What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why? A lot of plot points moved around, but I managed to hold on to that line. The very first line I wrote for the book was, “I got the idea for killing Simon while watching Dateline.” At the time, I was going to take the story in a different direction than where it ultimately ended up. No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material? Many early readers have told me they suffered from “Just One More Chapter” syndrome while reading the book-they’d tell themselves they’d read just one more chapter, and then when they got to the end they couldn’t stand to stop. This was my first attempt at writing a thriller, and I found that cliffhanger chapters are a specialty of mine. Was there anything new you discovered, or surprised you, as you wrote this book? I don’t think I’ve ever seen another mystery with four first-person POV unreliable narrators. They start as stereotypes, but their emotional arcs (and the twists that reveal them) are just as compelling as the “whodunit” aspect. There’s the core mystery of who killed Simon, but there are also layers to every character. The subject matter is often dark, but the tone is light. I think it’s a thriller with heart and humor. How does this book make a contribution to the genre? Each of the main characters in ONE OF US IS LYING have a lot to lose when their secrets are revealed, but they also have a chance to grow and become more layered and accepting of themselves and others. Sometimes it takes a shocking incident to jar you out of complacency and the ease of following a path that’s been set for you. That people aren’t always what they seem on the surface-and this is true for how people see themselves, too. What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

McManus to discuss her debut young adult thriller, ONE OF US IS LYING: The Big Thrill caught up with author Karen M. Are they guilty? Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? When police learn Simon’s death wasn’t an accident, everyone is a suspect. On Friday, he planned to post juicy reveals about four high-profile students. Seventeen-year-old Simon Kelleher is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, ONE OF US IS LYING is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive.

One of us is lying author