“‘After all, what’s one more lie?’ Life hasn’t been easy for the Bayview Crew. First they had to prove they weren’t killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat/ Now, it’s beginning again. At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: ‘Time for a new game, Bayview.’ But when a member of the crew disappears, it’s clear this ‘game’ just got serious – and no one understands the rules. Everyone’s a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly ‘Simon was right about secrets – they all come out in the end.’”
What is the book about?
The Bayview Crew are all back in Bayview, together for the summer. A summer they were hoping would be a nice time to all be together before everyone goes off on their own separate ways again – but it seems like whenever the crew are together bad things happen and Bayview is never the boring town they all hoped it would be. After Jake and Simon and Jared, it’s clear that things will always be interesting. At first everything seems fine, but then a random, mysterious phrase appears on a billboard, one that everyone fears is the start of something new – TIME FOR A NEW GAME, BAYVIEW. After some panic, everyone dismisses it as a strange ad or a mistake, but when a member of the crew disappears at a Fourth of July party, and is found mysteriously unharmed with a single word written across their arm, it’s evident that it’s not a coincidence. Then, when someone else disappears and is found dead, it is clear things are escalating and this person isn’t scared of a little blood. Everyone believes the person responsible is someone who created many problems when they were first in Bayview and has somehow managed to crawl their way back to this dreadful town. But everything leads back to revenge and there is someone new who wants to make someone pay for their sins.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
I didn’t even hesitate when I saw that Karen M. McManus had written another book and I clicked pre-order before I had even registered what was going on. When it finally arrived I added it to my collection, where it gathered dust for several months before I finally managed to read it once I finished my exams. I was really excited to begin with, to read the final instalment of a series that I really enjoyed by an author whose books I have always enjoyed and I am glad I was not disappointed. I read the blurb and was immediately intrigued to find out what new secrets would come out (because really how many more secrets could there be after the past 2 books) and knew that I would be pleasantly surprised just like all of Karen M. McManus’s books (which I was). I didn’t quite know what would be in store for me because there are always twists that I can never see coming, which is one of the things that made me so excited to read this book because I always love a good surprise. Once I finally opened up the book and started reading, I was delighted to find that I fit into the world of the Bayview Crew as if I had never left and was so quickly sucked into a story that I had left more than 3 years ago. The book had me wrapped in its pages within only a few chapters and I am glad that my initial expectations were correct and that another McManus book didn’t disappoint.
Who was your favourite character and why?
I would have to say that, although I liked many of the characters in One of Us is Back (and there were certainly many to choose from), my favourite character was probably Addy. From all the other characters’ perspectives, Addy was a kind, caring and lovable person, always willing to lend a hand. She was someone they all wanted to protect and be there for, but they didn’t realise that she was one of the strongest of them all. It wasn’t these qualities that made me choose her as my favourite character but actually what I read through her POVs was what convinced me. Whenever something happened and everyone was worried at how she’d deal with it, the only thing on her mind was her friends and making sure they were safe. There was this one particular scene where Addy herself was in trouble and danger, but her only thoughts were that one of her friends was injured and needed help, so instead of sending a message to let people know where she was, she used her only opportunity to type as a way of helping her friend. She was completely selfless and in the situations where she was most likely to break down, she kept going in order to help her friends in whatever way she could. She was so brave and the perfect friend anyone could ask for, I just wish that I could have a friend as good and strong as her.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
My favourite part (unsurprisingly) was the ending. It was absolutely perfect and I have no comments. I devoured all books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed the ending in all the books; however they felt somewhat incomplete until now. The ending of One of Us is Back felt like a true ending, one where there would be no more mystery in Bayview and finally the characters could be at peace. The best thing about it was the fact that all the characters were together, even if it was only for one brief moment before they all went in different directions. However, I liked that the characters were finally moving on, because after all the terror that they experienced, it was finally their chance at a happy ending. It was a comforting ending and one which I won’t soon forget.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and finished it far too quickly. There were so many things that made this book the perfect ending to this trilogy and one of them was simply the fact that it existed. I didn’t even know that there was going to be a book after One of Us is Next and was truly surprised when I saw it on Amazon. The previous 2 books had had endings that could have easily been the real ending and there was truly no need to continue the story, however, I am glad that McManus did finish the trilogy. One of Us is Back is a book I didn’t know I needed until I finished it, because at that point it was clear that there was no way the series could have been concluded without it. Another thing I really enjoyed was the flashbacks to when Simon and Jake were friends (before the events of One of Us is Lying and before Jake even met Addy or Cooper or anyone else). They really helped me to understand why Simon and Jake did everything they did and how this whole story started. Each of these flashbacks helped to tell the story that nearly no one would have known other than Simon and Jake (and one was unable to tell it and the other unwilling to). It was a gradual unveiling to the true reason why Jake chose to help Simon and risk everything and it helped clear up some questions that I had carried with me for quite a while. One other thing I loved was hearing from a wide range of people. There were several different points of view and that helped me see things through different eyes and get the full story, not just parts of it. Although I was sometimes confused as to whose eyes I was seeing through (even though it literally said it at the beginning of each chapter), I still really enjoyed it and know I will always love books with multiple POVs. This book was amazing and I just can’t believe I’ll never read more about these amazing characters that I learned so much about.
Which is your favourite book in the One of Us is Lying series? (1, 2, or 3)
All three books (One of Us is Lying, One of Us is Next and One of Us is Back) were absolutely amazing and so is everything else Karen M. McManus has written (she is a great author) and if I’m being completely honest, I have forgotten too much of the first 2 books in the trilogy to be able to honestly answer this question. All 3 books were very different and had very different mysteries that had to be solved, however the quality of the writing, and characters, and storyline was consistently amazing in all books. This is why it is so difficult for me to make a decision. However, one thing that makes One of Us is Back stand out to me is that it completed the series and it created a full circle. Everything came back to Simon and secrets in the end and it really emphasised the main message that I think the series was trying to portray: all secrets come out in the end.
Would you recommend this book?
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, drama and thrillers. I enjoyed it so much and it is perfect for over 14s who love mysteries where the main characters take over the job of the police and choose to investigate themselves.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
The thrilling last instalment to a mystery-filled series you will never forget.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
