Contact/FAQs

I have a school project due on your book, can I ask you some questions?

I'm so happy you are reading my book for school, but I'm not able to take part in school projects. Look below for some of the most commonly asked questions about my work. You can also visit my News page for interviews with me and articles about my work.

If you need to send me a letter for a school assignment, you can send to:

Karen M. McManus

c/o Delacorte Press

1745 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

How can I contact you for business inquiries?

Please reach out to the following:

Book rights: Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio
Film rights: Jason Dravis at The Dravis Agency
Publicity: Kathleen Dunn at kdunn(at)penguinrandomhouse.com

I am not currently scheduling any school or library visits, and I am closed to blurbs.

What books have you written?

The One of Us Is Lying Series:

One of Us Is Lying and One of Us Is Next are available as a boxed set.

Standalone Novels:

What order should your books be read in?

One of Us Is Lying, One of Us Is Next, and One of Us Is Back are a series and should be read in that order. All my other books are standalones that can be read whenever. For more detail, see my Instagram post on this topic.

Are you planning to write a sequel to any of your standalone novels?

I never say never, but have no current plans to do so.

Where can I find signed copies of your books?

Signed copies of Such Charming Liars can be preordered at Barnes & Noble.

One of Us Is Lying: Porter Square Books (Note: you can contact them at info(at)portersquarebooks.com to request signed copies of my other books).

You could also check with your local independent bookstore; indie stores often have signed copies of my newer books.

I'd like to review your book, can you send me a copy?

I don't have review copies to distribute, sorry! For unreleased titles, North American reviewers can check Edelweiss or NetGalley, or contact my publisher at rhkidspublicity(at)randomhouse.com. If you are an international reviewer, please see the list of international publishers.

Once a book can be found in stores and libraries, review copies are generally not available.

Can you blurb my book?

I'm honored to be asked, but am currently closed to blurbs.

Do you have any recommendations for books similar to yours?

Yes! There are so many fantastic young adult thrillers to read. These articles from Epic Reads, B&N Teen Blog, and BookRiot give recommendations for books that fans of One of Us Is Lying will enjoy. Authors who I regularly recommend include Kara Thomas, Tiffany D. Jackson, E. Lockhart, Maureen Johnson, Caleb Roehrig, Mindy McGinness, Courtney Summers, Kit Frick, Lamar Giles, Holly Jackson, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Where do you get your ideas?

Ideas can come from all kinds of places. I got the idea for One of Us Is Lying while I was driving to work and heard the theme from "The Breakfast Club" movie (I talk more about that here if you're interested). I've also gotten ideas while watching crime shows, reading profiles of prominent families, and from conversations with interesting people.

How did you become an author?

I started writing stories in second grade, but stopped in high school when it became difficult to finish books. I went to college and did many other things until I read The Hunger Games in 2014 and was inspired to start writing again. I wrote two books before One of Us Is Lying that helped me learn my craft. One of Us Is Lying was the book that got me an agent and, ultimately, a book deal.

What advice do you have for people who want to be authors?

My number one piece of advice is to connect with other writers at the same stage of the publication journey as you are, and exchange work with them. Getting and giving constructive feedback is essential to development!

I give additional writing tips (about thrillers, multi POV, and general advice) here. In addition, this article from Entertainment Weekly outlines my must-haves for a captivating thriller.

Why do you write mystery/suspense books?

Books featuring mystery and suspense have always been my favorites as a reader, from Agatha Christie when I was a kid to Gillian Flynn as an adult. I'm naturally drawn to dark topics and how people react when they're thrust into a situation that scares or confuses them, but I like to balance that with hope and humor.

Do you have playlists for your books?

I listen to music while drafting, and have put a couple of my playlists on Spotify. You can find one for One of Us Is Lying here, and for Two Can Keep a Secret here. Both are samplings of the songs I listened to on repeat while writing.