One of Us Is Next, the sequel to BookTok sensation One of Us Is Lying, is a young adult mystery/thriller that will have you hooked from the start! Rather than following the original Bayview Four, we instead get a glimpse into the life of three new main characters with their own juicy secrets. In this twisty thriller, Bayview High is still in recovery after the whole fiasco involving Simon. Several copycat apps have been created in his wake, though none of them last long. Until now. When a Truth or Dare style app emerges from the depths of Bayview High, its first target is Phoebe. Maeve Rojas, the lovable younger sister of Bronwyn Rojas from the Bayview Four, comes next. By the time Knox is about to be chosen, the game has turned dark and dangerous and lives just might be on the line.
The Pros: One of my favorite things about Karen M. McManus as an author is her ability to build an immersive, diverse, and realistic cast of characters. This is especially prevalent in One of Us Is Next. All of the characters are interesting and fun to follow, not just the main characters. The cast is large, but not overwhelming, and you feel like you get to see a slice of a whole new world. By the end of the book, you have such a fondness for the characters that it’s hard to let go. I also really like that we got to revisit the lives of the original Bayview Four in this novel.
The Cons: McManus writes in a very straightforward and explanatory way which, to credit her, is usually the best way to write mystery/thriller books. However, if you are someone who likes lyrical and flowy writing such as I do, this book may be a little bland at times. The only other thing that I wasn’t too fond of in this book was the reveal at the end. Similar to One of Us Is Lying, McManus likes to let everything pile up until the end. Then, she lets everything come crashing down just like plunging down a hill on a roller coaster. For some people, this is the ideal style of book for them. For me, I find it’s a lot of information to take in all at once and, frankly, it leaves the final reveal to be less satisfying.
Overall, One of Us Is Next is a solid 4 star book and is definitely worth the read if you’re looking to fill the void after finishing One of Us Is Lying with another twisty and engaging thriller!