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Reviewed by: Becky Hibbert, Elementary School Librarian Title: One of Us is Lying Author: Karen McManus Publisher: Delacorte Press
Year: 2021 Good for Grades: 7-Adult Genre/Type of Book: Murder mystery
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Mild language Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: I chose this book because I thoroughly enjoy a murder mystery novel and having worked closely with adolescents and understood the trials and tribulations of high school drama, relationships, and the influence of social media, I felt I would have great interest in the plot line of this story. If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: The Breakfast Club meets a high-school version of Christie's "And Then There Were None."
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Review:
When I first read the premise for this novel I was instantly intrigued; it seemed like a spin on the locked-room mystery. Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Cooper, and Simon are all stuck in after-school detention one day for an offense which all say they didn’t commit. When one of the students in this group is murdered, and everyone in the group has a motive to kill that student, the investigation into who committed the murder begins. The story gave me big-time vibes from the plot of the 1980s film "The Breakfast Club": a student from each social clique is represented in the collective group who are now stuck with one another, even when they really don’t want to.
Adolescents would really love this novel. There were a number of plot twists, keeping the reader engaged in trying to figure out who the culprit is. The various high school experiences of each respective character would allow any student to be able to relate. This novel also teaches the importance of using social media responsibly, and how anything put out in the Internet world is there for all to see with both positive and negative consequences. I would definitely recommend, especially for a student who may be struggling trying to find a good book.
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