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Gossip, Secrets, and High School Murder? Sign Me Up
If you devoured One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, you know the vibe: a high school where everyone’s hiding something, a death that shocks the entire student body, and a twisty investigation that makes you suspect literally everyone—even the nice one who just returned your pencil.
This breakout YA thriller has been called The Breakfast Club with a body count, and honestly? Accurate. Between the locked-room setup, unreliable narrators, and the way McManus drip-feeds secrets like candy, it’s no wonder the book spawned a Netflix/Peacock adaptation and a whole subgenre of “messy teen secrets meet murder mystery.”
So, what’s a reader to do after tearing through it at 2 a.m.? Fear not—I’ve curated a list of 7 books like One of Us Is Lying that will give you the same delicious hit of suspense, teen drama, and shocking reveals.
Karen M. McManus: Your New Thriller Bestie
Before we dive into other authors, let’s give McManus her well-earned crown.
Why we love her:
- She’s basically the queen of YA thrillers with high school drama at their core
- She juggles multiple POVs without ever confusing us (teach me your ways)
- Her plots always deliver one or two twists that make you shout, “WAIT, WHAT?” at 1 a.m.
Other books to binge if you haven’t yet:
- Two Can Keep a Secret – Because Echo Ridge has more skeletons than a Halloween store
- The Cousins – A family full of lies + a private island = chef’s kiss
- You’ll Be the Death of Me – Three teens, one skipped school day, and a dead body
Reading McManus back-to-back is its own book blast, and it’s the perfect warm-up before exploring other twisty YA thrillers.
Quick Mystery books by the Numbers
📚 One of Us Is Lying has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
🔎 The book spent over 130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
🎬 Peacock adapted the book into a hit TV series, now streaming internationally.
📈 “Books like One of Us Is Lying” searches spike every fall—prime back-to-school mystery season.
What Inspired books like One of Us Is Lying?
Karen M. McManus has said the book was inspired by her love of classic whodunits (think Agatha Christie) mixed with the social dynamics of high school. She wanted to answer the question:
What if you put the archetypes of The Breakfast Club in a locked room… and one of them didn’t make it out alive?
The result is a delicious cocktail of teen angst, murder mystery, and contemporary drama. And it kicked off a trend of YA thrillers that are as addictive as scrolling TikTok at 1 a.m.—except here, someone’s always lying.
7 Books Like One of Us Is Lying
Get ready for unreliable narrators, social media scandals, and small-town secrets. These books will scratch the same suspenseful itch.
1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
High school senior Pip investigates a five-year-old murder in her small town for her capstone project—and quickly realizes the original case doesn’t add up.
Why it’s similar:
- Teen sleuth in a familiar high school setting
- Slow-burn investigation with diary entries and media snippets
- Multiple “wait, WHAT?” reveals
Fun Facts:
- First in a trilogy (so your TBR is instantly stacked)
- Has a podcast-style storytelling vibe that’s great on audiobook
- Recently greenlit for a TV adaptation
Goodreads review:
“If One of Us Is Lying and Serial had a baby, it would be this book. Couldn’t stop reading.”
2. They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
At an elite prep school on Long Island, Jill’s best friend was murdered during freshman year. Now a senior, she starts receiving texts that suggest the real killer is still out there.
Why it’s similar:
- Gossip Girl + murder vibes
- Exclusive school setting with toxic friendships
- Narrator discovering her friends might be liars—or worse
Fun Facts:
- Adapted into the HBO Max series The Player’s Table starring Sydney Sweeney and Halsey
- Jessica Goodman is a Cosmopolitan editor, and the social commentary is sharp
- Inspired by real elite prep school culture
Goodreads review:
“I needed a manicure after this because I chewed my nails to nothing.”
3. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Sunnybrook High’s cheer team seems cursed: five cheerleaders died in suspicious circumstances. Five years later, a new mystery threatens to reveal the truth.
Why it’s similar:
- Dark high school secrets and unreliable adult characters
- A protagonist digging into a mystery that adults want buried
- Perfect for fans of slow-burn suspense and shocking endings
Fun Facts:
- Kara Thomas also writes adult thrillers under the same name
- Inspired by the author’s love of small-town murder mysteries
- Praised for its emotional depth along with the suspense
Goodreads review:
“It gave me that One of Us Is Lying vibe: suburban secrets, teen sleuthing, and a final twist I didn’t see coming.”
4. All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban
Six teens are invited to a mysterious scholarship dinner, only to find themselves locked in a room with a bomb and a syringe of poison. They must choose someone to kill—or they all die.
Why it’s similar:
- Literal locked-room suspense
- High school stereotypes under pressure
- Flashbacks reveal everyone’s dirty secrets
Fun Facts:
- A debut novel that reads like a thriller movie
- Perfect for fans of escape room scenarios
- Features alternating timelines for maximum tension
Goodreads review:
“Breakfast Club meets Saw, but somehow still YA-friendly. Couldn’t put it down.”
5. People Like Us by Dana Mele
At an elite all-girls boarding school, a body is discovered and a twisted scavenger hunt begins, exposing the darkest secrets of the school’s queen bees.
Why it’s similar:
- Mean Girls with a murder twist
- Private school setting dripping with privilege and danger
- Female-led cast of unreliable narrators
Fun Facts:
- Recommended for fans of One of Us Is Next
- Boarding school inspired by the author’s upstate New York roots
- Combines psychological suspense with social drama
Goodreads review:
“Like Pretty Little Liars grew up and went to boarding school. Creepy and compulsive.”
6. Secrets So Deep by Ginny Myers Sain
A summer theater camp on the Connecticut coast turns sinister when a girl starts experiencing eerie visions—and suspects her mother’s death wasn’t an accident.
Why it’s similar:
- Atmospheric and suspenseful with teen POV
- Combines mystery with light supernatural vibes
- Secrets in a close-knit community unravel slowly
Fun Facts:
- Perfect for fans of We Were Liars and YA thrillers
- Ginny Myers Sain is also the author of Dark and Shallow Lies
- The coastal setting feels like a character itself
Goodreads review:
“Dark, moody, and twisty—like One of Us Is Lying met We Were Liars.”
7. The Ivies by Alexa Donne
At a cutthroat boarding school, five girls will do anything to get into the Ivy League—including sabotage, blackmail… and maybe murder.
Why it’s similar:
- Toxic academic competition
- Clique dynamics with dangerous secrets
- Multiple twists that keep you guessing until the end
Fun Facts:
- Alexa Donne also hosts a YouTube channel on writing YA thrillers
- Combines How to Get Away With Murder energy with Gossip Girl
- Standalone thriller with cinematic vibes
Goodreads review:
“Couldn’t stop flipping pages. The ending made me gasp out loud in my kitchen.”
Comparison Table: Books Like One of Us Is Lying
| Title | Setting | POV Style | Vibe/Theme | Series? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder | Small town/high school | Dual + documents | Amateur sleuth, secrets | Yes (3 books) |
| They Wish They Were Us | Prep school | Single POV | Elite privilege, murder | Standalone |
| The Cheerleaders | Suburban high school | Single POV | Grief, mystery, suspense | Standalone |
| All Your Twisted Secrets | Locked room | Alternating | Pressure-cooker thriller | Standalone |
| People Like Us | Boarding school | Single POV | Mean girls, scavenger hunt | Standalone |
| Secrets So Deep | Coastal theater camp | Single POV | Supernatural suspense | Standalone |
| The Ivies | Elite boarding school | Single POV | Academic cutthroat drama | Standalone |
FAQs About Books Like One of Us Is Lying
Is One of Us Is Lying a standalone?
It’s part of a duology! The sequel, One of Us Is Next, continues the Bayview High drama.
Is the TV series faithful to the book?
Mostly—though like all adaptations, some characters and subplots were tweaked for TV pacing.
Are all YA thrillers appropriate for teens?
Yes, but content varies. Expect mild language, some violence, and teen romance.
What makes books like One of Us Is Lying so addictive?
Short chapters, cliffhangers, shifting POVs, and the thrill of figuring out the twist before the characters do.
Do I need to read the sequel to enjoy the first book?
No, but if you love the characters and want more drama, One of Us Is Next delivers.
Where can I find more YA mysteries?
Follow #YABookTok on TikTok, check out Penguin Teen’s catalog, or browse Goodreads lists for “Twisty YA Thrillers.”
