Skip to main content

One of Us is Lying

Image result for one of us is lying

PLOT SUMMARY

Bronwyn is Yale bound. Hardworking and dedicated, she never breaks the rules. Maybe not never, but almost never…I guess. She did what she had to do. She got it done. Chemistry was hard, what can she say? What was she supposed to do: fail? And put her Yale acceptance in jeopardy? No way.

Addy is beautiful. Tethered since freshman year to Jake, the football star and Addy make the picture perfect, popular high school couple. She would never do anything to tear that picture because that is who she is, her identity. No, she would never. Maybe not intentionally.

Nate is a criminal. He’s on parole, he’s sells drugs: he’s literally done it all. His mother left and came back, then left and came back again. His father is an alcoholic. Nate is mysterious, but he’s into Bronwyn…what?

Cooper is an athlete. A southern boy at heart, he’s popular too, but all he does is baseball. Driven by his helicopter father, Cooper is pushed to be the best. Keely, his girlfriend, is even more beautiful than Addy. She’s supportive of his baseball career and understanding, but Cooper is not happy with her. A big secret is about to come out…

Simon is a gossip. He programs and writes Bayview High’s trademark gossip app: About That. He’s hated, but informed: the kind of life a gossiper lives.

On Monday afternoon Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Cooper, and Simon walk into detention together, but only five of the high schoolers walk out. Simon Keheller does not make it out of the classroom: murdered. Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper all have the motive; they all have the chance. The truth is it’s not one of them that’s lying: it’s all of them. The real question is, who murdered Simon?

RATING AND REASONING

Karen M. McManus builds suspense and spins a complicated murder web complete with secrets and romance. The story is truly a page turner, as the ending is very unexpected. Reading this in one sitting is easy. Adding a murder to a spin off of The Breakfast Club only brings good things to One of Us is Lying.

*sensitive material* mild cussing, gay individual/relationship

Audience: 7th- 11th graders
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Date Published: 2017
ISBN: 9781524714680
Format: Hardback
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Mystery




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Author Spotlight: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley At my school, I am a Library Leader. (Library Leaders promote reading in the middle school and recommend books for the younger grades.) The Library Leaders had the fortunate opportunity of eating lunch and meeting with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. We got to ask her questions and just talk with her. Mrs. Bradley also spoke to the whole seventh and eighth grade in assembly about her research. 1)      When/How does she write? Mrs. Bradley writes in the morning, but this depends on her chores for the day. She got into her routine when her children, now graduating college and out of college, were small and went to school. She would always wait until her husband took them to drop them off at school. She likes for her writing space to be very quiet. She prefers typing when she when she writes as to writing. (This may be pretty common; I do not know what the common format among writers is today. I just thought I would include eve...

Long Way Down

A Long Way Down Written in verse, A Long Way Down by J ason Reynolds is a novel about making a moment’s decision. *DISCLAIMER: The story deals with grief, mild cussing, and gun violence. Plot Summary: Will doesn’t live in a so great part of town. This African-American teen’s brother, Shawn, is shot and killed by a member of gang member in a near-by part of town. Will decides to follow ‘The Rules’. (‘The Rules’ are passed on through generations of members of this community and they are: 1. DON’T CRY 2. NO SNITCHING 3. ALWAYS GET REVENGE.) Will decides to kill the gang member who killed Shawn. He HAS to follow ‘The Rules’. He gets on the elevator to go down to the Lobby and the elevator stops at every floor. People that have been shot in the past and were in his life get on the elevator at every floor. This thriller is written over one minute and nine seconds. Author Praise/Critique: Jason Reynolds is a very talented poet. The book is very visually pleasing because ...

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Reading and writing, reading and writing, reading and writing: that's what I hope to keep doing all summer (with some swimming and seeing friends mixed in there too!). Here's another review! This is Stuart Turton's The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle,  and it's a doozy.  SUMMARY THE RULES OF BLACKHEATH Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Understood? Then let's begin... Evelyn Hardcastle WILL die. And every day Aiden Bishop WILL try to identify her killer and break this neverending cycle he has somehow found himself in. But every time a new day begins, Aiden inhabits the body of a different guest at Blackheath. Some of Aiden's hosts will be more helpful than others. Some of Aiden's hosts are more capable than others. Some of Aiden's hosts start to overcome Aiden's true personality. Then again, who is Aiden? A...