One Of Us Is Next (Novel)

**One Of Us Is Next** is the highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller One Of Us Is Lying (Novel) written by Karen M. McManus.

## Plot

This novel (Book #2) begins eighteen months after the events in One Of Us Is Lying (Novel) (Book #1) in **Part I**. A group text from an unknown number ("Unknown") informs Bayview High students about a new Game. For a round of "Truth or Dare," Unknown will choose one person at a time. "Truth" implies that a personal secret about you is made public. Dare is a challenge. "Truth" is the default response if no response is given (and the advice Unknown gives is to "always take the Dare.")

As the first player, Phoebe (a junior) is chosen. Her secret is eventually revealed: she slept with her elder sister Emma's (a senior) boyfriend. Then there's a "Dare," followed by another "Dare." Maeve (a junior) is then picked. Her dark secret is revealed: she dumped her best friend Knox because he couldn't get it up. Things are peaceful until word arrives that Brandon, a jock and a jerk, has died in a construction accident. Knox was also present, although he was injured and has no memory of what occurred.

Phoebe, Maeve, and Knox try to figure out what happened in **Part II**. Brandon's death was later determined to be the result of an accident that happened during his "Dare." Nate (from Book #1) believes it wasn't an accident and that the construction site was set up to cause Brandon damage. Phoebe also receives a message from a stranger who requests a meeting. Phoeve, Maeve, Louis (Maeve's love interest), and Knox set out to find the stranger ("Intense Guy") and record his car plate information. Knox suspects his parents are involved in Brandon's death, so Maeve steals some files from his mother's computer. Maeve has also been keeping an eye on a Reddit forum where someone involved to the game appears to be posting, and Phoebe is mentioned.

Meanwhile, Eli and Ashton's wedding weekend comes. Knox interns for Eli, a lawyer who has recently gotten some officers convicted in a high-profile case.Maeve and Knox are tailing Intense Guy's vehicle and investigating. They learn that Intense Guy is Jared Jackson, the younger brother of Ray Jackson, one of Eli's imprisoned officers. They also learn that Phoebe's father died many years ago as a result of a forklist that Brandon Weber was playing with (when he was 13) malfunctioning and killing Phoebe's father. Brandon was let off the hook by his parents.

Maeve and Knox are on the trail of Jared Jackson, who shows up at Eli's wedding and delivers a bomb. Maeve and Knox dash away from the bomb, which detonates only injuring Nate who was covering Bronwyn. See the explosion covering her and thankfully only his arm being injured. Emma's sister later reveals that she claimed to be Phoebe and arranged a vengeance pact with Jared (Emma had already heard about Phoebe sleeping with her ex and was furious). Emma vowed to assist him in obtaining vengeance (unaware that Eli was the intended victim), and Emma wanted Brandon to be hurt (not killed). Emma, on the other hand, withdrew as soon as the game began.

Then Emma's lawyer shows her a conversation log, and Emma and Phoebe understand that Owen, their tech-savvy younger brother, must have re-engaged contact with Jared for fun (just playing the Truth or Dare game). Owen, on the other hand, stopped contacting Jared after Brandon died. They both cover for Owen at the conclusion of the book.

## Characters

* Maeve Rojas
* Phoebe Lawton
* Knox Myers
* Luis Santos
* Emma Lawton
* Owen Lawton
* Mrs. Lawton
* Nate Macauley
* Addy Prentiss
* Cooper Clay
* Kris
* Bronwyn Rojas
* Brandon Weber
* Sean Murdoch
* Jules
* Monica
* Lance Weber
* Jared Jackson