Truly Devious · #5
Nine Liars
Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.
Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.
The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.
Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.
The series
In the Truly Devious series, Maureen Johnson masterfully blends suspense, wit, and a touch of dark academia to create a gripping mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. At the heart of this atmospheric tale is Stevie Bell, a brilliant, quirky teenager with an obsession for unsolved crimes. When she arrives at the prestigious Ellingham Academy, a school for gifted students, she’s determined to crack the long-unsolved mystery of the Ellingham kidnapping and murder—a crime that has haunted the academy for decades.
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As Stevie digs deeper into the past, unraveling clues and confronting long-buried secrets, she becomes entangled in her own modern-day mystery, one that is as chilling and perplexing as the one that first brought her to Ellingham. The series takes readers on a rollercoaster of twists and turns, with suspense that lingers in every page, drawing them into a world where every answer only seems to lead to more questions.
Set against the backdrop of the eerie, almost cinematic beauty of the school, Truly Devious explores themes of genius, obsession, and the search for truth—blending historical intrigue with contemporary mystery. Stevie's intelligence, determination, and unique outlook on the world make her an unforgettable protagonist, navigating both the past and the present with a sharp mind and a strong will.
With its richly drawn characters, haunting atmosphere, and an ever-present sense of tension, Truly Devious is a series that will appeal to anyone who loves a good mystery, particularly those who enjoy intellectual puzzles layered with personal stakes. Each book deepens the mystery, drawing Stevie—and the reader—closer to discovering the truth behind the Ellingham crime... and potentially uncovering an even more dangerous conspiracy in the process. A thrilling, page-turning adventure that captivates from start to finish, Truly Devious is the perfect series for those who crave suspense, intellect, and a touch of the eerie.
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