One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus Summary
Overview of One of Us Is Lying
Five teens enter detention, one doesn't survive. "One of Us Is Lying" - the 267-week NYT bestseller translated into 40+ languages - reimagines Breakfast Club with a murderous twist. Who's behind the deadly secret that's captivated readers worldwide?
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Key takeaways
Five Strangers, One Fatal Detention
It begins like a twisted version of "The Breakfast Club": five students walk into detention at Bayview High, each fitting a distinct stereotype. Bronwyn is the Yale-bound perfectionist who never breaks rules. Cooper is the baseball star with major league scouts watching his every move. Addy is the picture-perfect girlfriend whose identity revolves around her popular boyfriend Jake. Nate is the school's notorious drug dealer, already on probation. And Simon-well, Simon runs the school's feared gossip app that exposes students' darkest secrets. All five insist they're innocent, claiming someone planted phones in their backpacks to get them into detention. But what starts as an ordinary punishment takes a deadly turn when Simon drinks from the water cup and collapses from a severe allergic reaction. Despite frantic efforts to find his EpiPen and perform CPR, Simon dies on the classroom floor. The investigation quickly reveals this was no accident. The EpiPens were deliberately removed from the nurse's office, and peanut oil-fatal to Simon's documented allergy-was found in his cup. Even more damning, police discover Simon had scheduled a gossip post for the next day exposing devastating secrets about all four detention survivors. Suddenly, everyone has a motive, and the "Bayview Four" become the prime suspects in what now looks like murder.
Secrets Worth Killing For
Trial by Media in the Digital Age
Unexpected Alliances Under Fire
The Toxic Power of High School Hierarchy
The Shocking Truth Revealed
Finding Truth in a World of Lies
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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