Author: Maureen Johnson

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers | Goodreads Choice Nominee | December 4th, 2018

Description: 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.

Book description provided by Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Isa's Picks: I really like how Truly Devious gave a feeling of mystery. It reminded me a lot of the Netflix's show Wednesday. Stevie Bell, in a sense, is like Wednesday. She is determined to find out who is behind the murders at Ellingham Academy, and she will do anything to get to the truth. The only difference is, Stevie Bell would do anything to protect her friends even though they are already ten toes behind her.