One Of Us is Lying

Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: Young adult fiction, mystery fiction, contemporary fiction

“One Of Us is Lying” book cover

Synopsis: On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossips app.

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

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

My thoughts:
In ‘One of Us Is Lying,’ the four students who find themselves together in detention after Simon’s death are later dubbed as the ‘Bayview Four,’ and the investigation into his death captures the media’s attention. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, these characters band together to uncover the truth behind Simon’s death.

The narrative provides a unique perspective as it is told from the viewpoint of the Bayview Four, allowing readers to delve into the inner thoughts and struggles of each character. The identity of the killer remains elusive, surprising readers with an unexpected twist that keeps them guessing.

The story highlights the pressure young adults often face in conforming to societal expectations and the surprising friendships that can emerge under challenging circumstances. It delves into the relatable experiences of high school students, including academic pressures and personal secrets. The Bayview Four’s collaboration to hack into Simon’s online accounts and discover what truly happened exemplifies the strength of teamwork in the face of adversity.

The book boasts a creative plot that keeps readers engaged and invested. With each chapter, readers are prompted to guess the identity of the killer, only to find their predictions consistently upended, making for an exciting and unpredictable reading experience.

Having read the first book, I remember seeing months ago that the book has a show adaptation. So I watched the first season.

Adaptation of One Of Us is Lying

The show is highly inaccurate with the book. It feels like I’m watching a show that’s different than the book I just read. Here are a few things that somehow, ruined the show for me:

1. Maeve’s character in the show differs significantly from the book, with her portrayal as edgy and angry, and her hacking skills not being showcased as much. Additionally, the introduction of a romantic subplot with Janae felt forced.
2. Lessening Simon’s digital footprints and online accounts, which played a crucial role in the book, is noticeable in the show.
3. The creation of a love triangle between Maeve, Janae, and Simon in the series, which was not present in the book and felt unnecessary.
4. The removal of Addy’s sister from the adaptation, despite her important role in helping find the killer and contributing to Addy’s character development.
5. They cared too much that Nate lied that his mom is dead even though the four of them do not have that tight of a relationship . It doesn’t make any sense.
6. The shift in the mastermind from Simon to Jake, with Simon’s character being less developed in the TV series compared to the book. In the book, Simon has a great character with him being depressed and how he was in 4chan forums checking out topics on school shooting, etc. He only used Jake when Janae won’t agree with his plans.

So, if you liked the book, I‘d suggest not to watch the show to not ruin the plot of the show.