Prompt: A book published in 2020

Well there are no shortage of contenders for this category, but in the end I couldn’t resist One of Is is Next by Karen M. McManus. This is the sequel to the best-selling YA thriller, One of Us is Lying, and would also be a good read for the book based around social media prompt.

What it’s about?

Set a year after the original book, Bayview High is still recovery from the death of Simon, the subsequent murder investigation and the secrets that were revealed.

Someone starts playing a game of Truth or Dare. Receive the text and decide whether you are going to choose between a public dare or a dark secret being revealed and face the consequences.

The secrets that are revealed are devastating and the dares get more dangerous until one ends in a death. Who is the copycat and what is the connection to the Bayview 4?

What I think:

I like multiple narrative books, especially when the character’s voices are as distinct and engaging as these.

The story focuses on Maeve, Phoebe and Knox. Both Maeve and Phoebe decide not to play the game and deal with whatever truth s revealed. For Phoebe this has a devastaing effect on her family and erlationship with her sister and Maeve faces losing her best friend.

There are strong connections to the first book with many of the original characters featuring in this story. Cooper is now openly gay and in love with Chris. Bronwyn is at university and still involved with Nate and Addy is working out what direction to head in. You don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy this one, but I think it would definitely be a good idea to understand the small town paranoia and the excitement created by the copy cat.

I won’t give any spoilers, but the reveals at the end of this are great. It keeps you guessing until the end and throws in a tense final twist.

I’ve read all three of Karen McManus’s YA thriller and they are all really enjoyable, great characterisation, tight plots and tense twists. I think One of Us is Lying may just have the edge on the sequel – simply for the originality, but I really did enjoy this.

I’m loving all my January reads so far in 2020 – long may it continue!

To find out which One of Us is Next head to:

Waterstones: click here

Amazon.co.uk: click here