Last Updated Date: January 21, 2026
If you’re searching for shocking books like One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus to read in 2026, the best options include hidden gems like Forgotten But Never Gone and The Agathas. These were chosen for their high-stakes tropes, unforeseen plot curves, and the classic 'Breakfast Club' vibe fans crave.
At a Glance:
Well-kept Secrets: Forgotten But Never Gone Khristina Chess
Dark Academia: People Like Us by Dana Mele
Stolen Identity: Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill
Why Trust These Suggestions?
As an award-winning author and longtime blogger with over 10 years of experience analyzing YA fiction, I’ve personally curated this collection from my own bookshelves. While many lists stick to mainstream bestsellers, I’ve hand-picked some offbeat authors and titles that Karen McManus fans might not have discovered yet.
#1 Forgotten But Never Gone by Khristina Chess: A Small-town Mystery for Fans of Amateur Sleuths
If you liked the high-stakes secrets of Karen McManus’ Bayview, Forgotten But Never Gone is the perfect new release for 2026 readers. It mirrors the "small-town cold case" trope while adding a unique 1980s atmosphere. The determined amateur sleuth energy that makes One of Us Is Lying a bestseller is prominent here, but Chess trades modern gossip apps for the chilling social apathy of a pre-digital era.
Why It’s Like One of Us Is Lying
Atmospheric 1980s Setting: High school friends in small-town environment.
Amateur Sleuth: A determined amateur investigator (Bobby).
Mystery Type: Decades-old cold case with "unreliable" adult witnesses and a twist ending.
Theme: Social justice and the "unseen" victims of crime.
One-sentence summary for Forgotten But Never Gone by Khristina Chess: The 1980 disappearance of a young girl reveals that a town's apathy can be as terrifying as the crime itself.
The Taste Test
“I think it was this rebellious quality about her that allowed everyone to write off her disappearance so easily. Kids like Half-pint ran away. This whole generation was full of delinquents. Blah, blah, blah.” – Khristina Chess from Forgotten But Never Gone
My Reading Experience: Why Forgotten But Never Gone Is the Best Cold-Case Mystery to Read in 2026
Unlike many bestselling YA mysteries, I found Forgotten But Never Gone to be the most authentic 1980s cold-case investigation because it avoids modern "detective" tropes. Unlike typical "whodunits," this novel prioritizes social apathy—the terrifying reality that people simply stopped looking—which makes the mystery feel more visceral and grounded than One of Us Is Lying. It also captures a 'pre-digital' fear that modern thrillers often miss.
The deep dive: why this story lingers:
If you’re drawn to those cold case shows and unsolved mysteries of the 70s and 80s, those heartbreaking stories of missing girls and unclaimed Jane Does, Forgotten But Never Gone will appeal to you. This compelling mystery transports readers back to a time before AMBER alerts and 24-hour news cycles, when carefree kids roamed neighborhoods with little supervision and always returned home in time for supper.
Except sometimes they didn’t.
What makes this novel especially powerful is its dual resonance: it’s both a gripping page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of how society failed these vulnerable youth. Bobby’s determination reminds us that sometimes the most unlikely person can become the keeper of truth, and that refusing to forget is itself an act of justice.
Half-pint’s story lingers long after the final page, leaving you haunted not only by her fate but by the mysteries of real-life children who have never been found.
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars for this “missing girl” trope and surprise ending.
#2 The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess: A High-Stakes Medical Whodunnit for One of Us Is Lying Fans
The Delinquent Hero is a hidden gem for One of Us Is Lying fans because it mirrors the 'deadly secrets' and 'unreliable witnesses' found in Karen McManus’s work. Instead of a school gossip app, the mystery centers on a fatal traumatic brain injury in a high-stakes hospital setting. Like the Bayview Four, Molly is a teen forced into an amateur investigation when the adults fail to see the truth behind a tragic accident.
Why It’s Like One of Us Is Lying
Determined amateur sleuth: Just like Bronwyn or Addy, Molly is a protagonist who takes the investigation into her own hands.
Intimate circle of suspects: The "Who can you trust?" tension mirrors the central hook of One of Us Is Lying.
Emotional weight: Both books explore how well we truly know the people closest to us.
One-sentence summary of The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess: As her sister dies in the ICU, a grieving teen investigates multiple suspects and scenarios about why her sister fell―and the truth is unbearable.
The Taste Test
“I stare at my sister in this bed. She is mine. She is here, and I cannot imagine that she is not. That she will never be here again. How can it be true? I see her before me. Her chest is rising, falling, rising, falling. Her hand is warm in mine.” ― Khristina Chess from The Delinquent Hero
What Set This Apart for Me: The Delinquent Hero Is Most Poignant YA Mystery I’ve Read This Year
What makes The Delinquent Hero a standout 2026 recommendation is that it moves the 'whodunnit' into the ICU. While One of Us Is Lying is fast-paced and snappy, this story is a poignant medical mystery that focuses on the emotional weight of a sister's bond. It’s the 'ugly cry' version of a high school thriller.
At the core of this poignant story is Molly, a teen desperate for answers after her older sister, Kat, lands in the hospital. Something isn’t right. The investigation unfolds in real time, peeling back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond the sisters have always shared.
What makes The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable is its gut-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened to Molly’s sister on that fateful day, but understanding Kat herself. This novel isn’t just a mystery; it forces you to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
What Other Readers Are Saying about The Delinquent Hero
“I won’t spoil what happens as far as that is concerned, but be prepared to have a tissue handy. It’s a heartbreaking book that had me in tears. It’s a story of two sisters and the bond they share.” - Melody, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars based on the relentless search for truth and resolution. Both Forgotten But Never Gone and The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess belong on your 2026 reading list if you liked One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus.
#3 The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson: A Cozy Mystery with Unlikely Alliances
One-sentence summary for The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow: An unlikely team pairs up to investigate a murder in their town.
The Taste Test
“We might as well make some trouble together.” ― Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson from The Agathas
My Recommendation: Why This Unlikely-Alliance Mystery Is Perfect for Fans of The Breakfast Club
If you liked One of Us Is Lying and The Breakfast Club, this fun cozy mystery by Kathleen Glasgow definitely belongs on your TBR pile for 2026.
I absolutely love Glasgow’s novels. The Agathas is a quick read, and I could not guess who the killer was until the very end. I enjoyed the growing friendship between Plucky Alice and sensitive Iris, as well as the secondary cast of sidekick characters they brought onto the case.
I felt the book fulfilled its mission in its mystery genre, and if the characters and writing weren’t as lovely as Glasgow’s other books, that’s more of a byproduct of the category. Also, it’s a collaboration and my first glimpse into anything by Liz Lawson.
What Other Readers Are Saying about The Agathas
“An unputdownable thriller for fans of One of Us is Lying and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Told by two different teenage girls: the loner and the popular girl.” ― Jenni, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 4/5 stars!
#4 People Like Us by Dana Mele: Dark Academia, Dead Girls, and Toxic Secrets
One-sentence summary for People Like Us by Dana Mele: Mean girls, deception, and mystery abound when bodies start dropping at a private school.
The Taste Test
“Fashion gets a reputation for being frivolous, but it's the one form of art I understand It has the ability to transform bodies and environments, to conceal or seduce, to break hearts or make them sing." ― Dana Mele from People Like Us
My Perspective As a Book Critic: Where this Mystery Soared and Where It Fell Short
The Good:
If you liked One of Us Is Lying, you’ll find that this chilling YA mystery has the right ingredients for a dark academia thriller. A young girl is found dead, and the main character is the primary suspect. Along the way, other bodies drop, and other suspects surface. Friends become enemies, and enemies become friends.
This book has the good pacing, plotting, and setting just right. For McManus fans who enjoy mean girls and mysteries, it's a quick read and offers several surprises
The Bad:
The main character, Kay, isn't especially sympathetic, and neither are her friends. Kay's flatness makes it hard to connect with her, even with the backstory about her brother or her romantic entanglements with the other girls. I just didn't like her very much; I wouldn't care if she went to jail.
What Other Readers Are Saying about People Like Us
“Dana Mele's People Like Us strives to be a cross between Mean Girls and Heathers , with a little bit of Karen McManus' One of Us is Lying , with mixed results.” ― Larry H., Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 3/5 stars!
#5 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: The Ultimate Unreliable Narrator Mystery
One-sentence summary for We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: A hypnotic, disorienting story about lifelong friends and a secret that threatens all of them.
The Taste Test
“Life feels beautiful that day. The four of us Liars, we have always been. We always will be. No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddledown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” ― E. Lockhart from We Were Liars
What Set This Apart for Me: The Most Unexpected and Beautiful Novel about Summertime and Friendship
Fans of One of Us Is Lying will fall in love with this unusual novel about summertime, friendship, coming of age, and sorrow!
In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I’d like We Were Liars, but I fell in love with this story. By the end it made me cry. We Were Liars is about a group of privileged young friends and their lies, family secrets, grief, and love. It’s a mystery. Its private island setting evokes all kinds of summer images: the beach, the heat, the sun. The beautiful and disorienting plot will leave you reader breathless until the very end.
It’s a classic, but if you haven’t picked this one up yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your summer reading list. It’s a whirlwind and makes a great beach read.
What Other Readers Are Saying about We Were Liars
“I knew that the ending was going to be a huge twist and I kept trying to come up with different twists in my head while reading, but I didn't even come close to what it really was.” ― Zoe, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 5/5 stars!! I loved this 2014 Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Reader’s Favorite Young Adult Fiction. It’s still as great today.
#6 Family of Liars by E. Lockhart: The High-Stakes Prequel to We Were Liars
One-sentence summary of Family of Liars by E. Lockhart: A prequel to popular We Were Liars shows that the Sinclairs have been liars from the beginning.
The Taste Test
"They're doing just as I asked them to. As we Sinclairs always do. Pretending. Lying. Trying to have a good time.” ― E. Lockhart from Family of Liars
The Deep Dive: Why the Character Development in We Were Liars Kept Me Hooked Until the Final Page
Lockhart's prequel to We Were Liars does not disappoint! The narrator, Carrie, tells the story of the summer of the boys' visit to the island, but long before those events, there are ominous hints of what is to come. In her early teen years, for example, Carrie's father insists on a surgery to break her jaw, and an infection sets in.
But Carrie bends to his will. She is a "credit to the family."
This novel has some brilliant symbolism, a few great twists, some predictable story-lines, and other unexpected turns. I finished in 4 days because the pages turned fast and furious. I had to know the secrets these liars were keeping.
The pages are full of great details about summertime on the island. The lemon hunt was very vivid, as well as the details about clothing, food, and the picnic table. Lockhart painted a vivid sense of place, siblings, and privilege.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Family of Liars
“i think i liked this book more than we were liars…” ― Shannon, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: Brilliant! 5/5 stars!
#7 Dark & Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain - An Atmospheric Small-Town Mystery with a Supernatural Twist
One-sentence summary of Dark and Shallow Lies: A local girl goes missing, and friends with secrets work to uncover the truth.
The Taste Test
“Knowing is hard, but it's a thing you can survive. The not knowing will kill you in the end. It's the secrets that fester." ― Ginny Myers Sain from Dark and Shallow Lies
My Breakdown: How the Diverse Cast of Characters Reminds Me of One of Us Is Lying
Fans of the diverse characters in Karen McManus’ One of Us Is Lying will enjoy this atmospheric mystery. A girl is missing from a small town where all her peers have some kind of paranormal skill, yet despite all the supernatural power pulsating in the air, no one seems to be able to find her or reveal what happened to her.
The magic kept me guessing until the very end. I couldn’t wait to figure out what happened to Elora, and there were plenty of suspicious characters to blame for her disappearance.
There’s lots to love about this novel, including the setting, alligators, mud, and strange powers of the summer children. You can practically feel the thick humidity in the evening over the Louisiana bayou. You won’t want to miss this enchanting YA mystery with layers of magic, magical realism, and other supernatural things.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Dark and Shallow Lies
“I like it, but I wanted to love it. From the beginning it seemed so magical and intriguing, but then it kind of got weird and uncomfortable.” ― Miya, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 3/5 stars
#8 Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill - A Mystery of Stolen Identity
One-sentence summary for Here Lies Daniel Tate: When a teenage boy arrives and claims to be someone who disappeared years earlier, family relationships are shaken.
The Taste Test
“If there's one thing I've learned, it's that people are bad at keeping secrets, and eventually everything shows.” ― Cristin Terrill from Here Lies Daniel Tate
My Raw Review: Does the Story Match the Hype?
This YA mystery/thriller is about a stolen identity, secrets, and scams. The story has a great premise, and the protagonist, Daniel Tate, is an interesting and unreliable narrator to the very end. The pacing of the story is excellent. I liked the way the author pulled everything together. I won’t give away the mystery except to say that it seemed both fitting and sad.
What Other Readers Are Saying about Here Lies Daniel Tate
“The novel has a bittersweet flavor that will certainly appeal to most YA fans.” ― i, Goodreads Reader
My key takeaway: 3/5 stars
Other YA Books You’ll Enjoy If You Liked One of Us Is Lying
There are so many other popular titles to recommend for One of Us Is Lying fans:
Sadie by Courtney Summers: A girl leaves home and goes on a journey to seek justice against her sister’s killer.
Rules of Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall: A teen girl and her friends embark on a journey to find a missing sister, but they encounter supernatural danger on “The Road.”
Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart: A re-imagining of The Talented Mr. Ripley with a female protagonist.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver: A teen girl dies in a drunk driving accident and must relive her last day in this YA version of Groundhog Day with a twist.
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis: An unlikely team pairs up to create a local podcast and solve an old murder
Be sure to check out the Books Similar to One of Us Is Lying list on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of other YA books reviews.
About the Author: Khristina Chess
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
