Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

I must say that I have found my new favorite book! Truly Devious is a mystery that switches between when Ellingham Academy first opened and the present day. We see a new mystery unfold in front of Stevie’s, the main character, eyes while she is already occupied with the mystery that is already connected with Ellingham Academy. 

Stevie is an anxious girl who loves true crime. She doesn’t just love it but she wants to pursue it as her career which is why Ellingham Academy is the perfect place for her. Ellingham Academy is a school for talented individuals to practice their talent hopefully being able to make that talent blossom into a promising career in that field. Stevie is particularly happy when she is accepted to the academy since she is hell-bent on solving the case surrounding Ellingham Academy. Little does she know when she steps onto the Ellingham Academy grounds that she will experience her own mystery during her time at Ellingham Academy.

The story does a great job of switching between the past and the present while still being able to follow along and not get confused. We get a great look into the characters and their personalities and can understand their decisions and choices.

The book is well written, has a good and exciting plot, and has interesting characters. Definitely a book I will re-read again and again.

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson (Book 2)

Wow. Just wow. The second book might be better than the first. The Vanishing Stair dives deeper into the mysteries that surround Ellingham Academy, both past and present.

Stevie is back at Ellingham Academy and things are now more complicated than before. She is still absorbed by the Ellingham case from home but would do anything to get back to the academy and her friends. Which makes the surprise waiting for her at home after a certain school day very welcome, no matter how deceptive it is. Even though she wants to focus on the cases at hand she now also has to focus on something else, or someone else. David. The guy she kissed. The one person who will now unknowingly be keeping her at Ellingham Academy.

One thing I failed to mention in my review of the first book Truly Devious was the casual non-binary representation. By this, I mean that the non-binary character Vi just is. There’s no drama between them and other characters, they are referred to as the proper pronouns, and they have a healthy romantic relationship with another character who identifies as female. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community myself, seeing this type of representation without all the drama and trauma, even though that also has its place, was a breath of fresh air. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and loved all the twists and turns and I believe it was a very well-done sequel. 

Reviewed by Daniela Sarah Gram

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