The sequel to One of Us Is Lying, One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus follows a "new" generation of Bayview students caught in the crossfire of a Simon-esque copycat. Previous characters from One of Us Is Lying show up in the novel specifically Bronwyn as she is Maeve's older sister but overall take a backseat letting you explore new characters and their discovery of who the new Bayview victimiser is.

One of Us Is Next is easy to read with overly detailed descriptions pushing the plot forward and simply is worth your time because it is fun. Despite a totally new cast of characters, something I personally find frustrating with in sequels as I don't read sequels for new characters, I read sequels for the same characters, there was enough of the previous ones that you were able to love the new ones.

Your breath will not be stolen reading this but there is a satisfying conclusion to the insanity that is Bayview High. Be glad you are not a student there and instead enjoy the smile this novel will bring.

Yet to read One Of Us Is Lying?  Find the full review | HERE | to determine if the series is worth your time.

(It is. Why? Because it is fun!)

One of Us Is Next is better than of Of Us Is Lying when analysing the plot. This is because of three things:

1. There is one less main character to focus on allowing for better (and more equal) development of all three
2. The ending leaves nothing to be desired
3. Unlike One of Us Is Lying, this is not predictable plot wise

The plot is still oriented towards a younger audience and can be seen in its sentence structure and descriptions that I would have loved to read as a teen but as an adult kind of roll my eyes at. My personal gripe and this does not detract from the novel is why clothing was so specifically described when it wasn't necessary but alas, that's my personal confusion and is not a major component of the wholeness that is the plot.

The plot although unpredictable is not insanity but compared to The Inheritance Games which I recently finished, it made me realise that even if some moments are lacklustre, overall everything is written with a purpose and creates drive in the novel to entice you as a reader and pushes the plot forward.

If you enjoyed the plot from One of Us Is Lying, you are bound to love One Of Us Is Next as I genuinely feel it is a more surprising and enigmatic read.

Maeve, Knox, and Phoebe are the focus of the novel and can be placed in stereotypical high school identities in one aspect or another. I do feel they are more dynamic than Cooper, Nate, Addy and Bronwyn from the first novel and is why I feel this is a great sequel.

You will enjoy the characters, simple as that.

Now that was a good ending. The ending may even be the best part of One of Us Is Next as it ties the story up well and is why this novel is worth your time. It is easy, quick, and fun.

Unlike One of Us Is Lying, One of Us Is Next had me fooled. That ending ... it was quite different in comparison to the former novel and I am so happy with that. It was too easy last time to guess the "culprit" that the character's anguish about whether or not they would be caught in the crossfire felt unwarranted. You know who was going to be caught in the crossfire because you know who was calling the shots but with One of Us Is Next, I knew the targets but not the caller.

I suspected Emma had something to do with the game but my thoughts on her involvement were much more sinister than the truth and I am happy about that. Owen though, I never suspected that - that was a great twist.

Does anyone feel that these new characters, apart from Maeve, were all too coincidentally linked to the previous Bayview victims? I mean, when I went to high school I wasn't invited to my friend's sisters wedding or my bosses's wedding? Anybody else find that strange?

Let's think logically here because obviously fiction can never stretch the truth, how expensive was Eli's and Ashton's wedding? If they were inviting all these high schoolers that they barely knew? Too expensive is the answer and is where I had to throw reality to the wind and just let the novel be. I just can't get over it because weddings are so expensive. Does that have anything to do with the book? No, I'm just stressed about how much money they spent.

One of Us Is Next was a fun book to read and a great book overall. I feel it held its own as a sequel and is a book I would recommend to any young reader or anyone looking for a fun read.