crew!
"It must drive you crazy, huh?" he asks in the kind of buddy-buddy tone the golf guys use when they try to make me talk sports. "That even though I spent a lot more time than you did behind bars - wrongly, I might add - you still have to serve me. And you always will." His eyes glint as he folds his arms on the counter. Jake to Nate
Of course, we also get to see more of the unpleasant people we didn’t want to see more of, namely Jake and Simon. Those two already caused enough harm in the previous books, but as it seems people are more prone to forgive and forget when it are young and privileged golden boys like Jake. The way he was allowed to roam freely around Bayview was sickening, and I felt sorry for Addy who had suffered so much already. Addy is strong, brave and has a heart of gold, though, so she didn’t allow him to make her feel small again and helped her friends as best as she could.
”I don’t mind being single – I’ve come to love it, in a lot of ways - but I want it to be by choice. Not because I'm too afraid for anything else."
And there were many things they had to deal with in this final book. It all started with a mysterious billboard and continued with people going missing. One of them even a member of their Bayview Crew. Is Jake involved in this? Does he want revenge or is it some copycat that tries to get his attention now that he’s back in town? I found the entire mystery really interesting and I got pretty close to solving it. Well, at least with the things I was allowed to see. The author has a way to let you figure out some of the things by yourself. That is, if you pay close attention to the plot, but there are always some details outside of the readers grasp that make it impossible to draw a 100% correct conclusion. You might say Karen M. McManus likes to keep her readers on their toes and you either enjoy this or you don’t. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Luckily I’m among the people who can live with this kind of narration style.
"The problem with Simon was, he never had any compassion about why people lie," Maeve says. "Most people aren't malicious; they're afraid. There's nothing scarier than letting people see the parts of yourself that you wish weren't there."
What I really loved about this story wasn’t the mystery, though! This time around I was so here for all the ships and the found family vibes! They were extremely strong in this book and no matter if it was Cooper who took care of an angry and frustrated Phoebe; Nate who would jump in front of his friends in order to save their lives or Luis and Kris who would defend their friends with providing their muscle mass whenever it was needed; the found family was always there. I adored them and their dynamics and it was nice to see that all of them stuck together and were there for each other even if it sometimes didn’t seem to be that way. =)
“I asked her what she meant, and she said, ‘Well, she hasn’t said anything specific. But I can tell.’ Nonny’s never wrong about stuff like that.” Cooper turns and holds the sledgehammer out to me. “You don’t have to say anything. But if it’d help to take a swing at something – go ahead.”
Thankfully, not only Addy’s storyline was picked up again, but also Phoebe’s, because that open ending in book two needed to be resolved. I thought about it ever since I finished the last page and I just couldn’t let it go. I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda relieved the author decided to work through the Emma/Phoebe/Owen situation because poor Phoebe and Knox didn’t deserve to suffer that much. Closure was needed! At least for me it was. As for Bronwyn and Nate, those two were too sweet and their love was as strong as in the first book, if not even stronger, which was so beautiful to see. Those two are so good for each other and Nate deserves nothing but happiness! Nate, Cooper and Addy are still my favourites. <3 Nothing changed there.
"It makes your future easier, but it doesn't make it possible. You did that by yourself."
"You helped," I murmur, pressing my forehead to hers.
"I love you so, so much," Bronwyn says. It's one of those perfect moments that I try to grab hold of even while it's happening, because I know I'm going to want to remember it. "Love you more."
Conclusion:
Overall, “One of Us Is Back” was another amazing murder mystery and I enjoyed it a lot! It was awesome to be back with the Bayview Crew and to see how they fared after the happenings of the first two books! To read this story felt kinda nostalgic and I loved how Karen M. McManus managed to convey not only the found family vibes that developed throughout the books, but also succeeded in giving her readers some dire needed closure! A great ending for an awesome series! Period! To say it with one of the author’s book titles: There’s “Nothing More to Tell”. ;-P
________________________________
This felt so nostalgic!
Being back with the entire cast of book one and two was such a fun and sweet experience!
I loved all the found family dynamics between the Bayview Crew and we finally got a proper ending to this great series!
Full RTC soon! I really, really enjoyed this! =))
_________________________________
Technically “One of Us Is Back” is on my April TBR, but I’m way too curious and tomorrow it will be April 1st so I decided to cut myself some slack here. *lol*
I mean, let’s be honest, I’ll finish it in April anyway. ;-)
This said: I can’t believe I’m going to be reunited with the entire cast of the first two books again!
I can’t wait to see how Nate and Bronwyn are doing and what Addy and all the others are up to!
I wonder whose POVs we’ll get to read!
I’m so pumped for this! XD
Find me on:
My Blog
September 9, 2023
Honestly, I'm back and forth between a 3 and 3.5 on this one so I'm going to leave it as a 3 for the moment. I have some interesting thoughts about this one. CW: death, kidnapping, physical violence, murder
One of Us Is Back is the third and maybe the final book in the One of Us Is Lying series. Readers return to Bayview to meet with the characters that they meet in books 1 and 2. While there is a new mystery to deal with in the pages of this installment, McManus revisits the pasts of both Simon and Jake who play pretty pivotal roles in the first book. Like always, there are secrets that need to be revealed to finally give our cast of characters some peace.
What Worked: To be honest, the most interesting part of this book was Owen's character study. While I can't reveal much about him for the fear of spoiling book 2, I was really concerned for him as a character. Fortunately, McManus takes the time to explore how those events impacted him mentally and emotionally. Though part of it felt extremely surface level, I was relieved to see that Owen was given the space to work through his very complicated emotions. Additionally, McManus knows how to write a pretty messy narrative and the messy part of my spirit really enjoyed learning why Simon and Jake were so connected in the first place. I figured that the basis of their relationship was toxicity, but I didn't expect it to be as messy as was revealed in the pages of this book. I also felt validated in my feelings that Jake was trash from the get go. There was also some great development with Nate that I've been wanting to see since the first book. His relationship with Bronwyn is truly heartwarming.
What Didn't Work: Eh....I'm not sure that this book was really needed for the series as a whole. Granted, as I stated before, I was happy to see a more firm conclusion to Owen's narrative, but part of me feels like there were too many characters. McManus makes the ultimate decision to keep the perspectives limited to Nate, Phoebe, and Addy with a few past narratives narrated by Jake and Simon. However, most of the characters from the first and second book are in some shape or form involved with the mystery. It felt convoluted and it takes so long for anything to really happen. While I'm a fan of recaps, I think McManus took too much time trying to catch readers up since there was such a huge publication gap between this book and the second book. Because I reread the first and second book this year, I was well aware of everything that led up to the events of this book which led to the first portion of this book being a bore. Though it wasn't noticeable before because of their roles in different books, the authorial tone for Phoebe and Addy was very similar. There were a few times that I had to remind myself of the perspective that I was engaging with because it became so easy to confuse the two characters. There was also this sudden exploration of Addy's sexuality that didn't always feel genuine. It reminded of how McManus used Cooper's sexuality to drive the narrative in the first book. With less focus on the recap and more on the secrets that drove Jake and Simon to make the decisions they made in the past, I think this could have been a more successful story.
Overall, this was a solid read. I'm not sure that I would consider it a necessary read to get an understanding of the series. Part of it felt like a stretch because of the popularity that the series is currently experiencing; however, I understand why fans would want to dive back into the characters and town of Bayview. I'm not sure if I will be continuing if there are any more additions to the series, but I'll make that decision when we get to that point.
One of Us Is Back is the third and maybe the final book in the One of Us Is Lying series. Readers return to Bayview to meet with the characters that they meet in books 1 and 2. While there is a new mystery to deal with in the pages of this installment, McManus revisits the pasts of both Simon and Jake who play pretty pivotal roles in the first book. Like always, there are secrets that need to be revealed to finally give our cast of characters some peace.
What Worked: To be honest, the most interesting part of this book was Owen's character study. While I can't reveal much about him for the fear of spoiling book 2, I was really concerned for him as a character. Fortunately, McManus takes the time to explore how those events impacted him mentally and emotionally. Though part of it felt extremely surface level, I was relieved to see that Owen was given the space to work through his very complicated emotions. Additionally, McManus knows how to write a pretty messy narrative and the messy part of my spirit really enjoyed learning why Simon and Jake were so connected in the first place. I figured that the basis of their relationship was toxicity, but I didn't expect it to be as messy as was revealed in the pages of this book. I also felt validated in my feelings that Jake was trash from the get go. There was also some great development with Nate that I've been wanting to see since the first book. His relationship with Bronwyn is truly heartwarming.
What Didn't Work: Eh....I'm not sure that this book was really needed for the series as a whole. Granted, as I stated before, I was happy to see a more firm conclusion to Owen's narrative, but part of me feels like there were too many characters. McManus makes the ultimate decision to keep the perspectives limited to Nate, Phoebe, and Addy with a few past narratives narrated by Jake and Simon. However, most of the characters from the first and second book are in some shape or form involved with the mystery. It felt convoluted and it takes so long for anything to really happen. While I'm a fan of recaps, I think McManus took too much time trying to catch readers up since there was such a huge publication gap between this book and the second book. Because I reread the first and second book this year, I was well aware of everything that led up to the events of this book which led to the first portion of this book being a bore. Though it wasn't noticeable before because of their roles in different books, the authorial tone for Phoebe and Addy was very similar. There were a few times that I had to remind myself of the perspective that I was engaging with because it became so easy to confuse the two characters. There was also this sudden exploration of Addy's sexuality that didn't always feel genuine. It reminded of how McManus used Cooper's sexuality to drive the narrative in the first book. With less focus on the recap and more on the secrets that drove Jake and Simon to make the decisions they made in the past, I think this could have been a more successful story.
Overall, this was a solid read. I'm not sure that I would consider it a necessary read to get an understanding of the series. Part of it felt like a stretch because of the popularity that the series is currently experiencing; however, I understand why fans would want to dive back into the characters and town of Bayview. I'm not sure if I will be continuing if there are any more additions to the series, but I'll make that decision when we get to that point.
September 23, 2023
Loved this third instalment in the Bayview series!
All of our favourite characters are back, plus one character no one wanted to see return.
The murder club are once again thrown into a mystery when Phoebe is kidnapped and found in an equipment shed they worry who will be next.
Another fantastic mystery that wrapped up really well with non stop excitement along the way!
All of our favourite characters are back, plus one character no one wanted to see return.
The murder club are once again thrown into a mystery when Phoebe is kidnapped and found in an equipment shed they worry who will be next.
Another fantastic mystery that wrapped up really well with non stop excitement along the way!
Want to read
May 4, 20212023!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME
i have to wait that long?!
y'all i might need oxygen
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME
i have to wait that long?!
y'all i might need oxygen
August 2, 2025
✎ᝰ. 𝟤,𝟩𝟧/𝟧.
"𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺."
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘸𝘺𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘫𝘢𝘴. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.”
“𝘖𝘩, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.”
To be honest, this book wasn’t very memorable 😕 — not terrible, but definitely not good either. I felt quite bored in the beginning — nothing really happened, and the plot lacked the strength and tension that could keep me hooked 💤. Some things were predictable and not shocking at all. The real action didn’t start until the last 20% of the book.
I also felt like the POVs weren’t well chosen at times. I didn’t enjoy Phoebe’s perspective this time, and Knox was barely present throughout the story. There was no real development like I hoped for — not at the start, and not even by the end.
As for Phoebe and Knox, I had been waiting for their relationship to grow since the beginning — but sadly, it only picked up near the very end 💔. I wanted so much more from them.
As for Jake, I don’t think he deserved what happened to him, especially considering everything he did. What he got was actually merciful in comparison. Still, Addy’s reaction to him was very touching 💔. Her empathy and the fact that she didn’t wish him dead despite everything? She’s truly kind-hearted 🥺.
Nate and Bronwyn were the highlight of this book for me 💖. I love their relationship so much — they’ve come a long way and truly deserved their peace together.
Simon was the ultimate snake, honestly. He kicked everything off while he was alive, and even after dying, his evil little secrets kept coming for everyone 💀 Like seriously—how did he know that much? Was he secretly hiding in people’s closets or what? 😅
The ending was fair — they deserved peace after everything they went through 🕊️.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book that much. I mostly finished it just to complete the series.
The first book remains my favorite — definitely better than the second and way better than the third ❤️.
╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
Okay, book 3… please be the twisty chaos I’m hoping for 👀✨ Let’s see where this mess takes me.🖤🕵🏻♀️
"𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺."
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘸𝘺𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘫𝘢𝘴. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.”
“𝘖𝘩, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.”
To be honest, this book wasn’t very memorable 😕 — not terrible, but definitely not good either. I felt quite bored in the beginning — nothing really happened, and the plot lacked the strength and tension that could keep me hooked 💤. Some things were predictable and not shocking at all. The real action didn’t start until the last 20% of the book.
I also felt like the POVs weren’t well chosen at times. I didn’t enjoy Phoebe’s perspective this time, and Knox was barely present throughout the story. There was no real development like I hoped for — not at the start, and not even by the end.
As for Phoebe and Knox, I had been waiting for their relationship to grow since the beginning — but sadly, it only picked up near the very end 💔. I wanted so much more from them.
As for Jake, I don’t think he deserved what happened to him, especially considering everything he did. What he got was actually merciful in comparison. Still, Addy’s reaction to him was very touching 💔. Her empathy and the fact that she didn’t wish him dead despite everything? She’s truly kind-hearted 🥺.
Nate and Bronwyn were the highlight of this book for me 💖. I love their relationship so much — they’ve come a long way and truly deserved their peace together.
Simon was the ultimate snake, honestly. He kicked everything off while he was alive, and even after dying, his evil little secrets kept coming for everyone 💀 Like seriously—how did he know that much? Was he secretly hiding in people’s closets or what? 😅
The ending was fair — they deserved peace after everything they went through 🕊️.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book that much. I mostly finished it just to complete the series.
The first book remains my favorite — definitely better than the second and way better than the third ❤️.
╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
Okay, book 3… please be the twisty chaos I’m hoping for 👀✨ Let’s see where this mess takes me.🖤🕵🏻♀️
January 4, 2024
Two years ago, Simon Kelleher and his gossip app had Bayview High in its grip. So when he died of a mysterious allergic reaction during detention, it inevitably became the talk of the town.
One year ago, an anonymous individual held the school spellbound as they played the ultimate game of Truth or Dare. One by one, secrets were again exposed, leading up to one massive near miss of a disaster.
Now, with all of the newly renamed Bayview Crew back home for the summer, they all just hope to enjoy some downtime together. But, of course, life in their small town is never simple—and rarely uneventful.
So when a billboard is spotted in town that reads “Time for a new game, Bayview” all thoughts turn to the past. But everyone hopes that surely this is just a prank. In bad taste, sure, but it can’t be anything more beyond that.
Then one of the tight knit group goes missing. With nothing to go on and no rules to reference, everyone is afraid of what this might mean. Who is behind the disappearance? And what else are they planning?
Yet again, however, it falls to the Bayview Crew to solve the mystery. Bronwyn. Cooper. Addy. Nate. Maeve. Phoebe. Knox. Luis. Kris. Any one of them might just be next. And with someone both old and new back in their midst, things could certainly become deadly once again.
After all, there was one thing that Simon was right about all along. Secrets have a way of working their way to the surface. And Bayview still has plenty left to behold.
If there’s one thing I know going into any Karen M. McManus book, it’s that it’s going to be one kick ass ride. For the most part, One of Us Is Back didn’t spoil the streak, but there were some very real disappointments at the same time. Perhaps, however, it was merely because I had such high, high expectations that it just didn’t quite live up to first two in the series.
Let’s start with the pluses though, shall we? Starting more or less where One of Us Is Next left off, the character development was truly divine. After all, we got to watch these teens grow up, learning unbearably hard lessons along the way. Through a handful of POVs, the gaps from the first two books were filled in and one altogether deep, dark secret was laid bare. But it was those characters that truly had me from hello. Complex and mostly true-to-life, I connected with one and all.
The plot itself was somewhat of a deviation from the first two in the series, with a definite lack of ugly secrets threatening to be exposed. Don’t worry, there were plenty, but without an app or game of Truth or Dare, the inherent danger of someone’s worst actions being made public somewhat lessened the overriding foreboding. Once the climax showed up, however, the slow burn trickle turned into an explosion of a reveal.
What other bits and pieces were total home runs? Well, I can’t forget to mention the utterly top-notch twist that I absolutely did not see coming. Then there was the *chef’s kiss* redemption arc for villainess Vanessa and the warm and cuddly found family trope that is always a slam dunk for me. So whole this full-circle narrative did leave some pieces uncharacteristically up in the air, the finale did provide the perfect closing scene to be sure.
Now, unfortunately, for the not so great aspects. First and foremost, there were A LOT of characters to keep straight. But the real drag of the book was how contrived it all felt. I can’t really explain without providing at least one massive spoiler, but needless to say, it all felt decidedly too far-fetched by the end. Unlike the first two in the series which had their own twisted premises, most of this one was spent regurgitating the past. It almost felt like the events taking place were a subplot versus the star attraction itself.
All said and done, though, I still had a blast riding shotgun with the intrepid sleuths of Bayview High. With the series seemingly at an end, I will be sad to see such truly dynamic characters go, but I nevertheless look forward to more by McManus in the future. After all, she’s one brilliantly talented author who manages to craft YA thrillers that work just as well for adults as they do for teens. And while this book felt unquestionably more like crime fiction than any I’ve read by her before, it still provided a compulsively readable storyline that had me flying through the pages until the very last word. If there’s one thing I’m holding out hope for, it’s one more book in this series featuring none other than Owen himself! After all, he’s about ready to start high school… What would be better than another revenge filled Bayview year? Rating of 4 stars.
Trigger warning: getting roofied, kidnapping, threats of violence, restraining order, stalking, assault, mention of: alcoholism, infidelity, death by gunshot
One year ago, an anonymous individual held the school spellbound as they played the ultimate game of Truth or Dare. One by one, secrets were again exposed, leading up to one massive near miss of a disaster.
Now, with all of the newly renamed Bayview Crew back home for the summer, they all just hope to enjoy some downtime together. But, of course, life in their small town is never simple—and rarely uneventful.
So when a billboard is spotted in town that reads “Time for a new game, Bayview” all thoughts turn to the past. But everyone hopes that surely this is just a prank. In bad taste, sure, but it can’t be anything more beyond that.
Then one of the tight knit group goes missing. With nothing to go on and no rules to reference, everyone is afraid of what this might mean. Who is behind the disappearance? And what else are they planning?
Yet again, however, it falls to the Bayview Crew to solve the mystery. Bronwyn. Cooper. Addy. Nate. Maeve. Phoebe. Knox. Luis. Kris. Any one of them might just be next. And with someone both old and new back in their midst, things could certainly become deadly once again.
After all, there was one thing that Simon was right about all along. Secrets have a way of working their way to the surface. And Bayview still has plenty left to behold.
If there’s one thing I know going into any Karen M. McManus book, it’s that it’s going to be one kick ass ride. For the most part, One of Us Is Back didn’t spoil the streak, but there were some very real disappointments at the same time. Perhaps, however, it was merely because I had such high, high expectations that it just didn’t quite live up to first two in the series.
Let’s start with the pluses though, shall we? Starting more or less where One of Us Is Next left off, the character development was truly divine. After all, we got to watch these teens grow up, learning unbearably hard lessons along the way. Through a handful of POVs, the gaps from the first two books were filled in and one altogether deep, dark secret was laid bare. But it was those characters that truly had me from hello. Complex and mostly true-to-life, I connected with one and all.
The plot itself was somewhat of a deviation from the first two in the series, with a definite lack of ugly secrets threatening to be exposed. Don’t worry, there were plenty, but without an app or game of Truth or Dare, the inherent danger of someone’s worst actions being made public somewhat lessened the overriding foreboding. Once the climax showed up, however, the slow burn trickle turned into an explosion of a reveal.
What other bits and pieces were total home runs? Well, I can’t forget to mention the utterly top-notch twist that I absolutely did not see coming. Then there was the *chef’s kiss* redemption arc for villainess Vanessa and the warm and cuddly found family trope that is always a slam dunk for me. So whole this full-circle narrative did leave some pieces uncharacteristically up in the air, the finale did provide the perfect closing scene to be sure.
Now, unfortunately, for the not so great aspects. First and foremost, there were A LOT of characters to keep straight. But the real drag of the book was how contrived it all felt. I can’t really explain without providing at least one massive spoiler, but needless to say, it all felt decidedly too far-fetched by the end. Unlike the first two in the series which had their own twisted premises, most of this one was spent regurgitating the past. It almost felt like the events taking place were a subplot versus the star attraction itself.
All said and done, though, I still had a blast riding shotgun with the intrepid sleuths of Bayview High. With the series seemingly at an end, I will be sad to see such truly dynamic characters go, but I nevertheless look forward to more by McManus in the future. After all, she’s one brilliantly talented author who manages to craft YA thrillers that work just as well for adults as they do for teens. And while this book felt unquestionably more like crime fiction than any I’ve read by her before, it still provided a compulsively readable storyline that had me flying through the pages until the very last word. If there’s one thing I’m holding out hope for, it’s one more book in this series featuring none other than Owen himself! After all, he’s about ready to start high school… What would be better than another revenge filled Bayview year? Rating of 4 stars.
Trigger warning: getting roofied, kidnapping, threats of violence, restraining order, stalking, assault, mention of: alcoholism, infidelity, death by gunshot
September 7, 2023
such a great wrap-up to this trilogy!!
April 9, 2023
[May 3rd, 2021]: karen just announced the THIRD book in the One of Us is Lying series.. i cant believe this is real but GOD am i excited for this to come out in 2023... and its gonna have POVs from the squads of both previous books aaaaaaaaaaaa
Want to read
June 1, 2021HOLY SHIT THIS BOOK IS A THING???
*glares at the publication date 2023 because how am I supposed to wait that long*
*glares at the publication date 2023 because how am I supposed to wait that long*
July 18, 2024
Secrets are power, Simon thought as he pedaled away.
Oh my god. So.. I don't even know where to begin. I had some theories but then there was a twist that I never would've seen coming like at all. Also the redemption arc for Vanessa.. I actually liked which was not on my list. And Addy and Nate's friendship... omg! It was so sweet. I really loved the found family aspect of it all. And the flashback chapters of Jake and Simon's friendship and how it all fell apart was something I was really hoping we would get to see whether it be through a novella or like how they did it.
My only complaint was there were NONE, and I mean NONE, moments with Nate and Bronwyn or Maeve and Luis. And like the ending?! What happened with Phoebe and Knox?? I need to know. Like your seriously not going to tell us.
Other than that though the book was amazing, and I can't believe this series is actually over. I'm going to miss it.
Oh my god. So.. I don't even know where to begin. I had some theories but then there was a twist that I never would've seen coming like at all. Also the redemption arc for Vanessa.. I actually liked which was not on my list. And Addy and Nate's friendship... omg! It was so sweet. I really loved the found family aspect of it all. And the flashback chapters of Jake and Simon's friendship and how it all fell apart was something I was really hoping we would get to see whether it be through a novella or like how they did it.
My only complaint was there were NONE, and I mean NONE, moments with Nate and Bronwyn or Maeve and Luis. And like the ending?! What happened with Phoebe and Knox?? I need to know. Like your seriously not going to tell us.
Other than that though the book was amazing, and I can't believe this series is actually over. I'm going to miss it.
August 3, 2023
I had a lot of fun reading the first 2 books but I didn't feel this final one. I felt it was unnecessary, Karen M. McManus should stop at book 2 and write other stuff.
The first 25% of the book was lots of recapping and it took me some time to remember the characters. Not much was happening until the last few chapters and I was almost ready to throw in the towel.
Sometimes, authors need to know that they don't need to continue the series just because it's popular.
The first 25% of the book was lots of recapping and it took me some time to remember the characters. Not much was happening until the last few chapters and I was almost ready to throw in the towel.
Sometimes, authors need to know that they don't need to continue the series just because it's popular.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,325 reviews