The novel centers on five high school students: Bronwyn, Nate, Cooper, Addy, and Simon, an outcast that runs a gossip app that exposes all of his classmates. During detention, Simon dies from an allergic reaction to peanuts, where it’s later revealed that his water bottle was laced with peanut oil. Bronwyn, Nate, Cooper, and Addy all become the prime suspects in his murder investigation. As the story unfolds, each character’s secrets and motives are exposed and how, despite their differences, they all have a connection to Simon. I loved the suspense and mystery in this book! Wanting to find out the truth about Simon’s death keeps you hooked, as well as slowly finding out the different secrets each of the students have. The complexity of the characters was also amazing, where there were moments I would and wouldn’t like a character. The only aspect that irked me were the basic stereotypes, such as having the good girl fall for the bad boy. However, the character development made up for this, especially with Addy’s character. I think anybody who loves realistic fiction and mystery would thoroughly enjoy One of Us Is Lying.
-Layla Shaikh
Cascades Library
LoCo Teen Book Review 