Truly Devious

Reviewed by: Jennifer Lance - Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, South Paris, Central Maine Library District

Review Date: July 10, 2018

Review

When Stevie Bell is accepted to the exclusive Ellingham Academy, she leaps at the chance to attend -over her parents' objections. For Stevie, a crime aficionado, being at Ellingham is an opportunity to learn more about the kidnapping and murder of the founder's wife and daughter, and perhaps even to solve a whodunit that has baffled law enforcement for generations. In 1935, an anonymous letter signed "Truly, Devious" precedes the disappearance of Iris and Alice. Eventually Iris turns up dead, but Alice, Albert Ellingham's beloved daughter, has never been found. Stevie finds her new life at the Academy challenging; her fellow students are both gifted and somewhat mysterious themselves. Stevie works hard to make friends while looking for clues when the unthinkable happens: a student turns up dead and once again, it looks like someone is going to get away with murder. Will Stevie be able to use her deductive skills to solve a crime that has happened right under her nose? And what about the original crime that she was hoping to break open? This is the first in a trio of Truly Devious books, and it ends in a delightful cliff-hanger. Maureen Johnson knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, and her characters are relatable and interesting. This book reads a lot like an Agatha Christie, which is in and of itself a coup for Johnson. All in all, an excellent, compulsive read!

Overall Book Score: excellent