“There is a principle often discussed in murder mysteries. Agatha Christie even wrote a book with the title: Murder Is Easy. The idea is that the first time is the hardest, but once you transgress that barrier, once you take a life and get away with it, it becomes progressively easier”
Author: Maureen Johnson
Genres: YA, Contemporary And Historical Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Boarding School
Page Count: 416
Recommended age: 13+
Gripping, Immersive, Unpredictable!
🍃Written by Maureen Johnson, the story of ‘Truly Devious’ first takes place in the 1930s at the Ellingham Academy. Located halfway up a mountain called Mount Hatchet in Vermont, the Ellingham Academy was founded by Mr. Albert Ellingham - one of the richest men in America who believed ‘learning is a game’. He hired experts from all around the world to teach at his academy where only 50 students who are deemed worthy are selected every year. A place teeming with mysterious pathways, corridors, and secret nooks making it the perfect place to ambush and many ways to escape.
🍃In 1936, shortly after the school opened its door for the first time, Ellingham's wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a diabolically mocking riddle (filled with various methods to kill someone) that was posted to the Ellingham Academy, and signed by ‘Truly Devious’. Countless actions were taken to solve the case, but to no avail.
🍃Decades later, our protagonist, Stevie Bell, is admitted to the academy. Stevie is a true-crime enthusiast and a die-hard Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie fan. She is also an aspiring law enforcement student. Stevie was instantly transfixed upon learning about the Ellingham case which partly became the reason for her acceptance into the ‘EA’. Perfectly adept at her detective instincts, she wishes to break the case open. Until…...Truly Devious strikes again. Can she solve the case just in time before putting herself and her friends in danger, or will she fall right into Truly Devious’ trap?
My take on this book:
The writing is pretty lucid, so it only took me a week to finish reading it. The way Maureen Johnson approaches sensitive yet essential topics like mental health and LGBTQ+ representation is exceptionally well. Apart from that, I feel that some of the details are redundant which makes the plot extremely slow-paced. Since this is the first book of the ‘Truly Devious’ trilogy I can understand not giving away too much in the first book.
Also, Maureen Johnson is my new fav author🙌🏼
“Look! A riddle! Time for fun!
Should we use a rope or gun?
Knives are sharp and gleam so pretty
Poison’s slow, which is a pity
Fire is festive, drowning’s slow
Hanging’s a ropy way to go
A broken head, a nasty fall
A car colliding with a wall
Bombs make a very jolly noise
Such ways to punish naughty boys!
What shall we use? We can’t decide.
Just like you cannot run or hide.
Ha ha.
Truly,
Devious”
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