The kids of Bayview High are no strangers to gossip. When everyone in the school receives a text message inviting them to play a game of truth or dare, they think it’s just another Simon copycat. But when they are ignored the truths start to be revealed. Soon dares are being accepted. Who is behind this new round of damaging gossip?

“It’s the second tragic teenage death in the past eighteen months for this small town, and the mood outside the school is one of shocked déjà vu.”

One of Us is Next had such a slow start. The nice things about sequels is that you don’t have to spend time getting to know anyone…but here the main characters are new, or had minor roles in One of Us is Lying. Also I think the Breakfast Club angle in the first book helped with getting to know the characters. The book does open with a list of all the characters and who they are, which is quite helpful, but also I’m wary when a book needs this.

The point of view characters are Maeve, Knox and Phoebe. Maeve is Bronwyn’s little sister, and is trying to hide the signs that her leukaemia is back. Her ex Knox is interning for the lawyer Eli. Since her dad died, Phoebe’s life has been downsized, her sister barely speaks to her and her little brother is just, well, annoying. The game creates rifts in all their lives, but also brings them together.

The truth or dare game didn’t seem that threatening, and it’s only really in the second half where things get exciting. Whilst they have suspicions over which Simon-wannabe started the game, it takes tragedy to spur them into really finding out who is responsible.

I wanted to bash Maeve over the head for ignoring her symptoms… and I wasn’t that invested in Phoebe and Emma’s little spat over their truth. I felt the story wasn’t really going anywhere for so long. I did enjoy the second half though, but I generally feel Karen McManus hasn’t managed to replicate the success of her debut yet.

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: 33. A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads

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Book Source: Purchased