The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. Knox and Phoebe are white, Maeve has Colombian ancestry, and Bayview is a diverse community. Plenty of secrets and surprises will keep readers captivated until the satisfying end. Shifting perspectives keep the pace steady while McManus ( Two Can Keep a Secret, 2019, etc.) deftly weaves in commentary on the justice system, bullying, and slut shaming. Maeve thinks she’s having a leukemia relapse, Phoebe slept with her sister’s boyfriend, and Knox interns at a legal aid firm whose staff members are receiving death threats. The Bayview Four make appearances, but the compelling heart of the story is the three main characters’ family drama and personal struggles. Was it an accident, or was it murder? High school juniors Maeve, Phoebe, and Knox find themselves caught up in the mystery of who’s behind the texts.

The game mostly causes an entertaining stir-until a student winds up dead. If you choose truth (or don’t respond), one of your secrets is revealed. Now an anonymous person is sending Truth or Dare messages to the students of Bayview High, and this time no one is safe. Last year in a San Diego suburb, a gossip app led to a death and inspired weak copycats. A dangerous texting game comes to Bayview High in this sequel to One of Us Is Lying (2017).

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus