Truly Devious A Mystery

With her 2018 novel Truly Devious, American young adult author Maureen Johnson—known for collaborations with renowned writers like John Green and Cassandra Clare—launches her first murder mystery series. Truly Devious tells the story of Stevie Bell, a true-crime enthusiast and self-proclaimed detective who enrolls at the Ellingham Academy, a school haunted by a series of murders that happened years ago, all signed by the mysterious alias “Truly Devious.” Determined to solve the case that still shakes the community, Stevie, together with her new friends Nate and Janelle, uncovers clue after clue and gets closer to the killer. When the old murder spree seems to resume, there’s no turning back for Stevie—she must solve the case and end the bloody trail. All this while dealing with typical teenage challenges like a crush and demanding parents. After some hesitation, Truly Devious was my gateway into the murder mystery genre, which I had previously avoided. I have absolutely no regrets. This book is a gripping and captivating young adult novel that had me hooked from the very first chapter. Stevie Bell is an outstanding protagonist with depth and authenticity. She’s not a flawless hero who has everything under control but an ordinary teenager who makes mistakes and is still finding her place in the world. She is not one of those “pick-me” girls; despite all obstacles, she remains true to herself. This sends a positive message, especially for young readers: it’s okay to be different. Moreover, Truly Devious offers a diverse cast of characters representing a broad spectrum of cultures, sexualities, and gender identities. The novel’s mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere, paired with Johnson’s vivid and detailed writing style, immerses readers fully into the story. One initially challenging aspect is the frequent shifts between different time periods. The reader is first thrown into the original 1936 murders before jumping about 80 years forward to Stevie’s timeline, with occasional flashbacks. While this can be a bit confusing at first and slightly disrupt the flow, it effectively deepens the background of the characters from the past, whose stories are crucial to the overall narrative. All in all, Maureen Johnson has delivered a fantastic murder mystery that gripped me completely and made me eager to dive into the next installment—not just because of the cliffhanger, but due to the rich characters, detailed writing, and immersive atmosphere from start to finish. I highly recommend Truly Devious especially to teenagers interested in murder mysteries, but I also find it appealing to older readers.

Stephanie 'Stevie' Bell wants to be a detective. And solving the cold case encompassing her new school, the Ellingham Academy, is supposed to get her there. 'Truly Devious' is a brilliant start to a breathtaking murder mystery series, that all Sherlock Holmes fans will love.

Großartiger Auftakt der Reihe! Ein etwas anderer Krimi, der sowohl die Vergangenheit als auch das Geschehen im Jetzt gekonnt miteinander verknüpft. Und vor allem ist dieses Buch genau das, was der Titel einem verspricht: Truly Devious.