McManus weaves a wonderful finale in this final novel in the "One of Us Is Lying" series. New enemies and old resurface and both the original Bayview Four and additional victims from the second book feel threatened. A twist in the history of characters from the original story resurface and wrap up the series in an unexpected, but thrilling, way. I enjoyed the twists and the depth of all of the characters. This book was a wild ride from beginning to end!

I’ve really enjoyed all of the books in the One of Us Is Lying series, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this one! Overall I enjoyed this book, even if I didn’t like it quite as much as the first one. I love Karen M. McManus’s books, so I knew I would enjoy it. This book has a slightly different feel to me than the first two. It was almost as if it were more of a slow burn mystery than happening with a bang like the other two. I got more and more intrigued as the story went on.

I really loved having all of the characters back for this installment. I’ve really fallen in love with the Bayview Crew! I wish we had gotten to hear from everyone’s perspectives, although that would be difficult to write. As always, I enjoyed getting to spend more time with these characters. I’m still hoping for more books in this series! The character development was wonderful, and I liked getting to know more about everyone and seeing them grow. The characters feel real and relatable to me, which is important. Overall, I love the found family aspect that this character group has defined. I’m really happy that it’s stayed strong. I also really appreciated the full circle narrativere that our characters got.

I certainly didn’t expect the twist at the end and didn’t see that one coming! It was certainly unique and unexpected!

Overall I really enjoyed the book and recommend it!

This is one of my favorite series of all time with the first book being probably my favorite YA thriller I have ever read. I loved coming back to this world even though I did forget a lot of what happened in the second one. I wish the author spent some more time talking about previous events. I also we got more or different POVs. There was one that was a sludge to read through but I absolutely loved seeing the Bayview Crew again.

Karen M. McManus writes such engaging and twisty thrillers and this book is no exception. She is an expert at weaving her characters through complicated and engaging plans to land in the exact right spot they need to be in. I will continue to read everything she writes!

I received an e-arc from Random House Children’s and my review is entirely my own thoughts!

One of Us Is Back is the third book in the One of Us Is Lying Trilogy. It combines the crew from both books and gives us a tale of more drama and suspense from Bayview, California. I was excited to see the Bayview Four crew back in action. I loved that we had multiple POVs as it made the book’s pace consistent.

I’m not entirely sure this book was necessary, but it was still a lot of fun. There was a recap in the beginning of the book that wasn’t too long and overbearing, and I loved how we got flashbacks to Jake’s past. I wish Jake was a bit more of a villain in this book but overall I enjoyed this read!

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The entire Bayview crew is back together for the summer, enjoying their time away from school and college. Bayview being Bayview however, trouble is just around the corner. The town has not forgotten the repercussions of Simon’s little game from a few years ago, so when a billboard is hacked to display the message, “Time for a new game, Bayview”, it appears to be a tasteless joke. Then an old enemy gets out of jail on a technicality and it’s evident he is still harbouring a grudge against the crew. When a member of the crew disappears, they realize this is no joke and someone is clearly out for revenge and has started a new deadly game.

I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical about this book when I first heard about it since we were returning to the same cast of characters and setting for the third time, and wondered just how much more story could be squeezed out of it, but Karen McManus’ books have almost never disappointed so I requested the arc without hesitation.

Most of the first quarter of this book was spent on reminding the reader of the events that occurred in the previous two books – a good thing, as while I remember the plot of One of Us Is Lying clearly, I recall next to nothing of what happened in One of Us Is Next. Maybe it’s because I watched the TV show pretty recently? Despite the handy recap, with this latest addition, this series needs to be read in order to fully understand it even though each book could be considered something of a standalone in terms of the mystery itself. One of Us Is Back also addressed the plot twist that One of Us Is Next ended on.

Even from beyond the grave, Simon was once again at the heart of this latest mess Bayview finds itself in, and he had some final secrets to reveal as his POV chapters take the reader back in time to before the plot of One of Us Is Lying and filled in some important details that made the previous two books make even more sense.

As always, McManus’ books never disappoint when it comes to setting the mood for a thriller. I didn’t manage to guess who the real culprit was until the last 15%. There was no shortage of crazy twists and it kept the suspense level steady until the very end.

This was a fast paced thriller and easy to read. Plot aside though, I felt there were times when I felt like it was getting overly complicated for no reason with a few too many red herrings, and also having the characters getting involved in things for no reason. Then there was the character who unexpectedly returned, but I felt like the author didn’t use it to full effect and I really thought that was going to have a bigger impact on the plot than it did.

The one downside about this book is the huge cast of characters. It essentially included all the characters who appear in the previous two books and made things quite confusing to follow. I frequently lost track of who was narrating as POVs switched with each chapter and the voices didn’t feel distinct enough apart from the original four. It took a lot of effort to not only keep them all straight but remember all their backstories and personal issues and secrets that inevitably come back and are revealed at the worst possible time for the character.

It was great to see where all the characters are in their lives after their experiences over the past two years and despite the plot not allowing much time to focus on character arcs, it was still very evident how much they’ve grown – especially the original four. I loved how tight knit the whole group was, and how they dropped everything to help at the first hint that one of them was in trouble.

The final chapters felt a bit rushed, but it all came together well in an exciting and action-packed last couple of chapters. The final installment in the Only of Us Is Lying series wrapped up things very satisfactorily for the Bayview crew, particularly Addy, Bronwyn and Nate, whose stories interested me the most.

With McManus’ previous book, Nothing More To Tell, I thought that perhaps I’m starting to outgrow her books, but One of Us Is Back proved that wrong. This was an enjoyable read and I loved seeing all these characters again. While the first is still my favorite, I would highly recommend this book – and any book by this author – to all mystery fans!

One of us is Back was a pretty good book. I had a difficult time getting into it since it has been a while since I read the last two books so I struggled to keep the different characters straight. It didn't take too long to have me hooked though!

Out of the trilogy, I think this was my favorite book. Most of the characters are the same, so they have been well-developed by the author and are more mature in this book. I wasn't expecting the ending at all, so that was even better. As always, it makes me sad to finish a series, so I'll be experiencing mild depression until I find my next great read.

Surprising, Well-paced, and Character-driven, this was a great way to end the trilogy!

A spell-binding end to the “One of Us Is Lying” trilogy! I adored this book and flew through it, anxiously awaiting to discover how the mystery unfolds and what sort of ending our beloved Bayview Crew would meet.

This multiple point of view book follows a combination of main characters from both One of Us Is Lying and One of Us Is Next, the first two books in the trilogy. Bayview is known for citizens exacting their own brand of revenge on people they deem guilty, and this book fits that mold perfectly. An old enemy returns to town, a main character is kidnapped, and plenty of new characters round out the suspicions growing in Bayview.

My favorite part of this book is the intensity surrounding the main mystery in this book – you simply have to know how this book will end and who is behind all the mayhem. Being a third book in a trilogy, readers have a very thorough understanding of all the characters and their faults, which makes you love them even more and remain invested in their lives. McManus writes gripping mysteries, with likeable characters, and extremely realistic/believable storylines.

In order to fully understand this book and the characters, I would definitely recommend reading the first two books in the trilogy first. I would recommend this entire trilogy to anyone and everyone – it is wide-reaching and relatable, regardless of readers’ age. I would especially recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, YA high school dramas, or books with multiple points of view.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I struggled to get into this story despite it being the third installment. Maybe because there are so many characters by this point in the series, I have trouble keeping them straight and also caring what happens to them.

One thing I wish I had done was reread the previous 2 books because it took me a good minute to remember everyone and their stories and how they fit in to the series.

It was a good ass finale though. If this is the end anyways. The ending was a bit open which I'm sure was done on purpose.

Hijinks, drama, secrets revealed and more people dying. All the best you can expect from McManus and she delivered.

It was a bit too over dramatic but it's also written for a YA audience so bear that in mind going into it.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Excellent end to an interesting and intriguing trilogy. I loved One of Us is Lying from the second it came out. I liked the second book, and I think this third book really brings everything together and concludes things well. The characters are all back and all have their moments. They’re so well-written and enjoyable to follow. The relationships I’ve come to enjoy were featured and it just made me happy to revisit them. The pacing was good, the mystery captured my interest, and overall I found this to be a great read.

It was a treat to return to Bayview and the Bayview Crew despite my concerns that there was nothing left to say. Turns out there was a lot! Like all Karen McManus books this one was an addictive one sitting read and I neglected everything else on my Saturday to devour it. I loved seeing the maturation and growth of the characters and how they came together to protect and support one another while they solved another Bayview mystery all the while making tongue in cheek references to the continued shenanigans in their town. Can’t wait to see what McManus does next!

One of Us is back does not disappoint. I loved reuniting with these characters and was blown away by the twists and surprise reveals. What a fantastic ending to an amazing series. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

As usually from McManus I couldn't stop reading! It was great going back to Bayview and seeing all my favorite characters return for this installment. Everything just hit the mark for me with this one it was such a fun and easy read.
Thank you netgalley for the advance copy!

absolutely intriguing i’ve been waiting for so long and i did not disappoint!! i’ve missed these characters so much

The third book did not disappoint. Love the characters and all the twists. Can’t wait to share this with patrons.

This is an easy 4-star read. I loved One of Us is Lying and enjoyed One of Us is Next, though to a lesser degree. While nothing will ever replace the original in my heart, One of Us is Back blew book 2 out of the water. One of my primary disappointments in book 2 was that the cast of characters wasn’t as charismatic or memorable as the original cast and the appearances of the Bayview Four seemed like shoehorned nostalgia points or a flimsy bridge to keep fans of the original on board. I was happy that One of Us is Back centered more fully around the Bayview Four and bringing a satisfying conclusion to their stories while connecting with the events of books 1 and 2 meaningfully. Some characters felt fairly minimally involved, which is unsurprising given how large the cast has become after two novels starring separate ensemble casts, but the mentions of them sometimes felt a bit like reassurance that the author hadn’t forgotten about their existence as opposed to their serving a real role in the plot.
The character development for the Bayview Four, however, was everything that I wanted from the series. I loved watching the growth of not only our protagonists but also their relationships with their families and the important people in their lives. We met these characters at a very chaotic time in their lives when they were thrown together by unimaginable circumstances, and now we see them growing into their own identities and making strides in their lives as they transition from adolescence to young adulthood. It’s incredibly satisfying because by now, readers know these characters and we can all feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in them at the conclusion of their story.
The mystery itself is remarkably more tense than the last one to strike Bayview, and again comes in second only to the original plot with Simon. I felt like the culprit was believable and had motives that felt legitimate and didn’t come out of left field. Every aspect of the suspense plot held echoes of Bayview’s previous scandals and tied all three together in a way that was more satisfying than a third, primarily independent whodunit would have been. I loved all the callbacks to book 1 and the deeper exploration of the characters, their backstories, and the fallout of their choices - particularly the flashback chapters.
My only real criticisms of this book are the juggling of an oversized cast of characters and just the slightest feeling of it being rushed due to how much needed to fit in. I had so much fun though, that I honestly can’t hold any of that against it. This book felt like a return to the series' heart and the book that started it all, and I highly recommend it, even to those whose interest may have waned during One of Us is Next. It’s hard to wrap up a series like this, but One of Us is Back did an outstanding job. Readers can be satisfied as they turn the last page and finally reach ‘The End!’

I’m sad to say that I have DNF this book. Now in all fairness it has nothing to do with the actual plot or anything. It’s a total me problem. I don’t remember a single thing from the previous books. So once I started this one I felt zero connection to the story and couldn’t remember anything. Because of that I felt I couldn’t pay attention to it.

4.5/5 stars

One Of Us Is Back is the long awaited conclusion to the incredible One Of Us Is Lying YA mystery/thriller trilogy.

I could not have been more excited to read this book. The Bayview Crew is back together for the Summer. This book really ties together the two previous books. This is a very satisfying conclusion to the series.

The narrators in this book are Addy (1 of the original Bayview 4), Phoebe, and Nate (also an original Bayview 4).

The mysteries from the first two books are mentioned numerous times. And in this final book we have a new mystery to solve.

There are lots of secrets as well as lots of shocking revelations. The book features all of the important characters from this series. We get lots of Nate and Bronwyn. And we also get to see Cooper and Kris, Maeve and Luis, and Phoebe and Knox.

The book focuses a lot on Jake (big villain from the past) and a digital billboard that announces that it's "Time for a new Game Bayview." Some characters are redeemed and some are not. Also we get to find out some very interesting facts from the past.

Overall this was such a fun read! It featured everything that I was looking for in a final book! And it was so great to see all of our favorite characters again!

Fans of McManus' earlier books will be pleased. This thriller is not recommended for young readers as there are mature themes and language.