Young Adult Fiction: One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

Sequels can be a gamble, both for the writer and the reader. I have admitted before that I am usually hesitant to begin reading a new series, even by an author I love. Granted, I did not know that 2017's One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus was going to be the beginning of a series, though it makes sense. And today I will cover the highly anticipated sequel, One of Us Is Next.

The Situation: It was only the year before when Maeve Rojas had to watch her sister attempt to clear her own name for murder, along with three others that were wrongly accused. Bronwyn, Nate Macauley, Addy Prentiss, and Cooper Clay, all known as the Bayview Four, were caught in a nasty gossip scandal after the death of Simon Kelleher, the high school's king of gossip. Now Bayview High has instituted a zero-tolerance policy, but that does not stop someone from starting a new game of Truth or Dare. The rules are simple: if you receive a text, you must pick to either have a truth about yourself revealed, or take the dare, and you have 24 hours to decide. No response equals a forfeit, and a truth is revealed about you anyway. Phoebe Lawton is the first victim, learning the hard way that you always respond, and you always take the dare. Bayview once again becomes the toxic gossip mill it was before, and it soon becomes clear that this is more than just a game.

The Problem: Despite the generally held belief among the students that you always take the dare, Maeve opts to not respond at all, leading to another ugly truth that could sabotage her relationship with her best friend Knox. Those who take the dares receive high fives and accolades, while those who have a truth revealed are subjected to unending bullying and harassment. The Bayview of Simon's time is still alive and well, and the creator of the Truth or Dare game is pleased that what they have created would hold up to the master himself. But when the dares turn deadly, the game stops and everyone is on edge. A life has been lost, and Maeve, Phoebe, and Knox must pool every piece of information they have to find out who is behind it. Friendships are lost, new ones are formed, and Bayview High is once again in the spotlight as gossip central.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult book set in the fictional town of Bayview, located somewhere around San Diego. The book takes place a year or so after the events in One of Us Is Lying, with the original Bayview Four having moved on to college or working life. As Bronwyn's younger sister, Maeve played a vital roll in helping solve last year's puzzle, and now she finds herself in the middle of a new one. Her best friend Knox becomes involved not only because of her, but also because of his internship with one of the best, and most targeted, lawyers in the city. Phoebe works at the restaurant that Maeve and Knox spend a lot of time in, and when things get intense quickly, she finds herself bonding with the other two as they attempt to solve the mystery. Of course, central themes include the toxicity of gossip, the issue of bullying, and the general problems of high school. But there is also a small (but very present) discussion on revenge, resentment, and the importance of consequences.

My Verdict: As far as sequels go, this one holds up. The new characters continue the story in their own voice, and they have their own viewpoints about what is happening. Also, there was just enough mention of characters from the previous book to remind the reader of where and how this all started, but without leaning too much on the previous book's story. There is a point where it feels like there are too many loose ends, too many issues to address, and maybe even too much going on. But McManus manages to pull it all together, somehow also avoiding predictable twists and turns. Sure, there are some twists in there, but they are well done and not at all overdone. The surprises genuinely surprised me. And even when I thought I had it all figured out, there was still plenty left to be revealed.

Favorite Moment: When Phoebe fights off a guy who has a hard time with the whole "no means no" concept.

Favorite Character: Maeve is smart and funny, but also shy and scared. Her past battles with leukemia have left her hesitant to plan for the future. She has her flaws, but she values her family and friends above all else, even wanting to protect them from the trauma that can come with her battle with cancer.     

Recommended Reading: Two Can Keep a Secret was McManus' second book, and not part of the Bayview universe. It is also good, and is the same type of thriller/mystery that her readers have come to love.