Introduction
The finale to the One of Us is Lying trilogy, One of Us is Back, was published on July 25th, 2023, by Random House publishing company, two and half years after its predecessor, One of Us is Next. McManus made sure this trilogy didn’t go quietly, and while the course of this book wasn’t my favorite, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it. If you haven’t read this series yet, I would recommend starting there before reading this review, but if you would like to continue without spoilers, then read the Plot and Spoiler-Free Thoughts sections. If you have read this book, go ahead and read the Thoughts section for a more in-depth review.
If you’d like to keep up with Karen M. McManus, you can visit her website, https://www.karenmcmanus.com/, or follow her on social media @writerkmc.
Plot
Bayview is nothing without its drama, and nobody knows that better than the Bayview Four and the players of Truth or Dare as they are forced to face down the one who started it all.
Spoiler-Free Thoughts
There is definitely a trend in this trilogy of the books getting more and more intense as they go on. I mentioned in the last review that One of Us is Next took what One of Us is Lying did and took it up a notch. I think that One of Us is Back took the series up yet another notch and this is the point in the trilogy where parts of it start to cross the line for me. The ending especially makes me contemplate what I would change if I had been the one to write this story. It does have a build-up to it that tracks well throughout the book, so it didn’t come out of nowhere, but it wasn’t my favorite.
I will say that I did enjoy the perspective choices for this book. The blend between the Bayview Four and Truth or Dare participants was an interesting one. Nate and Addy came back to represent the Bayview Four, which made sense given they were the two who remained in Bayview after graduation, and Phoebe represented the Truth or Dare group. Another interesting addition to this book that we didn’t have in previous installments was the inclusion of flashbacks told from two new perspectives. I won’t spoil them here, but they absolutely added a new and interesting layer to this story that we wouldn’t have received otherwise.
Staying true to the idea of character and relationship development, there wasn’t quite so much change between the main characters - nor did there need to be - but between the characters telling the story and their families. This makes sense as between the two previous books, Nate, Addy, and Phoebe had some of the most tumultuous home lives. To see those be addressed in this installment made sense as they would have been some of the biggest loose ends if they had been ignored.
While this was possibly my least favorite climax of the trilogy, I did love the way the ending tied up all loose ends and had an air of promise for a better, calmer future for the protagonists. I would say they’ve earned it.
While I liked how this book ultimately ended up, and the mystery was undoubtedly interesting to read and unravel, the climax and general tone of the book was more extreme than I was anticipating. While this wasn’t necessarily a negative thing, it wasn’t an aspect I found myself drawn to. Because of this, I have to give this book an 8/10.
Thoughts
The Riordan family was incredibly interesting. I don’t believe Mrs. Riordan was an evil person, but I do believe she had a misguided faith in her son’s goodness (or lack thereof). This is honestly understandable because - as terrible as Jake was, and as unforgivable as his actions were - he was her only son, and it was natural for her to assume the best of him. His father was a terrible person. He was a violent, aggressive man to everyone unfortunate enough to know him, and it’s no wonder that Jake turned out the way he did, or that his mother had an affair.
That was one of several plot twists in this book. Jake’s mother had an affair and conceived Jake. When Jake’s father found out, he killed the other man, which both Jake and Simon were witnesses to. The children of that other man were the ones behind the kidnappings and murders of this book. I will say that while I miss the use of the rumor mill, it does make sense to focus on Jake and his big return. In bringing him back, McManus creates the story while also bringing to light the flaws in the justice system in that people with money are much more likely to get away with their crimes.
This ties into Nate’s story, as Jake used him as a scapegoat in the first book because he already had a record and didn’t have the resources or support to properly defend himself - or so Jake thought. Nate’s life really turns around here with both of his parents in rehab, a steady job, a healthy and steady relationship with Bronwyn, and a big break at the end in being granted a huge sum of money. Things have finally turned around for him, and he’s in a place of accepting that he has earned all of these amazing things.
Phoebe’s family is able to work through everything as well. I really liked how they returned to Owen’s story, and her concern for him is completely understandable given Jake’s behavior. I’m glad that by the end of it all, she’s back in a good place with her family and friends. Things are similar for Addy. Every protection from Jake is awarded to her - though I’ll get to that in a second - and her mom is finally able to give her the start of an apology for her behavior in the past two books. As for Jake, that ended for her when he died at the end.
The big bad being Evie wasn’t the shock, the big surprise was how far everything was taken. This series is no stranger to death and attempted murder, but kidnapping and murder to be the thread we follow here feels amped up because it is. I almost wish Jake didn’t die so he could have had a chance for redemption or at least to really face the consequences of his actions. That was taken from him, and while I understand it, and I do feel like it wraps up the story, I can’t help but wonder what if. I can’t tell if that makes me like the book more or less.
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