SATA
ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Such Charming Liars
WORK NOTES: Writer can use existing CAO sketch, but SL must be reworked
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.karenmcmanus.com/
CITY: Cambridge
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: LRC 2022
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1969, in MA; married; husband&apso;s name James (deceased). Children: one son.
EDUCATION:College of the Holy Cross, B.A. (English); Northeastern University, M.A. (journalism).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Marketing and communications professional.
MEMBER:Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
WRITINGS
One of Us Is Lying was adapted for streaming video and became available on Peacock TV in 2022.
SIDELIGHTS
(open new)Karen M. McManus primarily writes young adult contemporary mysteries and has published numerous novels, including One of Us Is Lying, You’ll Be the Death of Me, and Nothing More to Tell. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She holds degrees in English and journalism from the College of the Holy Cross and Northeastern University. McManus lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she writes and loves to travel. Previously, she worked in marketing and communications.(close new—more below)
McManus published her debut novel, One of Us Is Lying, in 2017. The work, which has been described as Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club, is a murder mystery set in a high school detention room. Five students of Bayview High near San Diego are spending detention together: popular girl and homecoming queen Addy, drug dealer Nate who is on probation, baseball star pitcher Cooper, brainy girl Bronwyn who never breaks the rules, and outcast Simon, who runs a gossip app. Before detention, Simon had indicated he had career-ending secrets on all of the other four students. Then during detention he ends up dead from a suspiciously timed allergic reaction to peanuts that authorities are calling murder. The remaining four students all say they do not know what happened to Simon, but one of them must be lying. Since Simon's widely publicized gossip has always been true, the four must do everything they can to prevent the dirt Simon had on them from getting out. If none of the four students killed Simon, then who did? They must work together to find the real killer without letting their secrets be revealed.
McManus acknowledged the book's connection to The Breakfast Club, saying that the movie inspired her to write the same story but as a young adult murder mystery. Speaking to Megan Lacroix in an interview on Lacroix’s blog, McManus explained that she blended “a lot of narrative elements I love: ensemble casts, unreliable narrators, unlikely friendships, and a closed-door mystery.” She added that she wanted to write an enticing mystery. “My goal with this book was to make it hard for readers to say, ‘I’m just going to read one more chapter.'”
Observing that the characters start out as high school stereotypes, Heather Christensen in the Voice of Youth Advocates concluded: “As the story progresses, however, each character becomes more complex and nuanced, adding richness and depth to the suspense.” The book is told from the four points of view of the students. Kimberly Giarratano noted in BookPage that the thriller with many twists and turns not only succeeds as a murder mystery, but also “it’s an insightful look at high school life” in a “fast-paced story” that sucks readers in. In Booklist, Maggie Reagan commented: “This is a fast-paced thriller with twists that might surprise even the most hardened mystery reader.”
While the cast, language, and plot border on cliché the story nevertheless “will leave readers racing to the finish as they try to unravel the mystery on their own,” according to a writer in Kirkus Reviews. On the other hand, online at Entertainment Weekly, Nivea Serrao said: “McManus knows how to plot out a mystery, but the real charm of the novel lies in the journey each of the characters goes on as the writer deftly avoids stereotypes.” On the Bookbag website, Stephen Leach admitted the book is like The Breakfast Club but added: “This YA mystery is more like a teenage Agatha Christie: it’s twisty, complex, and at several points I began to wonder if the final reveal would be that everyone was the murderer.” Leach added that McManus plays around with the high school archetypes so they do not become predictable. “This makes the mystery feel organic and credible,” he said.
The sequel, One of Us Is Next, involves a new cast of characters who face an equally dire set of circumstances. Although Addy is still in town, working as a waitress, the others have scattered. Bronwyn’s sister Maeve, however, is a frequent customer, as well as her friend Knox. When a Reddit thread begins making threats against them, the young people have to band together to solve the mystery. “Full of exciting and unexpected twists and racing toward a shocking conclusion,” declared a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “McManus’s tale will not disappoint fans.”
The author continues the “Bayview High” series with One of Us Is Back. McManus explained in an interview appearing in Mystery and Suspense that the last volume is set during “the summer after the events in One of Us Is Next, so a couple of months have passed since that story concluded. The point of view characters are a mix of main characters from One of Us Is Lying and One of Us Is Next, and there are also flashback scenes featuring two characters we haven’t heard from directly before.” (open new)The book finds Addy worried about running into her violent ex-boyfriend, Jake, who has just been freed from jail. Also, a threatening message on a billboard alerts the four girls that they may be in for more trouble. Meanwhile, each girl deals with changes in their romantic or family relationships. Katie Patterson, contributor to School Library Journal, described the book as “riveting” and asserted: “The growing sense of impending doom followed by the headlong crash into the conclusion … leaves readers feeling satisfied.” A Kirkus Reviews critic called the volume “a satisfying and hopeful closer in a masterful trilogy.”
McManus has written several other YA mystery novels outside the three volumes of the “Bayview High” series. In the standalone volume, Two Can Keep a Secret, twins Ezra and Ellery have just moved to Vermont from California. Ellery is a true crime fan and is fascinated by her new home’s history of multiple disappearances, including that of her own aunt. Additionally, there was the recent murder of a teenager named Lacey at a Halloween theme park called Murderland. Though he had never been charged, Lacey’s boyfriend Malcolm has been suspected of killing her. Ellery is quickly embraced by the popular crowd at her new high school and comes in contact with Malcolm. She becomes a target when she is nominated for homecoming queen, and she determines to save herself by solving the town’s mysteries. A Kirkus Reviews writer described the book as “masterfully paced with well-earned thrills and spooky atmosphere worth sinking into.”(close new—more below)
The Cousins is a standalone novel featuring three members of the Story family who are summoned back to their grandmother’s home for unknown reasons, only to find that some unknown person wants them gone. “Perspectives shift, providing insights into the three cousins’ distinct stories and personal motives,” stated a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “while maintaining a steady pace that leaves readers flipping pages.” “McManus,” concluded a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “weaves past and present to take readers on a well-paced, twisty ride that will hold readers rapt.”
(open new)You’ll Be the Death of Me is narrated by Ivy, Cal, and Mateo, three teens who had once been best friends. Their friendship unravels as a result of a horrible discovery they make while skipping school together one day. At the art studio of Cal’s crush, they find the body of Brian “Boney” Mahoney. Boney had recently beaten Ivy for a student government position, and her frustration with him makes her a suspect in his murder. Ivy enlists her best friends to help her find the real murderer, but as they investigate the crime, instances in which the friends have betrayed one another are revealed, curdling their friendship. Rebekah Buchanan, contributor to School Library Journal, described the book as “a suspenseful day of murder and mayhem that will keep them guessing until the end.” “McManus cleverly crafts a realistic crime story with plausible plot twists,” asserted a Publishers Weekly reviewer.
In Nothing More to Tell, Brynn has endured the dual embarrassments of being fired from her job at the school newspaper and being put on the waitlist for her preferred college. However, her spirits are buoyed when she is chosen to intern for a true crime television show. In her application for the position, she tells the story of her personal experience with crime. When she was in eighth grade, she and her friends found the body of their private school’s English teacher. Brynn and her family moved away after the incident, but now they have returned to the Massachusetts town where the murder occurred. Back at her former school, Brynn determines to uncover the identity of the killer. A critic in Kirkus Reviews described the volume as “an edge-of-your-seat page-turner; the strongest yet from a master of the genre.” A Publishers Weekly contributor called it “a serpentine read rife with convincing red herrings and ground-shifting reveals.” “McManus’s latest is a win for mystery and suspense fans and has a little something for everyone,” remarked Buchanan in School Library Journal.
In an interview with a contributor to the Fangirlish website, McManus explained that the initial inspiration for her 2024 book, Such Charming Liars, was the Lindsey Lohan remake of The Parent Trap. However, the plot morphed substantially as she composed the narrative. She explained: “In the end, it’s almost nothing like The Parent Trap. There are con artists. There is a relationship between the two main characters. They were step-siblings very briefly for 24 hours when their parents did a quickie marriage and divorce in Las Vegas. And then they haven’t seen each other, that little kernel remains there, but other than that, it’s nothing like that. But that’s where the idea came from.” The former step-siblings in the book are Kat and Liam, who are reunited when they and their parents attend the eightieth birthday party of a wealthy man Kat’s mom is targeting. Liam’s dad is planning to con the man’s daughter. When a murder occurs, Kat and Liam flee together and dodge the killer. “McManus fans will devour this, and she will certainly earn some new fans as well,” asserted Donna Scanlon in Booklist. A Kirkus Reviews writer described the book as “an unputdownable, deliciously twisty mystery.” Discussing the narrators, a critic in Publishers Weekly suggested: “Their candid first-person-present accounts confer tension and texture.”(close new)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 2017, Maggie Reagan, review of One of Us Is Lying, p.36; November 1, 2018, Maggie Reagan, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 51; November 15, 2019, Maggie Reagan, review of One of Us Is Next, p. 54; November 1, 2020, Maggie Reagan, review of The Cousins, p. 54; May 1, 2024, Donna Scanlon, review of Such Charming Liars, p. 62.
BookPage, June 2017, Kimberly Giarratano, review of One of Us Is Lying, p. 28; January, 2019, Justin Barisich, “Karen M. McManus: The Cutest Towns Always Have the Darkest Secrets.”
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2017, review of One of Us Is Lying; October 15, 2018, review of Two Can Keep a Secret; August 15, 2020, review of The Cousins; September 15, 2021, review of The Cousins; September 15, 2021, review of You’ll Be the Death of Me; June 1, 2022, review of Nothing More to Tell; May 15, 2023, review of One of Us Is Back; May 1, 2024, review of Such Charming Liars.
Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2019, review of One of Us Is Next, p. 79; November 27, 2019, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 76; October 26, 2020, review of The Cousins, p. 81; December 2, 2020, review of One of Us Is Next, p. 66; October 4, 2021, review of You’ll Be the Death of Me, p. 158; October 24, 2022, “Q&A with Karen McManus,” p. 16a; November 23, 2022, review of Nothing More to Tell, p. 102; April 1, 2024, review of Such Charming Liars, p. 62.
School Librarian, summer, 2019, Rosemary Woodman, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 120.
School Library Journal, December, 2018, Maggie Mason Smith, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 83; December, 2021, Rebekah Buchanan, review of You’ll Be the Death of Me, p. 96; Rebekah J. Buchanan, review of Nothing More to Tell, p. 116; September, 2023, Katie Patterson, review of One of Us Is Back, p. 116.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2017, Heather Christensen, review of One of Us Is Lying, p. 63.
ONLINE
Book Club Babble, https://www.bookclubbabble.com/ (October 22, 2024), Tabitha Lord, author interview.
Fangirlish, https://fangirlish.com/ (August 13, 2024), author interview.
Neirad, https://neirad.org/ (January 13, 2022), Charlotte Ward, article about author.
Penguin Australia website, https://www.penguin.com.au/ (July 27, 2023), article about author.
Underlined, https://www.getunderlined.com/ (October 22, 2024), author interview.
Zoella, https://www.zoella.co.uk/ (March 17, 2020), author interview.
About this Person
Born: 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality: American
Occupation: Novelist
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born in MA; married; husband's name James (deceased). Children: one son. Education: College of the Holy Cross, B.A. (English); Northeastern University, M.A. (journalism). Memberships: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Addresses: Home: Cambridge, MA.
CAREER
Writer. Marketing and communications professional.
WORKS
WRITINGS:
NOVELS
Two Can Keep a Secret, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2019.
The Cousins, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2020.
You'll Be the Death of Me, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2021.
Nothing More to Tell, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2022.
“BAYVIEW HIGH” SERIES; YA MYSTERY NOVELS
One of Us Is Lying, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2017.
One of Us Is Next, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2020.
One of Us Is Back, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 2023.
MEDIA ADAPTATIONS
One of Us Is Lying was adapted for streaming video and became available on Peacock TV in 2022.
SIDELIGHTS
Marketing and communications professional Karen M. McManus writes young adult contemporary and fantasy fiction, and has published numerous novels, includingOne of Us Is Lying, You'll Be the Death of Me, and Nothing More to Tell. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She holds degrees in English and journalism from the College of the Holy Cross and Northeastern University. McManus lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she writes and loves to travel.
McManus published her debut novel, One of Us Is Lying, in 2017. The work, which has been described as Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club, is a murder mystery set in a high school detention room. Five students of Bayview High near San Diego are spending detention together: popular girl and homecoming queen Addy, drug dealer Nate who is on probation, baseball star pitcher Cooper, brainy girl Bronwyn who never breaks the rules, and outcast Simon, who runs a gossip app. Before detention, Simon had indicated he had career-ending secrets on all of the other four students. Then during detention he ends up dead from a suspiciously timed allergic reaction to peanuts that authorities are calling murder. The remaining four students all say they do not know what happened to Simon, but one of them must be lying. Since Simon's widely publicized gossip has always been true, the four must do everything they can to prevent the dirt Simon had on them from getting out. If none of the four students killed Simon, then who did? They must work together to find the real killer without letting their secrets be revealed.
McManus acknowledged the book's connection to The Breakfast Club, saying that the movie inspired her to write the same story but as a young adult murder mystery. Speaking to Megan Lacroix in an interview on Lacroix's blog, McManus explained that she blended “a lot of narrative elements I love: ensemble casts, unreliable narrators, unlikely friendships, and a closed-door mystery.” She added that she wanted to write an enticing mystery. “My goal with this book was to make it hard for readers to say, ‘I'm just going to read one more chapter.'”
Observing that the characters start out as high school stereotypes, Heather Christensen in the Voice of Youth Advocates concluded: “As the story progresses, however, each character becomes more complex and nuanced, adding richness and depth to the suspense.” The book is told from the four points of view of the students. Kimberly Giarratano noted in BookPage that the thriller with many twists and turns not only succeeds as a murder mystery, but also “it's an insightful look at high school life” in a “fast-paced story” that sucks readers in. In Booklist, Maggie Reagan commented: “This is a fast-paced thriller with twists that might surprise even the most hardened mystery reader.”
While the cast, language, and plot border on cliché, the story nevertheless “will leave readers racing to the finish as they try to unravel the mystery on their own,” according to a writer in Kirkus Reviews. On the other hand, online at Entertainment Weekly, Nivea Serrao said: “McManus knows how to plot out a mystery, but the real charm of the novel lies in the journey each of the characters goes on as the writer deftly avoids stereotypes.” On the Bookbag website, Stephen Leach admitted the book is like The Breakfast Club but added: “This YA mystery is more like a teenage Agatha Christie: it's twisty, complex, and at several points I began to wonder if the final reveal would be that everyone was the murderer.” Leach added that McManus plays around with the high school archetypes so they do not become predictable. “This makes the mystery feel organic and credible,” he said.
The sequel, One of Us Is Next, involves a new cast of characters who face an equally dire set of circumstances. Although Addy is still in town, working as a waitress, the others have scattered. Bronwyn's sister Maeve, however, is a frequent customer, as well as her friend Knox. When a Reddit thread begins making threats against them, the young people have to band together to solve the mystery. “Full of exciting and unexpected twists and racing toward a shocking conclusion,” declared a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “McManus's tale will not disappoint fans.”
The author concludes the “Bayview High” series with One of Us Is Back. McManus explained in an interview appearing in Mystery and Suspense that the last volume is set during “the summer after the events in One of Us Is Next, so a couple of months have passed since that story concluded. The point of view characters are a mix of main characters from One of Us Is Lying and One of Us Is Next, and there are also flashback scenes featuring two characters we haven't heard from directly before.”
McManus has written several other YA mystery novels outside the three volumes of the “Bayview High” series. The Cousins is a stand-alone novel featuring three members of the Story family who are summoned back to their grandmother's home for unknown reasons, only to find that some unknown person wants them gone. “Perspectives shift, providing insights into the three cousins' distinct stories and personal motives,” stated a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “while maintaining a steady pace that leaves readers flipping pages.” “McManus,” concluded a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “weaves past and present to take readers on a well-paced, twisty ride that will hold readers rapt.”
FURTHER READINGS
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 2017, Maggie Reagan, review of One of Us Is Lying, p.36; November 1, 2018, Maggie Reagan, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 51; November 1, 2020, Maggie Reagan, review of The Cousins, p. 54.
BookPage, June 2017, Kimberly Giarratano, review of One of Us Is Lying, p. 28; January, 2019, Justin Barisich, “Karen M. McManus: The Cutest Towns Always Have the Darkest Secrets.”
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2017, review of One of Us Is Lying; October 15, 2018, review of Two Can Keep a Secret; August 15, 2020, review of The Cousins; September 15, 2021, review of The Cousins; September 15, 2021, review of You'll Be the Death of Me; June 1, 2022, review of Nothing More to Tell.
Publishers Weekly, October 21, 2019, review of One of Us Is Next, p. 79; November 27, 2019, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 76; October 26, 2020, review of The Cousins, p. 81; December 2, 2020, review of One of Us Is Next, p. 66; October 4, 2021, review of You'll Be the Death of Me, p. 158.
School Librarian, summer, 2019, Rosemary Woodman, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 120.
School Library Journal, December, 2018, Maggie Mason Smith, review of Two Can Keep a Secret, p. 83; December, 2021, Rebekah Buchanan, review of You'll Be the Death of Me, p. 96.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2017, Heather Christensen, review of One of Us Is Lying, p. 63.
ONLINE
Bookbag, http:// www.thebookbag.co.uk/ (September 1, 2017), Stephen Leach, review of One of Us Is Lying.
Boston Globe, https:// www.bostonglobe.com/ (August 8, 2017), Meredith Goldstein, author interview.
Entertainment Weekly, http://ew.com/ (May 30, 2017), Nivea Serrao, review of One of Us Is Lying.
Karen M. McManus website, https:// www.karenmcmanus.com (June 21, 2022).
Mystery and Suspense, https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/ (November 13, 2021), “Q&A; Karen M. McManus.”
Shondaland, https:// www.shondaland.com/ (December 8, 2020), Scott Neumyer, “Karen M. McManus Talks ‘The Cousins’ and Secret Keeping in the Age of Social Media.”*
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2024 Gale, a Cengage Company
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Karen M. McManus." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000324385/BIC?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=69f3a082. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
Karen M. McManus is a #1 New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult thrillers. Her work includes the One of Us Is Lying series, which was turned into a television show on Peacock and Netflix, as well as the standalone novels Two Can Keep a Secret, The Cousins, You’ll Be the Death of Me, and Nothing More to Tell. Karen’s critically acclaimed, award-winning books have been translated into forty-two languages.
You can find Karen at @writerkmc on Instagram.
CONTACT/FAQs
I have a school project due on your book, can I ask you some questions?
I'm so happy you are reading my book for school, but I'm not able to take part in school projects. Look below for some of the most commonly asked questions about my work. You can also visit my News page for interviews with me and articles about my work.
If you need to send me a letter for a school assignment, you can send to:
Karen M. McManus
c/o Delacorte Press
1745 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
How can I contact you for business inquiries?
Please reach out to the following:
Book rights: Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio
Film rights: Jason Dravis at The Dravis Agency
Publicity: Kathleen Dunn at kdunn(at)penguinrandomhouse.com
I am not currently scheduling any school or library visits, and I am closed to blurbs.
What books have you written?
The One of Us Is Lying Series:
One of Us Is Lying (2017)
One of Us Is Next (2020)
One of Us Is Back (2023)
One of Us Is Lying and One of Us Is Next are available as a boxed set.
Standalone Novels:
Two Can Keep a Secret (2019)
The Cousins (2020)
You'll Be the Death of Me (2021)
Nothing More to Tell (2022)
Such Charming Liars (2024)
What order should your books be read in?
One of Us Is Lying, One of Us Is Next, and One of Us Is Back are a series and should be read in that order. All my other books are standalones that can be read whenever. For more detail, see my Instagram post on this topic.
Are you planning to write a sequel to any of your standalone novels?
I never say never, but have no current plans to do so.
Where can I find signed copies of your books?
Signed copies of Such Charming Liars can be preordered at Barnes & Noble.
One of Us Is Lying: Porter Square Books (Note: you can contact them at info(at)portersquarebooks.com to request signed copies of my other books).
You could also check with your local independent bookstore; indie stores often have signed copies of my newer books.
I'd like to review your book, can you send me a copy?
I don't have review copies to distribute, sorry! For unreleased titles, North American reviewers can check Edelweiss or NetGalley, or contact my publisher at rhkidspublicity(at)randomhouse.com. If you are an international reviewer, please see the list of international publishers.
Once a book can be found in stores and libraries, review copies are generally not available.
Can you blurb my book?
I'm honored to be asked, but am currently closed to blurbs.
Do you have any recommendations for books similar to yours?
Yes! There are so many fantastic young adult thrillers to read. These articles from Epic Reads, B&N Teen Blog, and BookRiot give recommendations for books that fans of One of Us Is Lying will enjoy. Authors who I regularly recommend include Kara Thomas, Tiffany D. Jackson, E. Lockhart, Maureen Johnson, Caleb Roehrig, Mindy McGinness, Courtney Summers, Kit Frick, Lamar Giles, Holly Jackson, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas can come from all kinds of places. I got the idea for One of Us Is Lying while I was driving to work and heard the theme from "The Breakfast Club" movie (I talk more about that here if you're interested). I've also gotten ideas while watching crime shows, reading profiles of prominent families, and from conversations with interesting people.
How did you become an author?
I started writing stories in second grade, but stopped in high school when it became difficult to finish books. I went to college and did many other things until I read The Hunger Games in 2014 and was inspired to start writing again. I wrote two books before One of Us Is Lying that helped me learn my craft. One of Us Is Lying was the book that got me an agent and, ultimately, a book deal.
What advice do you have for people who want to be authors?
My number one piece of advice is to connect with other writers at the same stage of the publication journey as you are, and exchange work with them. Getting and giving constructive feedback is essential to development!
I give additional writing tips (about thrillers, multi POV, and general advice) here. In addition, this article from Entertainment Weekly outlines my must-haves for a captivating thriller.
Why do you write mystery/suspense books?
Books featuring mystery and suspense have always been my favorites as a reader, from Agatha Christie when I was a kid to Gillian Flynn as an adult. I'm naturally drawn to dark topics and how people react when they're thrust into a situation that scares or confuses them, but I like to balance that with hope and humor.
Do you have playlists for your books?
I listen to music while drafting, and have put a couple of my playlists on Spotify. You can find one for One of Us Is Lying here, and for Two Can Keep a Secret here. Both are samplings of the songs I listened to on repeat while writing.
Karen M. McManus earned her BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross and her MA in journalism from Northeastern University. When she is'nt working or writing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, McManus loves to travel with her son.
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery
New and upcoming books
July 2024
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Such Charming Liars
(Bayview High, book 4)
Series
Bayview High
1. One of us is Lying (2017)
2. One of us is Next (2020)
3. One of us is Back (2023)
4. Such Charming Liars (2024)
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Novels
Two Can Keep a Secret (2019)
The Cousins (2020)
You'll Be the Death of Me (2021)
Nothing More to Tell (2022)
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Collections
Marple (2022) (with others)
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Omnibus editions hide
Karen M. McManus Boxset (2021)
Two Can Keep a Secret / Nothing More to Tell / The Cousins / You'll Be the Death of Me (2024)
One of Us Is Lying – An Interview With Karen McManus
Tabitha Lord Interviews
In her fiction debut, Karen McManus delivers a compelling modern day Breakfast Club with a dark twist. Five students head to detention, but only four walk out alive. Told from multiple perspectives, One of Us Is Lying is both a page-turning mystery and an absorbing coming-of-age story for our time. With their lives on display and their secrets threatened to be revealed through a social media app created by their now-deceased classmate, each student in the room has a motive for murder. But things are not always what they seem. With humor, sensitivity, and a good bit of suspense, the novel races toward its thoroughly satisfying conclusion. I am so pleased to welcome author, and fellow Holy Cross alumna, Karen McManus to BCB today!
Tabitha Lord: This feels like a story that needed to be well outlined from the start. The resolution is especially satisfying and believable. When you sat down to write, how much was already pre-planned, and when did the characters surprise you and take the story somewhere you hadn’t anticipated?
Karen McManus: I had the broad outlines sketched out, but there was still plenty of improvisation along the way. One character’s motivation for wrongdoing changed completely when I jettisoned a subplot that wasn’t working. There were relationships that I planned, and others that sprang up organically because the characters turned out to have chemistry and it was fun to put them together.
TL: Teens today have very little expectation of privacy, and with social media, they feel quite comfortable sharing aspects of their personal lives that just a generation ago would seem shocking. Yet Simon’s app goes over the top, and I think it’s partly because it’s designed to be hurtful. Are you hoping to promote a healthy conversation around social media as a result of this story?
KM: I find social media fascinating. Not only because, as you note, it makes privacy seem almost quaint, but because it provides a mechanism for curating your life—showing the parts that you want people to see, while hiding the aspects that are less camera-friendly. But that only works when you control the narrative. If there’s a Simon in the background spilling secrets you’d rather keep quiet, or if a negative story goes viral, it’s very hard to take that back.
TL: All four main characters have secrets that are forced into the light against their will. In fact, this provides a good bit of the dramatic tension in the book and creates motive for any one of them to have wished Simon dead. Some of these secrets are kept out of guilt. But others are kept because the character isn’t ready for the information to become public knowledge. There’s an interesting conversation here around secrecy vs. privacy. Were you thinking about this as you wrote the book?
KM: It’s an interesting parallel to the question above. When you’re dragged across social media because of something you did that’s objectively wrong—well, it’s a pretty miserable experience, but one could argue that the information needed to be out there. Either on a personal level to an individual you hurt, or more broadly if you’ve violated the rules or morals of an institution you belong to. But having personal information revealed that’s no one’s business except your own is another matter entirely. There’s a journalist in One of Us Is Lying who makes that point, and becomes the voice of reason who puts the brakes on the media machine and says: this has gone too far.
TL: At first glance, the main characters appear to represent familiar high school stereotypes – the jock, the popular girl, the brain, the bad boy, and the social outcast. Yet, of course, they are all multi-layered people with hopes, dreams, fears, and interesting backstories. As the reader gets to know the characters and they grow to know each other, initial impressions are quickly dismantled. What are you hoping to impart to your young adult readers, besides the obvious, “don’t judge a book by its cover” message?
KM: My primary inspiration for One of Us Is Lying was “The Breakfast Club.” One of my favorite things about that movie is the bonding that takes place as the characters realize they’re not as different as they thought.
The world constructs so many artificial barriers between people based on surface impressions and narrow definitions: who’s popular, who’s successful, who’s a troublemaker, who’s forgettable. But that public face is never the sum total of any individual. So I hope my teen readers think twice about people in their lives they might have dismissed, and look for ways to find common ground.
TL: From a writing craft perspective, can you discuss your choice to write in the first person, and to give each of the four main characters’ voices equal time?
KM: I’ve always written in first person; it just comes naturally. But it was challenging in a book like this, where I wanted to keep the narrators unreliable as long as possible. The only way to do it was to switch perspective regularly, so each character could reveal bits of information but not get to the whole before it was someone else’s turn. I also felt very strongly that each of them had a reason for being in that room with Simon, and that all their individual stories were necessary to tie the plot together into a cohesive whole. But I didn’t want to be rigid about it, either. Toward the end of the book you get more of one character and less of another because … reasons.
TL: All the characters evolve over the course of the story, but I love Addy’s growth in particular. She begins as that girl who mostly defines herself by her relationship with her boyfriend and by her relative popularity, but by the end of the story she has found her own voice and identified her own dreams. I love that it is two sisters who help each other, and I love that this part of the story is what I’d describe as gently feminist. Can you talk a little about this story arc within the wider context of the book?
KM: Addy is the character you’re not supposed to like at first. She’s shallow, whiny, and obsessed with her boyfriend and her social status. But she also shows flashes of self-awareness—she knows her boyfriend is controlling, and she recognizes that her mother, who’s always pushed her in a certain direction, isn’t a good role model. Addy’s unhappiness, which she refuses to acknowledge consciously, makes her do something reckless that lands her on Simon’s app. And even though it’s devastating to have her secret revealed, and lose everything that’s always defined her, it also gives her a chance to figure out who she is. Ultimately, whether you love or hate Addy for what she’s done, I hope you respect that in the end, she makes her own choices.
TL: Which was your favorite character to write and why?
KM: I loved writing Nate. Even though he’s the last character introduced in the book, his was the first voice I heard clearly in my head. His sections were effortless. I’d sit at my computer with a general idea of what the scene should be, and an hour later it’d be done and require almost no editing. He has far more lines remaining from my original first draft than any of the other three. There’s something magical about a character who is that much of their own person.
TL: Is there another project in the works?
KM: Yes, I’m working on a second book for Delacorte, which is also a standalone YA in the suspense/thriller vein.
TL: Thanks so much Karen, and congratulations on a fantastic debut!
Karen McManus is a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA. A member of SCBWI, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which she has never, ever used professionally.
27 July 2023
13 fun facts about Karen M. McManus
Karen M. McManus fun facts about writing, favourite foods, inspiration and more.
If you’re a fan of YA, thrillers, or both, odds are you’ve heard of Karen M. McManus.
Her first book, One Of Us Is Lying became a New York Times bestseller, putting Karen on the map as the undisputed queen of YA mysteries. Fast-paced, full of drama, and incredibly addictive, her books are beloved by teens and adults alike. Often credited for getting teenagers reading, Karen has cemented herself as a star of YA. With six books out now, and a seventh coming on 1 August 2023, there is plenty of mystery to enjoy from her.
Want to know more about the author behind the books? Read on to learn more about Karen.
13 fun facts about Karen M. McManus
Unsurprisingly, Karen started writing at a young age. She was only eight years old when she wrote her first book, which was about a witch who couldn’t cast spells.
Her bestselling novel, One Of Us Is Lying was inspired by The Breakfast Club.
Her favourite part of writing is (usually) drafting.
Karen was inspired to write YA books after reading The Hunger Games.
Karen majored in English at university and then went on to get a master’s degree in journalism.
One of the characters in One Of Us Is Lying was named by Karen’s son, who was nine at the time. Which character? Officer Hank Budapest.
Karen met most of her critique partners on Twitter.
She always carries lip balm.
Karen credits her sister for encouraging her to become an author.
The pet dog Fritz in One Of Us is Next is based on Karen’s childhood dog – also named Fritz.
She has two sets of twins in her family. Her niece and nephew helped inspire the characters Ellery and Ezra in Two Can Keep a Secret.
In a Zoella interview, Karen said her last meal would be Ajiaco (a Colombian potato and chicken stew), chocolate lava cake, and a lot of wine.
Karen’s award-winning books have been translated into over forty languages.
13 Questions With Karen McManus
We caught up with the author of the March Zoella Book Club pick, Karen McManus!
When did you first start writing stories?
I started writing at the age of eight, when my second-grade teacher gave us a creative writing project. It was so much fun, I kept going on my own. My first book was about a witch who couldn’t cast spells.
How many books have you written?
Four that are published or ready for publication (One of Us Is Lying, Two Can Keep a Secret, One of Us Is Next, and The Cousins), and a draft of what’s going to be my fifth book, You’ll Be the Death of Me. I also have three books “on the shelf” – two early novels that I wrote before I had an agent, which will never see the light of day because they have unfixable flaws, and a YA rom-com that’s cute but so totally off-brand that I can’t figure out what to do with it (add murder?). So I’ve written eight books total, but only five are published or will be published.
What are some of the best parts of your job?
For me, the early stages of drafting are the most fun part of the writing process – that’s when a book takes on a life of its own and I often feel like I’m just along for the ride. I also love being able to meet readers and other authors in person and getting an early look at exciting new books.
What are you currently working on?
In March and April I’m traveling to promote One of Us Is Next, while also gearing up to launch The Cousins, which is coming out December 3 in the U.S. I’m in regular contact with the film producers who have optioned One of Us Is Lying and Two Can Keep a Secret. And I’m expecting an edit letter for You’ll Be the Death of Me soon, while also brainstorming something new.
What did you study at school/uni to help you become a writer?
I was an English major in college and a journalism major in grad school. Both were helpful in different ways; an English degree requires a lot of reading, writing, and critical thinking; while journalism teaches you how to build an effective story and—perhaps most important for the kind of stories I write—anticipate and address questions that readers are likely to have.
What are some of your all-time favourite books?
The Hunger Games, And Then There Were None, Vanity Fair, Gone Girl, A Secret History, and the Narnia series
What are you looking forward to reading this year?
So many books! Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu, Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon, and Admission by Julie Buxbaum are high on my list.
Who are some of your favourite new authors?
Rory Power, Phil Stamper, Justin Reynolds and Isabel Ibanez all had recent debuts that I loved.
Tell us about ‘One of us is lying’ and what inspired you to write it?
I was driving to work one day when the theme song from The Breakfast Club came on. I started thinking about that movie and its core theme of looking beyond labels, and then it occurred to me that it would be fun to write something inspired by the movie with a dark twist. The phrase “The Breakfast Club, with murder” popped into my head and stayed there. By the time I left work that day, I had all the characters down and the first few chapters outlined in my head.
If you had any advice for aspiring writers what would it be?
First, read a lot and read for craft; think about what’s working for you as a reader (and what isn’t) as you go along. Second, find critique partners—other writers who are at the same stage of the publications journey as you are—and exchange work with them.
What do you always carry with you?
Lip balm. I’m addicted.
What would your last meal be?
Ajiaco, chocolate lava cake, and a lot of wine.
What are you looking forward to most in 2020?
I’m excited to have two books out in the world, and I’m also excited that the second is ahead of schedule so I’ll actually have some down time to spend with my family!
Find Karen on Instagram here.
Karen M. McManus: Doing The Thriller Genre Justice
Reimagining Thrillers In A New Age Of Reading
author McManus
Charlotte Ward, Editor-In-Chief
January 13, 2022
Technology has just about taken over the world. We’re literally in a full-fledged digital age, and definitely will be for a while. That means that many revert to technology when they have some down time, whether that be playing video games on an X-Box, scrolling through social media, or surfing the web. Even school and work life is largely technology based these days.
Before this new era of technology, reading, specifically picking up a physical book, was a lot more common. Disappearing into the world of a novel was an escape for many. Until technology came on the scene, books were frequently gobbled up by consumers.
Amidst the trials and tribulations of my junior year, even I, a normally voracious reader, have found myself hesitant to pick up a book after a long day of school. My brain simply does not have enough power left to process words on a page other than my AP U.S. History textbook.
One thing’s for sure, though: I love a good thriller.
It all started when my grandmother gave me the first five books in the Nancy Drew series. I quickly became enthralled by the suspense of a good mystery novel, and found myself devouring just about every thriller I could get my hands on.
Over my holiday break from school, I received a copy of Karen M. McManus’ novel You’ll Be The Death Of Me. McManus is the New York Times bestselling author of One Of Us Is Lying, and has written several other thriller novels. I’ll always have a soft spot for Nancy Drew, but there’s something so special about McManus’ work. I’ve read all of her books, and can confirm that she’s just about the best author of thriller novels in the game right now.
After taking two months to read one novel this year, I finished You’ll Be The Death Of Me in one day.
McManus’ thrillers are modern masterpieces, but they keep the style of older mystery novels alive all the same. They take place in modern-day, but when reading one of her books, I feel that McManus really nails the core of a strong thriller novel: detective work.
All of McManus’ novels are written from different perspectives, each chapter giving readers a glimpse into a different character’s world. This gives readers a chance to feel like they really know the main characters. Every time I pick up a Karen M. McManus thriller, I feel comforted by the fact that her writing style gives me the opportunity to really walk around in the main characters’ shoes.
Her vivid descriptions and attention to detail also make McManus a force to be reckoned with. Being able to picture settings and characters is an essential part of a thriller novel. McManus gives readers a passport into the worlds of her novels by describing characters and settings vividly, making sure never to miss a detail, even one as small as what a certain character is eating for breakfast on a given day.
A thriller will fall apart if the entire plot isn’t planned out carefully in advance. It’s evident, after reading all of her books, that McManus takes the time to plan out every step a character takes and every twist in the plot of her thrillers. I’m always shocked by her attention to detail and meticulous placement of clues and red herrings.
The plots of McManus’ novels are intricate and engaging. Each novel is unique, and each takes readers on an unexpected journey. From three high schoolers following someone to their own murder scene to uncovering a family’s dark past, McManus always comes up with something fresh and new in each of her books. It’s enough to keep readers on their toes. Upon closing a Karen M. McManus novel, readers will feel a sense of closure and satisfaction.
McManus’ beautifully crafted and developed characters are relatable and seem like they could be real people going to your school. I always find myself rooting for them in the end, and am always excited to discover new characters in her other books. Feeling like characters are your best friends is one of the keys to a good book, not just a good thriller novel. McManus’ characters tackle real-life problems and situations, and always learn a hard but valuable lesson at the end of the novel.
If Karen M. McManus can force a burnt out teenager to reach for one of her books, she has the power to lure in a whole new generation of thriller-lovers, and maybe even readers who never thought they’d ever pick up a book in their lives. Her thrillers are raw, real, gripping, humorous, and touching. Intricate and original plots coupled with beautifully developed characters make every single McManus novel a worthwhile read. And while they all follow a similar format, each adds some new spice to the thriller genre.
Karen M. McManus’ words are powerful, and need to be heard. McManus has fearlessly taken the modern-day thriller genre by storm, and she doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon.
What was the inspiration for One of Us Is Lying?
I was driving to work when “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” from The Breakfast Club, came on the radio. I can never not turn up that song, so I did, and while it was playing I thought about how the concept behind that movie—that if people who seem to have nothing in common on the surface interact for any length of time, they’ll often realize they’re not as different as they think—makes for an always-interesting narrative backdrop. It would be fun, I thought, to do an update on that type of story with a dark twist. The phrase “The Breakfast Club with murder” popped into my head and stayed there the rest of the day. When I got home that night, I started writing.
How did the Bayview Four characters come to life for you?
Right after I got the initial idea, I started wondering who would be in the room. Of course there would be stereotypes—the brain, the jock, the princess, the criminal, the outcast—but I wanted them to have layers that would come to light as the story progressed. I thought about them constantly as the story took shape. I created character worksheets that included not only big-picture items like their hopes and fears but also small details about their lives. And I made playlists for each character, filled with songs that felt like them, and I would listen to those while writing each point of view.
Tell us about the process of turning One of Us Is Lying into a TV series! What do you hope the TV series will bring to the audience that’s different from the book?
It’s been surreal! I remember arriving to the pilot shoot in Vancouver and seeing half a street shut down for production—sets being built, scenes being staged, cast and crew everywhere—and it struck me that all of these very talented people had come together on that particular day because I wrote a book. Writing a book can be fairly solitary, whereas adapting that book into a television show takes a lot of collaboration between producers, directors, writers, network and studio executives, the showrunner, and the cast and crew. Many different people and perspectives shaped the creative direction of the series. Ultimately, I hope my readers enjoy watching a familiar story unfold in a new way.
What was it like to see the characters you wrote come to life on-screen?
One of the best parts of this experience has been watching the cast bond with one another in a way that feels very similar to my characters. It’s a true ensemble—not only the main four plus Simon, but a whole Bayview High yearbook: Janae, Jake, Maeve, Keely, Vanessa, TJ, and Evan, along with all the other characters who make up the rest of the world. There are a few scenes that were pulled almost directly from the book, and those are especially fun for me to watch.
Is there anything you can tell us about One of Us Is Lying that not many people know?
There was a subplot in early drafts of One of Us Is Lying that I had to take out while revising with my agent because it was distracting from the main story. However, that narrative thread is still baked into the Bayview DNA, and now it’s serving as the backbone of the plot in what will be the third and final book in the series, One of Us Is Back.
Karen M. McManus
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karen M. McManus
Born 1969 (age 54–55)
Language English
Nationality American
Education College of the Holy Cross (BA)
Northeastern University (MA)
Genre Young Adult, Mystery
Years active 2017–present
Notable works One of Us Is Lying
One of Us Is Next
Two Can Keep a Secret
One of Us Is Back
Website
www.karenmcmanus.com
Karen M. McManus (born 1969) is an American author of young adult fiction.[1] She is most known for her first novel, One of Us Is Lying, which spent more than five years on The New York Times Best Seller list,[2] as well as its sequels One of Us Is Next and One of Us Is Back, and the stand-alone novel Two Can Keep a Secret.
Early life and education
McManus discovered an interest for writing when she was eight years old and was assigned to write a story in school.[3] She attended the College of the Holy Cross, earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature, then attended Northeastern University, where she received a Master of Arts (M.A.) in journalism.
One of Us is Lying trilogy (2017–2023)
One of Us is Lying (2017)
It received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.[4] One of Us Is Lying was optioned as a pilot by NBC and the television adaption premiered on Peacock in October 2021.[5][6][7]
One of Us is Next (2020)
Its sequel, One of Us Is Next, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.[4]
One of Us Is Back (2023)
One of Us Is Back is the threequel from One of Us is Lying. It is the last Part of the trilogy.
Standalones
Two Can Keep a Secret (2019)
For Two Can Keep a Secret, which was McManus’ first standalone novel outside of the One of Us Is Lying trilogy, Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and named it one of the best books of 2019.[8]
The Cousins (2020)
The Cousins, McManus's second standalone novel and fourth novel overall, was a #1 New York Times bestseller[9] and an Edgar Award Nominee.[10]
Personal life
She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[1] She rereads The Secret History by Donna Tartt every year.[3]
Works
One of Us Is Lying trilogy
One of Us Is Lying (Delacorte Press, 2017)[11][4][12][13]
One of Us Is Next (Delacorte Press, 2020)[14][15]
One of Us Is Back (Delacorte Press, 2023)
Standalone novels
Two Can Keep a Secret (Delacorte Press, 2019)[8][16][17]
The Cousins (Delacorte Press, 2020)[18][19]
You'll Be the Death of Me (November 2021)[20]
Nothing More To Tell (Random House, 30 August 2022)[21]
Such Charming Liars (Random House, 30 July 2024)[22]
Marple: Twelve New Stories (contributor to continuation collection authorised for Miss Marple (2022))[23]
QUOTED: "In the end, it’s almost nothing like The Parent Trap. There are con artists. There is a relationship between the two main characters. They were step-siblings very briefly for 24 hours when their parents did a quickie marriage and divorce in Las Vegas. And then they haven’t seen each other, that little kernel remains there, but other than that, it’s nothing like that. But that’s where the idea came from."
Karen M. McManus Talks ‘Such Charming Liars’ Writing Process
Raquel
1 month ago
0
Karen M. McManus
Such Charming Liars became our favorite book this summer! We sat down to talk with the author Karen M. McManus about her process of creating the book, building the characters, their emotional conflicts, and what’s coming next. Ready?
Here we go!
At the beginning of our interview, Karen M. McManus, known for her successful young adult mystery novels, reveals that the inspiration for her book Such Charming Liars came from an unexpected source. “I was watching The Parent Trap, the Lindsay Lohan’s version, and I thought, what if the parents were con artists?, and I didn’t really do anything more with it. But I did jot it down in my little log of ideas that I keep as A Con Artist Parent Trap, maybe there’s something there,” she shared.
It wasn’t until years later, after turning in her seventh book, that Karen revisited that file and came across the note. And she thought, “Oh, yeah, that could be interesting. In the end, it’s almost nothing like The Parent Trap. There are con artists. There is a relationship between the two main characters. They were step-siblings very briefly for 24 hours when their parents did a quickie marriage and divorce in Las Vegas. And then they haven’t seen each other, that little kernel remains there, but other than that, it’s nothing like that. But that’s where the idea came from,” she pointed out.
Such Charming Liars
Developing these characters, Kat and Liam, was an especially gratifying experience for McManus. Kat, described by the author as “a little con artist in training,” lives with her single mother, and the two refer to themselves as “the grifter Gilmore Girls.” McManus greatly enjoyed writing Kat, “a fiercely loyal young woman who does everything she can to protect her mother, even when she makes bad decisions.” For McManus, Kat is a character “who stays true to herself, making her a delight to write.”
As Karen M. McManus said, “on the other side, we had Liam who is grieving. His mom passed away. He’s living with his con artist dad who he doesn’t like. And he is very different because he doesn’t know what to do. He’s trying all these different things just to feel something, to feel like himself again. And the only time that works is when he is with his former step-sibling, Kat. So the dynamic between those two was really fun to write.”
The duality between truth and lies is a central theme in the novel. McManus explores how the characters struggle not only to discover whom they can trust but also to be trustworthy themselves.
In Karen M.McManus’ words “Kat and Liam, though motivated by good intentions, tend to withhold crucial information from the people they care about, justifying their actions in the moment but internally recognizing that they are wrong. A lot of their journey throughout the book is figuring out why am I doing this? And how can I be like a better friend, boyfriend, or daughter? They’re trying to do right by the people they care about but they’re going about it the wrong way so it’s not just figuring out who to trust, it’s figuring out how to be trustworthy.”
Regarding her writing process, McManus acknowledges that Such Charming Liars was one of the most complicated books she has written, particularly due to the difficulty of integrating “the elements of a heist with a murder mystery.” The author “had never written a heist before. There’s a lot of just mechanics pieces that you have to put in place and integrating that with the murder mystery in a way that it’s clear they’re connected, but not clear how was really challenging.”
There were moments when she thought “the book simply wouldn’t work.” However, after much effort and collaboration with her editor, “they managed to make everything fit,” leaving her satisfied with the final result.
It’s not unusual for successful female writers to collaborate on a project together but in the case of Karen M. McManus, she doesn’t think that she would just because she’s “such a control freak.” She feels like “I would be so annoying [she laughs] They would hate me.” But if she could eliminate that aspect of her work process and go purely on vibes, she “would love to work with Courtney Summers. I adore her work. And she’s also just a phenomenal person. So it’d be really fun to work with her,” she confessed.
Karen M. McManus
In terms of her evolution as a writer, McManus has learned a lot since she wrote her first book, One of Us is Lying. She describes that book as a “bolt of lightning” book that came to her quickly and was written just as fast. However, not all her projects have been so fluid. Her second book, for example, was a “seedling book” that needed much more time and care to develop.
Over the years, she has learned to “become a lot more disciplined in terms of how I approach an idea because I don’t know what kind of idea it is. And that upfront planning helps me a lot when I have those difficult moments, like with Such Charming Liars, when the plus just not coming together, there’s a much stronger foundation to build from because of all that upfront work,” she shared.
Although Karen M. McManus is not currently working on a new project, McManus plans to “take a well-deserved break after having published one book per year for the last eight years.” This frenetic pace “it was awesome and I was really happy to do it, but it did burn me out a little so I am refilling.”
Finally, McManus offers advice to aspiring writers: although writing may be “the best job in the world, it’s also one of the most difficult. It’s a dream job. You almost don’t ever want to acknowledge the hard parts because you feel so fortunate to be able to do what you love. But going to that creative space over and over again, kind of putting your heart out there, getting judged constantly, being on social media, not having any control over your book does that,” she comments.
“That part is hard for all of us. So you need to be in good company. But the wonderful thing about it is that, at the end of the day, your book is going to reach somebody who it becomes their favorite book and that book is going to change something for them. You did that. There are not many jobs where you can say that so I think authors should be very very proud of putting themselves out there,” she pointed out.
Such Charming Liars is available now here.
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McManus, Karen M. ONE OF US IS LYING Delacorte (Children's Fiction) $17.99 5, 30 ISBN: 978-1-5247-1468-0
Detention takes a dark turn when the student behind Bayview High's infamous app About That dies from a peanut allergy--and every witness has a different reason for wanting him gone.Although McManus' debut initially feels like a rehashing of The Breakfast Club, with five teens from disparate social circles brought together through detention, there is no bonding through library dance parties or atypical lipstick application. Instead, Bronwyn, Nate, Cooper, and Addy witness Simon collapse and ultimately die after taking a sip of water. When police discover the drink was laced with peanut oil--and that Simon was going to reveal life-ruining secrets about all four students on his gossip app the next day--they go from unfortunate witnesses to top murder suspects. With each teen ("brain," "criminal," "jock," and "princess," respectively; "walking teen-movie stereotypes," as Simon says) narrating alternating chapters, the novel offers insights into common adolescent struggles--from the pressure to succeed to an alcoholic, out-of-work father--as well as an unlikely romance and opportunities for self-reflection as the investigation escalates. Although their suburban San Diego high school is a multicultural place, with the exception of Latina Bronwyn, the principal cast is white. Although the language and plot sometimes border on cliché, this fast-paced blend of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and classic John Hughes will leave readers racing to the finish as the try to unravel the mystery on their own. (Thriller. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"McManus, Karen M.: ONE OF US IS LYING." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2017, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A482911656/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1f16557b. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
McManus, Karen M. One of Us Is Lying. Delacorte/Penguin Random House, 2017. 368p. $17.99. 978-1-5247-1468-0.
The brain, the jock, the beauty queen, the delinquent, and the outsider--each is doing his or her time in afterschool detention. It sounds like a setup for a remake of The Breakfast Club--until only four of them leave the classroom alive. At first everyone thinks Simon, the outcast, accidentally ingested the peanuts that led to his fatal allergic reaction. It quickly becomes apparent that Simons anaphylaxis was no accident, however, but a carefully thought-out plan. As the editor of a popular high school gossip app, Simon had more than his share of enemies, including each of the four other detention attendees. Police discover that Simon was about to divulge character-damaging information about each of them. Could one of them have murdered Simon to protect his or her reputation?
McManus's intense mystery unfolds through the eyes of each of the four suspects. At the beginning, the characters are little more than stereotypes, and it is only the intriguing plot that keeps the story moving. As the story progresses, however, each character becomes more complex and nuanced, adding richness and depth to the suspense. McManus captures the power of social media among high school students and the tangled web of ever-changing relationships that is the fabric of adolescent life. Give to readers looking for mysteries set securely in the teen world.--Heather Christensen.
QUALITY
5Q Hard to imagine it being better written.
4Q Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses.
3Q Readable, without serious defects.
2Q Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q.
1Q Hard to understand how it got published, except in relation to its P rating (and not even then sometimes).
POPULARITY
5P Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday.
4P Broad general or genre YA appeal.
3P Will appeal with pushing.
2P For the YA reader with a special interest in the subject.
1P No YA will read unless forced to for assignments.
GRADE LEVEL INTEREST
M Middle School (defined as grades 6-8).
J Junior High (defined as grades 7-9).
S Senior High (defined as grades 10-12).
A/YA Adult-marketed book recommended for YAs.
NA New Adult (defined as college-age).
R Reluctant readers (defined as particularly suited for reluctant readers).
(a) Highlighted Reviews Graphic Novel Format
(G) Graphic Novel Format
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Christensen, Heather. "McManus, Karen M. One of Us Is Lying." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 40, no. 1, Apr. 2017, p. 63. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A491949503/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9dee978b. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "masterfully paced with well-earned thrills and spooky atmosphere worth sinking into."
McManus, Karen M. TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET Delacorte (Young Adult Fiction) $19.99 1, 8 ISBN: 978-1-5247-1472-7
History threatens to repeat itself in a small town known for disappearing teen girls.
When their mother is suddenly sent to rehab, twins Ellery and Ezra Corcoran are uprooted from California to live with their grandmother in Vermont. True-crime-obsessed Ellery knows the town is infamous for girls going missing. Her own aunt, her mother's twin, disappeared 23 years ago, never to be found. Just five years ago, Lacey Kilduff was found murdered in nearby Murderland, a Halloween theme park. All eyes are on the twins as the new kids in town, and Ellery's pulled between the popular girls and Malcolm Kelly, the younger brother of Declan, Lacey's boyfriend and the person everyone suspects murdered her. Disturbing acts of vandalism pop up, threatening a sequel to events at Murderland. When Ellery's nominated for homecoming queen, the threats begin to target her and the other princesses, and no matter what he does, Malcolm keeps ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time, making for an easy scapegoat. Alternating between Ellery's and Malcolm's perspectives, the mystery unfurls at a deliciously escalating pace, filled with believable red herrings and shocking twists. Readers will furiously turn pages until the satisfying end. Though the students are predominantly white, Ellery and Ezra are biracial (white and Latinx), and Ezra is gay. Malcolm is white, and his best friend is a bisexual Korean-American girl.
Masterfully paced with well-earned thrills and spooky atmosphere worth sinking into. (Thriller. 14-18)
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"McManus, Karen M.: TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A557887189/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=28c1f79e. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
Until recently, Karen M. McManus was essentially working two full-time jobs--as a marketing professional and a writer--and all the while, raising her young son after her husband's passing. "I was just really burnt out and sleeping for about five hours a night, so something had to give," McManus says in a call from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Fortunately, her first book, One of Us Is Lying, became a New York Times bestseller. "It just felt like the time was right to go ahead and take that leap to writing full time," McManus says. "It's a big move, but so far, it's working out."
But the success of her first book distinctly altered McManus' writing process for her new standalone novel, Two Can Keep a Secret. She was still working full time and writing, but now she also had a chorus of outsider voices--her editor, agent and readers --all echoing in her head with each new page she composed. "I had to learn how to shut all that out and just get back to the story that I wanted to tell," she says.
With Two Can Keep a Secret, McManus has created a layered, twisty tale that enraptures the reader from the very beginning with a big mystery: What's happening to the girls of Echo Ridge?
Though Echo Ridge may seem like an idyllic place to call home, Ellery and her twin brother, Ezra, see it differently. After their mother is forced into court-mandated rehab, Ellery and Ezra are shipped off across the country to live with their grandmother in the tiny town where, 17 years ago, their aunt went missing, and five years ago, the homecoming queen was killed.
"I'm fascinated by places that look perfect on the surface but have this darkness underneath, and about the ripple effect that darkness can cause," McManus says. So she conjured up a very quaint New England town with a creepy, Halloween-themed amusement park that was once the setting of an actual murder--and yet the townsfolk still treat it like a charming tourist attraction. The twins eventually discover the secrets that everyone is trying to keep and the bodies they want to stay buried.
Prior to leaning fully into her new life as a novelist, McManus had planned on pursuing a career in journalism. She graduated with a master's degree from Northeastern University's prestigious journalism program before realizing, "I wasn't really interested in writing news stories, but it did start percolating in my brain that what I really wanted to be doing was making up stories."
But a lesson learned is never lost. "My journalism background has been very helpful in constructing mysteries in general because it taught me to look for the holes in the story," McManus says. "That is so important when you're trying to write this airtight plot that makes sense at the end." She has become very good at spotting the plot holes in her own works--even writing and then shelving two previous "practice novels."
The first practice novel was what she lovingly calls a "terrible dystopian knockoff" inspired by Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series, which reignited in her the desire to write again after her husband's death. And though she did notice an improvement in her narrative-crafting skills with her second practice novel, both had fundamental plot problems that McManus claims could not be fixed. She has, however, been able to return to her earlier books to mine them for characters. "There are all these little parts of life that you pluck from yourself and weave into each of your characters," McManus says, "and they ultimately become their own people. But they have those little sparks of their creator inside."
With those first two practice novels under her belt, McManus' first published novel, One of Us Is Lying, is technically her third book. "I'm really happy it wasn't my first idea," she admits humbly, "because I don't think I had the skills when I first started taking writing seriously to write a complicated plot like that."
The wait was worth it, as E! Network has since picked up the rights to One of Us Is Lying for a TV series, and book two in the series is slated for release next year.
And while McManus' stories certainly do fall in the darker side of the YA thriller category, they are mixed with lighter elements, humor, and strong relationships and friendships.
"Thrillers give teens a safe space to experience and process the world that we're living in right now, which is full of conflict and fear," McManus says. "But life is all about balance, right? So I like to try to weave through my narrative the message that even though it's sort of inevitable to grapple with pain and loss, there's also room for growth, hope and optimism."
Therein lies McManus' goal as a creator of stories for teen readers, to share this truth: "The unthinkable can happen to anybody, but it doesn't have to be insurmountable."
McManus believes writing has helped restore balance in her life and has reminded her that "your story's not over, there's more to tell here." And if she can help lead readers back to their own sense of balance, then she believes that every word--practice or otherwise--was well worth it.
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Barisich, Justin. "The cutest towns always have the darkest secrets: A twisted YA thriller from the author of One of Us Is Lying." BookPage, Jan. 2019, p. 27. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A567426117/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5e88e30c. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
MCMANUS, Karen M. Two Can Keep a Secret. 336p. Delacorte. Jan. 2019. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781524714727. POP
Gr 8 Up--Twins Ellery and Ezra are traveling to Echo Ridge for the first time. Ellery, a passionate true-crime buff, knows all about the town's unpleasant history--their aunt disappeared there at age 17, and just five years ago, the high school homecoming queen was murdered. Not long after, the teens settle in and land jobs at Fright Farm, the Halloween theme park where the. slain homecoming queen was found. Soon, threats against the homecoming court begin popping up anew, and then another girl goes missing from Echo Ridge. Ellery becomes a target, as well. The story is told in alternating chapters by Ellery and Malcolm, whose brother was implicated in the murder of the homecoming queen; however, neither Ellery, Malcolm, nor any of the work's supporting characters are fully fleshed out. The three separate mysteries in Echo Ridge can be overwhelming to keep track of at times. While the character building may be lacking, and the story line may occasionally confuse, the history of Echo Ridge does intertwine nicely with Ellery's own family history and moves the plot along. What little romance is included serves to further the plot. Every character will be a suspect at least once, and when the mystery finally unravels, readers may not grasp the full repercussions of the conclusion for a long time. VERDICT For readers who have outgrown "Fear Street" and are looking for a similar sort of tension, mystery, and murder.--Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University, SC
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Smith, Maggie Mason. "MCMANUS, Karen M.: Two Can Keep a Secret." School Library Journal, vol. 64, no. 12, Dec. 2018, pp. 83+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A563769397/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c81f56d1. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
One of Us Is Next. By Karen M. McManus. Jan. 2020.384p. Delacorte, $19.99 (9780525707967). Gr. 9-12.
A year ago, in One of Us Is Lying (2017), Simon Kelleher, infamous creator of a gossip app, died during detention at Bayview High. Since then, the students in detention with him-nicknamed the Bayview Four-have all been cleared of his murder, graduated, and moved on. But Bayview remembers. At the high school, lesser copycat apps come and go, but nothing sticks until the game arrives as a mass text. The rules are simple: it's truth or dare. When Phoebe, the first target, doesn't pick one, her worst secret is leaked. As she teams up with Maeve, the sister of one of the Bayview Four, and her friend Knox, the game intensifies: the dares are getting dangerous, but everyone wants to keep their secrets. McManus offers a companion that, while set in the same sphere as her hit debut, takes entirely different cues, leaving readers new and old with a dizzying array of fresh twists. A nonlinear narrative and breakneck pacing, combined with the tech element and the already-intense high-school atmosphere, make this a thrilling read.--Maggie Reagan
[HD] HIGH DEMAND BACKSTORY: One of Us Is Lying was a best-seller and a frequent flier on best-of lists; this companion, which Is peppered with familiar faces, has all the twists and turns that readers loved about its predecessor.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
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Reagan, Maggie. "One of Us Is Next." Booklist, vol. 116, no. 6, 15 Nov. 2019, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A608183799/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=17aa6ab1. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
One of Us Is Next
Karen M. McManus. Delacorte, $19.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-525-70796-7
McManus follows up her page-turning One of Us Is Lying with an equally breathless read, this time focusing on secondary characters from the original story. Following the events of the first book, the Bayview Four--Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, and Nate--have now gone their separate ways. Only Addy remains in town, working as a server, alongside Phoebe, at Cafe Contigo. Maeve, Bronwyn's younger sister, a leukemia survivor, spends a great deal of time there with Knox, her best friend and former boyfriend. When a new Reddit thread mysteriously begins under the moniker "Vengeance Is Mine," and an anonymous texter begins a Truth or Dare game on Bayview High students' phones, the new friends' secrets are revealed in a public and embarrassing way, via school-wide rexts. The anonymous texter ends the reveal with a warning: "Always take the dare." When the dares go from shocking to dangerous, Maeve, Phoebe, Addy, and Knox find themselves at the center of a new mystery with an even more dangerous puppet master. Full of exciting and unexpected twists and racing toward a shocking conclusion, McManus's tale will not disappoint fans, and those unfamiliar with her previous work will inhale this complicated story of friendship and revenge. Ages 14--up.
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"One of Us Is Next." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 49, 2 Dec. 2020, p. 66. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A646895856/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=00ed6587. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
The Cousins. By Karen M. McManus. Dec. 2020. 336p. Delacorte, $19.99 (9780525708001). Gr. 9-12.
Before Milly Takahashi-Story, Aubrey Story, and Jonah Story were born, their obscenely wealthy grandmother Mildred disinherited their parents for reasons none of them will discuss. The three cousins have never met their grandmother, and they barely know one another. When the three teenagers are invited to work at her Martha's Vineyard-esque island resort for the summer, their parents are thrilled, but Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah are more suspicious, especially when Mildred seems completely shocked by their arrival. The three cousins, who have secrets and motivations of their own, are determined to discover what caused their parents to fall from grace, even if the truth is darker than they ever suspected. A slow-burn, uneasy beginning ultimately makes way for a frantically paced end peppered with twists that genre fans will happily take in stride. The narration is mostly split between half-Japanese, half-white Milly and white Aubrey and Jonah, although occasional chapters flash back to their parents' past. Fans of McManus' previous offerings and of mysteries steeped in family dramatics will be eager for this.--Maggie Reagan
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Her debut One of Us Is Lying, 2017) hit #1 on the New York Times best seller list and has been optioned for a pilot, and the clamor for her subsequent YA thrillers has proven that McManus knows how to keep us on the hook. No chance that this one will be any different.
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Reagan, Maggie. "The Cousins." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 5-6, 1 Nov. 2020, pp. 54+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A643989189/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ed6c0147. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
McManus, Karen M. THE COUSINS Delacorte (Teen None) $19.99 12, 1 ISBN: 978-0-525-70800-1
The Story family is full of secrets—and three cousins will unearth them.
Once inconsequential Gull Cove Island off the coast of Massachusetts was transformed into a luxurious getaway by Abraham Story. In the late 1990s, his widow, Mildred, suddenly disinherited her four young adult offspring—Adam, Anders, Allison, and, Archer—without explanation except for a mysterious letter, sent by her lawyer to each sibling, that read: “You know what you did.” A couple of decades later, the three Story grandchildren—Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah—receive letters from the grandmother they’ve never met, inviting them to spend the summer working at her island resort. Sensing an opportunity to regain entry into their mother’s world, Allison, Adam, and Anders force their respective children to accept her invitation. Upon their arrival at Gull Cove Island, where the Story family is a hot topic of gossip among the locals, it’s clear that the family’s past is darker than the cousins imagined. Not only is someone trying to get them to leave, but their grandmother was not expecting them. In classic McManus fashion, perspectives shift, providing insights into the three cousins’ distinct stories and personal motives while maintaining a steady pace that leaves readers flipping pages. Every twist is gasp-inducing, and the ending will satisfy some and make others yearn for a sequel. The main cast is White except for Milly, who is biracial (White and Japanese).
Another McManus novel worth pulling an all-nighter for. (family tree) (Thriller. 14-18)
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"McManus, Karen M.: THE COUSINS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A632285636/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b364d312. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "a suspenseful day of murder and mayhem that will keep them guessing until the end."
MCMANUS, Karen M. You'll Be the Death of Me. 336p. Delacorte. Nov. 2021. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780593175866.
Gr 9 Up-Ivy, Mateo, and Cal became best friends in middle school after skipping out on a school field trip and having the Best Day Ever. Now high school seniors, they don't talk with one another or move in the same circles. But all this changes the morning after Ivy loses the student council election to Boney Mahoney. The three end up in the parking lot together before school and decide it is a perfect day to skip. Cal is tired of being a loner and is uncertain about his new love interest. Mateo is worried about needing to work three jobs to help support his ailing mother and his cousin Amanda's latest money scheme to help support the family. Ivy is embarrassed to sit through Boney's acceptance speech. Even though they haven't spent time together in years, all three set out together to forget about what awaits them at school. In downtown Boston, they see Boney Mahoney has also skipped school, and they follow him to a vacant downtown building, where they find him murdered. The three become involved in investigating what happened to Boney on what soon becomes the Worst Day Ever as they realize they all have more in common with Boney and one another than they realized. VERDICT In her latest thriller, McManus draws readers in with her multiple voices (the narrative moves among Ivy, Mateo, and Cal) to bring readers a suspenseful day of murder and mayhem that will keep them guessing until the end.--Rebekah Buchanan, Western Illinois Univ., Macomb
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Buchanan, Rebekah. "MCMANUS, Karen M.: You'll Be the Death of Me." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 12, Dec. 2021, pp. 96+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686052320/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ee620745. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "McManus cleverly crafts a realistic crime story with plausible plot twists."
Karen M. McManus. Delacorte, $19.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-593-17586-6
McManus (The Cousins) once again creates a believable, pulse-pounding thriller, this time told through the alternating perspectives of three teens. Former best friends Ivy Sterling-Shepard, Cal O'Shea-Wallace (both white), and Mateo Wojcik (Puerto Rican and Polish) find themselves at the center of a murder investigation when they ditch school to re-create "the Greatest Day Ever"--the day they first became friends. But the reenactment quickly devolves when they stumble upon the corpse of Brian "Boney" Mahoney at the art studio of Cal's love interest. Blonde Ivy, embarrassed by her loss of the school election to Boney, quickly becomes a prime suspect when school gossips connect her hair color ro that of the murderer. Determined to clear her name, Ivy insists that the trio investigate. But as they follow the clues, the former friends' secrets are revealed, some about the murder and others tied to their friendship, familial relationships, and misunderstandings that have resulted in long-lasting damage. McManus cleverly crafts a realistic crime story with plausible plot twists and characters who have plenty of depth. While the mystery of why Boney was murdered moves the story along, the relationship between Cal, Ivy, and Mateo will keep readers engaged. Ages 14-up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Nov.)
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"You'll Be the Death of Me." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 40, 4 Oct. 2021, p. 158. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A679294130/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1851066d. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "an edge-of-your-seat page-turner; the strongest yet from a master of the genre."
McManus, Karen M. NOTHING MORE TO TELL Delacorte (Teen None) $19.99 8, 30 ISBN: 978-0-593-17590-3
A budding reporter returns to her old school and reopens a cold case murder.
Four years ago in Sturgis, Massachusetts, three Saint Ambrose eighth grade students found the murdered body of Mr. Larkin, a beloved new English teacher, in the woods behind the prep school's campus. The culprit was never caught, and the case remained unsolved. Soon after, Brynn Gallagher's family moved to Chicago, but her father has been transferred back to their hometown, and now she's going to finish up her senior year at Saint Ambrose. Brynn is a promising investigative journalist, and after she nabs an internship with a true-crime podcast, she decides to look into finally solving the murder of her favorite teacher--even if it means deceiving her peers. Tripp Talbot was Brynn's best friend in middle school, but they became estranged after Tripp humiliated her in front of their classmates. He also happens to be one of the kids who found Mr. Larkin's body, and the lies he told the police haunt him to this day. As secrets unravel in Brynn's pursuit of the truth, Tripp and Brynn reconcile and become closer. This thrilling novel hits all the right spots, with red herrings and twists galore. Perspective shifts between Brynn and Tripp (with a couple of flashback breaks) tell a character-driven story with family drama, plenty of buried secrets, and lovely romantic vibes. Most characters are White.
An edge-of-your-seat page-turner; the strongest yet from a master of the genre. (Thriller. 14-18)
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"McManus, Karen M.: NOTHING MORE TO TELL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A705356040/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bb275a28. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "McManus's latest is a win for mystery and suspense fans and has a little something for everyone."
* MCMANUS, Karen M. Nothing More to Tell. 368p. Delacorte. Aug. 2022. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780593175903.
Gr 9 Up--Brynn Gallagher isn't excited to return to Saint Ambrose School. Her family moved away five years ago after the murder of her favorite teacher, Mr. Larkin; the body was found by three students in the woods behind the school, but the murder was never solved. Now they're moving back, and Brynn must finish her final semester of high school where the murderer might still attend. Brynn is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. She got an internship at Motive, a true crime podcast, and plans to put her journalist skills to work to learn the truth about what happened to Mr. Larkin. Brynn's investigation is muddied by her complex relationship with Tripp Talbot, her ex-best friend and one of the three students who found the body. But, with the help of her intrepid younger sister Elle, her old middle school friends, and a budding romance with Tripp, Brynn brings readers on her wild ride. As usual, McManus pulls readers into a complex world of murder and suspense, here with dual narratives from Brynn and Tripp; romance; and twists and turns that hit readers right before they see them. Fans of McManus will be happy with this sixth novel and the Easter eggs she leaves. VERDICT McManus's latest is a win for mystery and suspense fans and has a little something for everyone. Readers will find this one more sophisticated than some of her previous work, and no less entertaining. --Rebekah J. Buchanan
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Buchanan, Rebekah J. "MCMANUS, Karen M.: Nothing More to Tell." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 9, Sept. 2022, p. 116. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715572425/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d7a7ef94. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "a serpentine read rife with convincing red herrings and ground-shifting reveals."
Nothing More to Tell
Karen M. McManus. Delacorte, $19.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-593-17590-3
Desperate for a win after she's fired from her school newspaper and wait-listed by her dream college, Brynn Gallagher, 17, lands an internship at a true crime TV show by pitching a story from her own past in McManus's {You'll Be the Death of Me) most impressive mystery yet. When Brynn was an eighth grader at Saint Ambrose prep school in Sturgis, Mass., three classmates, including Brynn's estranged best friend, Tripp Talbot, went into the woods and stumbled across the corpse of the school's popular new English teacher, William Larkin. Though fingerprints from one of the trio were found on the murder weapon, the group was purportedly never suspected, and the case went cold. Shortly thereafter, Brynn and her family relocated to Chicago, but now they're back in Sturgis, and Brynn intends to use her re-enrollment at Saint Ambrose--and her internship--to uncover the thorny truth surrounding Mr. Larkin's death. Brynn and Tripp's candid, emotionally complex alternating first-person accounts enrich character while imparting immediacy and drive. The central whodunit spirals into myriad tertiary puzzles, making for a serpentine read rife with convincing red herrings and ground-shifting reveals. Main characters cue as white; the supporting cast is ethnically diverse. Ages 14--up.
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"Nothing More to Tell." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 49, 23 Nov. 2022, pp. 102+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A728493989/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ca0655e0. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
Karen M. McManus is an American author of young adult fiction. She is best known for her first novel published in 2017, One of Us is Lying. This spent 129 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was optioned as a pilot by NBC.
Is this your first time in Sharjah?
Yes, and my first time in the Middle East. I'm excited to be here!
Did you always want to be a writer? What was the inspiration behind your first book, One of Us Is Lying, and how is this series developing?
I've wanted to be a writer since I was eight years old. I wrote my first story then and kept going until college, when I decided it wasn't a practical dream. Many years later, I was driving to work one day when the theme song from The Breakfast Club came on, and I thought it could be interesting to write a modern take on that story with a dark twist. When I got home that night, I started One of Us Is Lying. I thought it would be a standalone novel, but the characters and the town of Bayview were never far from my mind. A few years later I released One of Us Is Next, and now I've written a third book, One of Us Is Back, which will complete the series in 2023.
Your books are currently available in 42 languages around the world, which is extremely impressive.
Are there any languages you would particularly like to add to that list?
Thank you! I'd love to be published in widelyspoken languages such as Hindi and Bengali. Also, since my great-grandparents emigrated from Ireland to the United States, it would be special to one day be translated into Irish.
Tell us a little about your latest book, Nothing More to Tell.
Nothing More to Tell is the story of a teen journalist who investigates the cold-case murder of her favorite teacher, whose body was found by three of her classmates in the woods behind school four years ago. Brynn moved away shortly after her teacher died, but now that she's back and interning at a prestigious true-crime show, she's determined to learn the truth about what happened to Mr. Larkin. She starts by reconnecting with the kids who found him - including her ex-best friend, Tripp, who's haunted by all the lies he told that day.
What are you hoping to gain from your visit to the Sharjah Book Fair?
I have the most wonderful readers, and I'm looking forward to meeting some of them in person. I'm also excited to connect with other authors, and experience the city of Sharjah.
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"Q&A WITH KAREN McMANUS." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 44, 24 Oct. 2022, p. 16a. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A726744340/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=39d4dfb6. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "riveting" "The growing sense of impending doom followed by the headlong crash into the conclusion still leaves readers feeling satisfied."
MCMANUS, Karen M.: One of Us Is Back. 368p. (One of Us Is Lying: Bk. 3). Delacorte. Jul. 2023. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780593485019.
Gr 9 Up--The Bayview Murder Club is back for the riveting conclusion to the "One of Us Is Lying" trilogy, where Simon's final secret is slowly unspooled, generating destruction and chaos in its wake. Told through the alternating points-of-view of Addy, Phoebe, and Nate, plus vignettes from Jake and Simon's friendship six years prior, all of the narrators come into this last installment unsettled. Though Nate has a stable relationship with Bronwyn, he hasn't figured out where his life is headed and can't shake the feeling that their relationship won't last. After Jake is released from prison pending a retrial, Addy feels terrified and on edge, certain he is going to come after her, seeking vengeance. And Phoebe is completely stuck, racked with guilt over what happened in One of Us Is Next, unable to move forward. After an electronic billboard is hacked to display the message "Time for a new game, Bayview," the friends are resolute in their determination to find answers, stop the violence, and finally address some of Bayview's glaring problems. While this final addition to the trilogy has more suspense than mystery, the growing sense of impending doom followed by the headlong crash into the conclusion still leaves readers feeling satisfied. All characters default to white aside from the Rojas sisters and Luis, who are Latinx. VERDICT McManus fans are sure to delight in the ending, even if they wish more books were forthcoming.--Katie Patterson
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Patterson, Katie. "MCMANUS, Karen M.: One of Us Is Back." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 9, Sept. 2023, p. 116. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A762831919/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b2371e1a. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "a satisfying and hopeful closer in a masterful trilogy."
McManus, Karen M. ONE OF US IS BACK Delacorte (Teen None) $19.99 7, 25 ISBN: 9780593485019
A new game is starting in Bayview but no one knows the rules in this latest installment in McManus' bestselling One of Us Is Lying series.
After all they've endured, the Bayview Crew--made up of the original Bayview Four (Nate, Bronwyn, Cooper, and Addy); their successors (Maeve, Phoebe, and Knox); Cooper's boyfriend, Kris; and Maeve's boyfriend, Luis--attempt to move on with their lives. But Jake (Addy's ex who tried to frame her for murder and almost killed her himself) has been released from jail and might even get a new trial. When a digital billboard in town ominously announces, "TIME FOR A NEW GAME, BAYVIEW," the crew becomes vigilant, clinging to one another--because if they've learned anything since Simon's death two years ago, it's that everyone has secrets, and everyone is a target. While McManus, as expected, succeeds at engaging readers in another thrilling mystery, she focuses much attention on various characters' challenges as they grow: Nate is determined to make himself worthy of Bronwyn's love; Phoebe struggles to accept Knox's affections while holding onto the secret of her brother's involvement in Jared's revenge on Addy's brother-in-law; Addy must learn how to live in a world where she may have to encounter Jake again (despite the restraining order). And even from the grave Simon continues to have an impact on the community. Main characters read White; an earlier title describes Addy and Maeve as Colombian American.
A satisfying and hopeful closer in a masterful trilogy. (Thriller. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"McManus, Karen M.: ONE OF US IS BACK." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A748974108/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c6f5dcde. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "McManus fans will devour this, and she will certainly earn some new fans as well."
Such Charming Liars. By Karen M. McManus. July 2024. 400p. Delacorte, $20.99 (9780593485057). Gr. 9-12.
Since Kat was four, she and her mother, Jamie, have been living in hiding, changing their names and location after fleeing Kat's abusive father. After a failed marriage lasting only 48 hours in Las Vegas, Jamie works at Spotless, a cleaning company that is a front for a forgery ring, especially forged jewelry. Jamie wants to work for a legitimate business, and her boss, Gem, is agreeable, provided Jamie help her with one last job at a birthday party for the head of a wealthy family. Complications quickly arise: Kat tags along with Jamie, and they learn that the 48-hour ex-husband, Luke, and his son, Liam, are also in attendance. It doesn't take long for everything to implode: Jamie becomes violently ill; Kat witnesses the murder of one of the family's sons, Parker Sutherland; and the murderer also has Jamie in his sights. Kat, Liam, and Parker's nephew Augustus join forces to solve the mysteries and stay alive as blame and suspicion ricochet around the compound. McManus's plot goes into overdrive with ingenious and unexpected twists and turns, including a particularly satisfying double twist at the end. Kat and Liam are very sympathetic characters, and their personalities balance each other perfectly. McManus fans will devour this, and she will certainly earn some new fans as well.--Donna Scanlon
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: McManus tm is a regular figure on the New York Times best-seller list, and her many fans are sure to be eager for this latest thriller.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
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Scanlon, Donna. "Such Charming Liars." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 17, 1 May 2024, pp. 62+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A804016161/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=82aa1134. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "an unputdownable, deliciously twisty mystery."
McManus, Karen M. SUCH CHARMING LIARS Delacorte (Teen None) $20.99 7, 30 ISBN: 9780593485057
Family secrets make for dangerous dealings in the latest from acclaimed mystery/thriller writer McManus.
At the tender ages of 4 and 5, Kat and Liam were thrown together during their parents' ill-conceived whirlwind Vegas marriage. After the divorce just two days later, neither expected to see the other again. Twelve years later, Kat's living with her mom, Jamie, and her jewel thief grandmother figure, Gem. When Jamie decides she wants out of the family business, Gem talks her into participating in one last heist at the ritzy Sutherland compound, and Kat sneaks along for the ride. Meanwhile, Liam has been stuck living with his con artist father, Luke, since his mother's death six months prior. After Luke scores an invite to patriarch Ross Sutherland's birthday party through his new girlfriend, Annalise Sutherland, Liam tags along and finds himself reunited with Kat at the estate. But when the party turns deadly, Liam and Kat, along with their new friend Augustus (Ross' grandson), find themselves entangled in a game of cat-and-mouse with a ruthless killer. Everyone seems to be hiding something--but which of these secrets are lethal? The main and side characters alike are nuanced and wholly realistic. The dual-narrative structure adds important context and perspective to Kat's and Liam's struggles, both past and present. The dialogue is snappy and sharp and melds well with the tight plot and quick pacing of the story. Most characters are coded white; there's some diversity in sexual orientation.
An unputdownable, deliciously twisty mystery. (Mystery. 12-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"McManus, Karen M.: SUCH CHARMING LIARS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A791876936/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=623b1c42. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "Their candid first-person-present accounts confer tension and texture."
Such Charming Liars
Karen M. McManus. Delacorte, $20.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-593-48505-7
Former stepsiblings reunite to solve a murder in this uneven thriller from McManus (One of Us Is Back). Kat Quinn, 16, and Liam Rooney, 17, haven't seen each other since their parents met, eloped, and divorced during a weekend in Las Vegas 12 years ago. Kat's mother then joined a jewelry theft ring, while Liam's father started fleecing lonely women. When Kat's mom announces her intentions to pull one last high-stakes job before going straight, Kat contrives to tag along. Mom hopes to use "half billionaire" Ross Sutherland's 80th birthday bash as a distraction to steal a ruby necklace, but upon arriving at the Sutherlands' compound in Bixby, Maine, Kat encounters Liam, who reveals that his father is there with his newest mark, Annalise--the necklace's owner and Ross's daughter. Complications avalanche, and after someone shoots a Sutherland, Kat and Liam find themselves on the run from an unidentified killer. Following a lengthy setup, the narrative slips into high gear, executing hairpin twists and exploding bombshells that catapult the tale to an electrifying close. Kat and Liam take turns narrating, and their candid first-person-present accounts confer tension and texture. All characters cue as white. Ages 14--up. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (July)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"Such Charming Liars." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 13, 1 Apr. 2024, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A799108158/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3f905c27. Accessed 18 Sept. 2024.