Truly Devious: A Mystery: 1 (Truly Devious, 1)

Product Information

True crime aficionado Stephanie "Stevie" Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: she will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. I just don't like the awkward romance thing between David and Stevie. It's so awkward. I preferred the chemistry between Vi and Janelle more no matter how small their parts were. In fact, I like all the characters with all their flaws and perfections.

Well, that point could be argued. But Edward King was a powerful man. He was a Pennsylvania senator, based here, out of Pittsburgh. This was the man who wanted to keep “outsiders” and “bad elements” out of America, which largely meant people who weren’t white, weren’t rich. For Edward King, wealth was goodness. There was no climate change in his world—the earth was there to produce more life-affirming dollars. This was a man who wanted to be president." Before meeting with the gang, we get introduced THE NINE: bunch of comedy writer teenagers who have complex relationships, dating with each than breaking up and dating the rest of group members ( story takes place in 90s so it’s understandable that their relationship patterns remind us Aaron Spelling’s young adult series like Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place) Pretentious Sebastian, free spirited Sooz, Irish joy Rosie, vintage styled Noel, natural athlete Peter, comedy nerd Yash, heartbreaker Julian, aspiring history student Angela, medical student Theo are the group members. They are vivid, interesting characters and as soon as I got introduced with them I wished they had their own book instead of being part of Stevie Bell mystery drama. Amount of the character numbers is already too much. I got a little exhausted to concentrate on the nine and gang of Stevie including David’s new British friends!I think part of my swooning over Truly Devious was being new to Ellingham Academy; learning about the school, its history and all of the people there. We had less of that excitement in this one, at least for me. I felt cheated like I was baited in reading entire series and I feel for it and I hate myself for it! I do stupid stuff and stare at a girl name steive and asks my rich politician dad to give better jobs to her parents and I think I am cool! The story also follows messages of bravery, teamwork and perseverance. Stevie is brave, strong and is willing to work with other students. PS: Some amazing science facts are briefly explained in the book. For kids who have read mystery books they will definitely enjoy this one! a book gives you everything. it gives you a window into other souls, other worlds. the world is a door. books are the key."

She is introduced to us a someone really good at this , like she could solve the mystery FBI couldn’t solve for past 80 years! JOHN GREEN, PAY ATTENTION. This is how you write a cool mystery-y book with quirky teens without making me want to die. If you enjoyed the first book, I think you will enjoy this one as well. Honestly though, I did not love this quite as much.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

It’s always a pleasure to watch smart, resourceful Stevie piece together a puzzle. Mystery fans will relish this standalone novel in the 'Truly Devious' ­universe."

Bottom line: This was fun and promising! But weird stuff prevented it from being any more than that. The first half of the book felt like nothing was really happening, and that's because nothing was really happening. I did appreciate, however, the recap of the events from the first novel. It was a thorough recap, but never tedious. However, I enjoyed this a lot. It was fascinating, dark, mysterious. I'm coming for David with my pitchfork, so once he's disposed of, this book can safely be elevated by another half a star.Jumping between past and present, Johnson’s novel is deliciously atmospheric, with a sprawling cast of complex suspects/potential victims, surprising twists, and a dash of romance. As in her Shades of London books, Johnson remains a master at combining jittery tension with sharp, laugh-out-loud observations.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) I truly, no pun intended, enjoyed getting to know Stevie and am very excited that we are getting more books with her as the main protagonist. Told in alternating chapters, Johnson’s finely tuned plot effectively employs classical mystery tropes while maintaining a thoroughly modern sensibility. Stevie’s quirky, ragtag bunch of new friends crosses sexuality and class lines, providing teen readers with a wealth of characters to connect with.” — Horn Book Magazine

My favorite thing about this book was definitely the atmosphere. It was ominous, unsettling, slightly creepy. Something big was always on the verge of happening. Small clues would appear, slight changes in the mood of the room. It's a little too quirky for my tastes (there was a character whose strange attire was described literally every time she entered the room), but I can see how that worked well for the story. I cannot say same for David. From the beginning of the series, I keep getting irritated by his pretentious manners and in this book… when I was reading the chapters related with him, I wanted to jump into the book and punch him in the face.

The Truly Devious Series in Order (5 Books)

My surprise stand out favourite was .. the romance!? Now I don't usually care much for romance subplots but I am FEELING THIS ONE. The miscommunication was kind of annoying, but overall I am really, really into David/Stevie and like ,, actually felt my cold dead heart move a little every time they talked. But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? What’s the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isn’t just a piece of history—it’s a live wire into the present. however, there is a pretty big reveal in this book, one that readers have been dying to know since the beginning, and i was very underwhelmed with it. its one of those reveals that the reader would never guess because it kind of comes out of nowhere, with none of the given hints leading to it. so thats a bit of a bummer. There were a lot of similarities and I found it easy to follow along with the intrigue because of that. I would love to know if the author was at all inspired by that case.