Review: One of Us is Next by Karen McManus
Welcome back to Bayview High. It is a year after the action of One of Us is Lying and someone has started playing a game of truth or dare. But this is no ordinary truth or dare. This game is lethal. Choosing the truth may reveal your darkest secrets, accepting the dare could be dangerous, even deadly. The teenagers of Bayview must work together once again to find the culprit, before it's too late.
Yet again, McManus has created a brilliantly twisty mystery that left me scrambling for clues and examining every last detail.
The central four of this book felt so authentic, with their own messy lives and relationships. McManus explores family dynamics so well in this book, particularly sibling relationships. Maeve was my favourite though, with her storyline really hitting home. But don't fear, the Bayview Four do appear again here.
I really liked how the narrative wove in the Reddit posts in the revenge forum and the future news coverage, effectively weaving together different plot strands. This helped with the pacing, which was a slower build-up of tension and impending doom as the game grows to a exciting mid-point. From that point onwards, the plot moves at a rapid pace, but still allows room for the characters and plot to breathe slightly. McManus includes tiny details and moments without really compromising the speed of the whirlwind that ensues.
This review is by volunteer YA reviewer Emily Mitchell.