Mystery

Truly Devious

Truly Devious

  • Downloads：5691
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-09-09 05:52:21
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Maureen Johnson
  • ISBN：0062338064
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson weaves a delicate tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a striking new series， perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and E。 Lockhart。

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers， inventors， and artists。 It was founded by Albert Ellingham， an early twentieth century tycoon， who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles， twisting pathways， and gardens。 “A place，” he said， “where learning is a game。”

Shortly after the school opened， his wife and daughter were kidnapped。 The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder， signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly， Devious。” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history。

True-crime aficionado 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。 But something strange is happening。 Truly Devious makes a surprise return， and death revisits Ellingham Academy。 The past has crawled out of its grave。 Someone has gotten away with murder。 

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly， and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three。

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Reviews

Sof ，

OH MY GOD THE FINAL REVEAL 。。。。。。。。 W O A H DUDE

Annie Nelson ，

Because it was such a fun read， I have reread this book a lot。

Jessi Collier Wakefield ，

I'm glad I stuck with this one， I think I'll continue with the series。 I'm glad I stuck with this one， I think I'll continue with the series。 。。。more

Cynthia ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 It was fun， I will definitely continue！ Though I don't get the cliffhanger because I don't care 😂 I care more about the picture she found 😅🏔🌿 It was fun， I will definitely continue！ Though I don't get the cliffhanger because I don't care 😂 I care more about the picture she found 😅🏔🌿 。。。more

Kyle Duncan ，

Abruptly ends and leaves you hanging

Amélie ，

3。5

Thuy ，

Do yourself a favor and read this。 It is so immersive and fun to read。 Some characters need more fleshing out， though。 Just read it。

lorena mu brandao ，

4。7

Terry ，

BTSYA / Teen Reader （15）: Truly Devious， the first book of a trilogy， left me with enough questions to want to immediately read the next book。 I enjoyed the way more evidence for the Ellingham case is revealed as the story unfolds。 It allows the reader to take in the evidence and draw your conclusions as you read along， and I felt as if I was solving the case alongside Stevie。 What was their overall impression of this book？ Read the full review。 BTSYA / Teen Reader （15）: Truly Devious， the first book of a trilogy， left me with enough questions to want to immediately read the next book。 I enjoyed the way more evidence for the Ellingham case is revealed as the story unfolds。 It allows the reader to take in the evidence and draw your conclusions as you read along， and I felt as if I was solving the case alongside Stevie。 What was their overall impression of this book？ Read the full review。 。。。more

Rachel ，

I wanted so bad to give this book 5 stars， but there is just something in me that won't allow me to do it。 I did love this book however。 I haven't read a mystery book in a while and was able to dive so easily into this one。 The dynamics between all the different characters were so great to read and it was enjoyable to watch the different friendships form。 The combination of an old mystery mixed in with an all to similar new mystery was so intriguing and probably my favorite part of the whole boo I wanted so bad to give this book 5 stars， but there is just something in me that won't allow me to do it。 I did love this book however。 I haven't read a mystery book in a while and was able to dive so easily into this one。 The dynamics between all the different characters were so great to read and it was enjoyable to watch the different friendships form。 The combination of an old mystery mixed in with an all to similar new mystery was so intriguing and probably my favorite part of the whole book。 So many things are discovered and connections are made by Stevie - she is a great heroine in my opinion。 The cliffhanger at the end of the story left me wanting more and I am so glad that I already own the second book so that I can dive right in。 。。。more

Rachel Renbarger ，

This is probably a 4。5 but I can't not give it a good rating because I devoured this。 It was a fun and fast read with so many different kinds of characters。 A great mystery but it ends with TO BE CONTINUED which is just plain rude。 It's not perfect for that because it feels like it was a giant book cut in half。。。 This is probably a 4。5 but I can't not give it a good rating because I devoured this。 It was a fun and fast read with so many different kinds of characters。 A great mystery but it ends with TO BE CONTINUED which is just plain rude。 It's not perfect for that because it feels like it was a giant book cut in half。。。 。。。more

Jamilla Danae ，

“truly devious，” by maureen johnson is a young adult light hearted murder mystery done right。 it is funny， awkward， and entertaining。 i was hooked to the last word， and didn’t see the ending coming by a long shot。 just when you think you have it figured out， you palm checking your forehead wondering how could you be so foolish lol。 similar vibes: apparently this is a trilogy so please check out: the vanishing stair and the hand on the wall。 i give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five out of five stars beca “truly devious，” by maureen johnson is a young adult light hearted murder mystery done right。 it is funny， awkward， and entertaining。 i was hooked to the last word， and didn’t see the ending coming by a long shot。 just when you think you have it figured out， you palm checking your forehead wondering how could you be so foolish lol。 similar vibes: apparently this is a trilogy so please check out: the vanishing stair and the hand on the wall。 i give this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five out of five stars because it had me wanting more。 —cw: death， murder。 。。。more

Lauren ，

4。5 stars。 I’m not actually sure this book is 4。5-stars-worthy， but I just had such a fun time reading it that I’m going with it。

Caroline ，

4。5

Christine ，

Well I don’t know why I waited so long to read this because WOW it was great。

Tabby ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 What the heck。 This book just ended in a way I was not expecting and I can’t wait to read book two！ Overall， this was a great book。 I loved learning about the characters and how the book didn’t focus on the mystery the whole time。 It was very gory or anything， which I really liked。

Sarahd ，

No one told me it was a trilogy。 It definitely pulled me in。 The story has several twists and turns。

Amber Ray ，

4。25⭐️ yikes the ending just left me with more questions than the beginning so guess i’m gonna have to immediately pickup the second book lol i really liked the main character stevie i thought she was relatable- she experiences panic attacks and is sometimes flawed at times。 it makes it more interesting to see the story unfold from her eyes。 also the mystery itself is very intriguing… i don’t have theories at the moment but something isn’t adding up。 will have to read more to find out i guess😂

Jordyn C ，

I plan on reading the second book in the series。 Just to start off the review that way。 I think this is so low compared to the other books I've read this year。 Is because I think the ending was so abrupt and it was starting and it was giving me something but then just didn't。 Also I could see the buildup that was going on when I think about it。 But while I was reading I did not know the signs I was supposed to be paying attention to。 I think this is due to the emphasis on the crime and not more I plan on reading the second book in the series。 Just to start off the review that way。 I think this is so low compared to the other books I've read this year。 Is because I think the ending was so abrupt and it was starting and it was giving me something but then just didn't。 Also I could see the buildup that was going on when I think about it。 But while I was reading I did not know the signs I was supposed to be paying attention to。 I think this is due to the emphasis on the crime and not more than emphasis on the characters。 But this book was so interesting that I am going to pick up the second installment in the series。 。。。more

bryanna ♡ ，

THAT ENDING HOLYYYYY WTF- now i have to add the rest of the series to my tbr。 i have to see how this ends i rlly thought it was over omfg

S。 W。 ，

Really loved this book！ What a cliffhanger though 👀

Toya Taylor ，

Now I seem to have gotten bit my the mystery bug。 I loved this story。 Curious that they never found Alice's body。 hmmmm。。。。。 Now I seem to have gotten bit my the mystery bug。 I loved this story。 Curious that they never found Alice's body。 hmmmm。。。。。 。。。more

callie ，

Overall， pretty decent book but predictable and it took me a really long time to finish。 I also really don’t love mystery books that don’t solve the main mystery in 1 book lol。

AnnMarie ，

A fast read that true crime fans will enjoy。 Stevie is all of us who grew up watching Dateline and Unsolved Mysteries and now listen to podcasts like My Favorite Murder and True Crime Garage。

Annie Konieczka ，

Didn't get the hype。 The writing was too young and cliche and the whole story was predictable。 Didn't like the characters。 Plus， if you want the answer to the mystery you have to read the next book？？ Not a satisfying ending and I don't plan on reading the next one。The author tried too hard to make the characters relatable that they came out way too cliche。 Didn't get the hype。 The writing was too young and cliche and the whole story was predictable。 Didn't like the characters。 Plus， if you want the answer to the mystery you have to read the next book？？ Not a satisfying ending and I don't plan on reading the next one。The author tried too hard to make the characters relatable that they came out way too cliche。 。。。more

Greta Faith ，

i'm patiently waiting for goodreads to add a half star feature because i truly （haha like the book title kill me now） can't negotiate this away from anything but a 3。5。the characters were solid， albeit definitely written by a 35-year-old white woman with a twitter account。 some of them， like david， seemed very fuzzily characterized， and whether that was questionable writing or a device of the mystery i'm not sure。 stevie was fine， but she definitely gave me i'm-not-like-other-girls-and-i-just-LO i'm patiently waiting for goodreads to add a half star feature because i truly （haha like the book title kill me now） can't negotiate this away from anything but a 3。5。the characters were solid， albeit definitely written by a 35-year-old white woman with a twitter account。 some of them， like david， seemed very fuzzily characterized， and whether that was questionable writing or a device of the mystery i'm not sure。 stevie was fine， but she definitely gave me i'm-not-like-other-girls-and-i-just-LOVE-true-crime-and-also-exploiting-victims vibes。 nate and janelle were cutie pies。 ellie and david i mostly just wanted to punch in the face。 as far as plotting: most of the time truly devious was a quick read， but especially by the end， the plot feels a little like a nothing sandwich。 things definitely happened， but i felt like the final page left me with far more questions than answers。 seriously， we got like zero answers after an entire book of not a lot of events， which left me a little unsatisfied。 overall， though， this was a solid setup and i'll be interested to get around to the sequel at some point！！ 。。。more

Kelsey ，

I enjoyed the majority of the book。 However， the ending felt rushed and incomplete in order to get you to read the next one。 Still enjoyed it but a completed feeling would’ve made me more likely to read book 2。

dora ，

and when will average mystery books stop plaguing my life？？

Rachel Matthews ，

Started out quite slow with a lot of background but it definitely got better！

TheNextGenLibrarian ，

“There is nothing so serious as a game。”📝 Ellingham Academy has always been for the best， brightest and most gifted students of the world。 It sits high up on a mountain and can only be traveled to by coach。 Albert Ellingham created it in the early 1900s as “a place where learning is game。” However， when Albert’s wife and daughter are taken in 1936 the game is no longer one he wants to play。 The murderer had sent a note and signed it Truly， Devious。 Jump forward to today: Stevie Bell is on her wa “There is nothing so serious as a game。”📝 Ellingham Academy has always been for the best， brightest and most gifted students of the world。 It sits high up on a mountain and can only be traveled to by coach。 Albert Ellingham created it in the early 1900s as “a place where learning is game。” However， when Albert’s wife and daughter are taken in 1936 the game is no longer one he wants to play。 The murderer had sent a note and signed it Truly， Devious。 Jump forward to today: Stevie Bell is on her way to Ellingham Academy。 Her love for true crime and her passion for wanting to solve the murders of long ago have brought her there， but when a classmate dies Stevie believes it’s her duty to help solve the case。 Will she be able to connect the dots and figure out who the murderer（s） might be？📝This YA mystery has been on my radar for so long I wondered if I would ever read it， but I’m so glad I did！ I was hooked from the beginning and the ending has a huge cliffhanger that’s forcing me into book 2 immediately！ Fans of Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes， A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson， as well as fans of historical fiction and suspense will love Truly Devious。 Be sure to have novel 2 on hand immediately！CW: anxiety， death， murder4。25 ⭐️ 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Truly Devious

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Truly Devious&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Truly Devious&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0