Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson -> Restarting June 3rd, 2021

[Alaina]

Author Maureen Johnson weaves a tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a new series.

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.

[Keri]

Ch.9
Loving this and so hooked already!
(view spoiler)[okay so I love going back to the past and time of the murder and kidnappings to learn things in between our chapters. Such a cool way this is being told!
We’ve met all the housemates in Minerva. I like all the first years: Stevie, Janelle, Nate. I hate David he seems like a total jerk so far and I’m wishing he had been even later/not come at all. Ellie is weird and seemingly bad influence for all the rule breaking but still interesting. Hayes just seems self absorbed in a way where he just doesn’t pay attention to what’s going on. I’m curious why all the second years are there like what are their skills? I don’t know if Hayes is for his YouTube show or if that happened after his first year? Is ellie’s the art she keeps talking about? And so far David has not done anything but try to make people feel uncomfortable so I have no idea on him... (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Ch.20 (view spoiler)[wow this mystery is good! And now there’s more-can’t believe Hayes is dead! I have no idea but I just want to keep reading. I still strongly dislike David and hope even tho they kissed that Stevie doesn’t go for him :/. I’m also suspicious of him like maybe he’s part of something. I know the fact that she feels like she knows him from somewhere has to mean something...just waiting for the pieces to fit together! (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Ch.24
(view spoiler)[I’m loving the interviews and all the info we get about the past in those little parts. I’m so intrigued and can’t wait to find out more! I’m interested in the present murder too and how that ties in, but don’t care much about some of the other parts in the present. I still don’t love David, but don’t hate him as much as I originally did I guess... (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[Okay. Mixed feelings. All along I liked the book and it kept me reading for more info...BUT I didn’t like the ending. I like a good cliffhanger, but I feel like we were given nothing. No answers just more questions. I guess a semi-answer about David but I didn’t care at all about that. Unless the terrible character of Edward King ends up being the Edward of Edward and Frankie in the photos and then David as their child is the current truly devious who killed Hayes? Or maybe that timeframe would be too long ago so it would be his grandparents probably, and Edward is their son, making David their grandson and continuing on the truly devious murders? Because that’s where my mind was going so a reveal that a character I didn’t like has a dad who’s a character I like even less was not very exciting. I wanted some resolution to the Ellington case or like a more concrete forward move for Stevie in regards to figuring it out than we got. Or at least a strong reveal connecting Hayes murder to the Ellington case. I mean I’m reading the next one ASAP, I’m just saying we better get WAY more than that in book two. (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Ch.12
(view spoiler)[I like that we’re getting more details but I want them faster!!! I feel like the pieces are slow to come out and I’m wanting a little more but I’m still enjoying this.
Still not loving David. I think if he was more a friend interest maybe I would be more open to him but he kind of just seems like a spoiled rich kid who is acting out all the time just to cause problems and get attention which is annoying. (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Ch.14
(view spoiler)[okay I’m getting the mystery part I was wanting now with a lot more going on with that...loving the parts with agent on and new clues. And they found the staircase Francis used. BUT too much David in the story :/
I’d be much more a fan if Nate was going into the tunnel to investigate with Stevie. David is annoying. Nate is the best character and highly underused. Nate and Stevie’s friendship is my favorite relationship in the book, followed closely by Stevie and Janelle, or even the three of them. Wish there was more focus on them and less on David. (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Ch.20
(view spoiler)[aaaahhhh! I want more chapters/answers from the past! There’s been way less POV from the past in this book and this past part with Albert on the day of his death is such foreshadowing and everything in there is ALMOST a clue but I still don’t know what or who it is!!!! Simultaneously loving and hating it lol. (hide spoiler)]

[Keri]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[wow that last part of the book was INTENSE. Everything I wanted-great sections in the past, reveals in the present and in the past, more bonding of the Nate/Stevie/Janelle trio, little to no David, and more of one of my growing fave characters Larry. Larry became one of my favorites in this book and I hope he’s back in book 3 even though he isn’t at Ellingham anymore. With these lastest reveals I can’t wait to get the third book. This book’s cliffhangers hooked me much more than the first book’s did. I felt satisfied with getting actual big reveals, and also with new plot twists about Alice and Fenton that I can’t wait to learn more about!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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RESTARTING SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2019

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[Aly]

25% (view spoiler)[ I really like how this story is done. The flashbacks to the 30s with the Ellingham case and now with Stevie and the things happening at the school. Stevie is kind of weird, but I admire her dedication. Hayes is clearly a dick lol (hide spoiler)]
50% (view spoiler)[ Dun dun dun!!! Even though Hayes sucked, he was a teenager who didn't deserve to die. I do like Stevie getting with David (hide spoiler)]
75% (view spoiler)[ Things are starting to get crazy! Did someone kill Hayes? And the cold case has a lot of secrets too. I like the friendship between Stevie, Janelle, and Nate (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[ Agh the ending!! What secrets does Ellie have? Why did she run away like that? Did students really kidnap Mrs. Ellington and Abby? I need to read the next book STAT! (hide spoiler)]

[si ( ◠‿◠ )]

19% (view spoiler)[Ooooh I genuinely really like this so far. Stevie has a lot of potential and I LOVE all the side characters so dar. Everyone’s so interesting and colorful and REAL. I also am totally wrapped up in this mystery, especially the stuff pertaining to Alice and the lake.... (hide spoiler)]

[si ( ◠‿◠ )]

51% (view spoiler)[ Sorry this is taking me so long! Reading was slow this past week because I started a new job. But I’m getting back into this. This book in particular is starting to bore me but I think it might be partly my mental capacity being so small right now 😂 I like Stevie okay but I want more mystery solving and more suspense. Idk I’m just not really feeling it :/ (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Awh, sorry you aren't loving it. I do think it gets better as you go. Things start to happen and you learn more about the unsolved murder/kidnapping from the 20s or whatever.

[Alaina]

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RESTARTING JUNE 3RD, 2021

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[Aneta]

Finished chapter 3
I have to say I'm a little bit bored. I know we're just introduced to characters but I'm not feeling it so far. (view spoiler)[But I'm curious if Dottie's book is going to be found and what she wrote into it. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Finished chapter 14
I started enjoying it a little bit more. (view spoiler)[Letter on her wall was interesting and I think it's not a dream. But who did it? And I really like that article. It's first time they told us how they found bodies and what happend to them. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

Started it yesterday. I managed to find it as an audiobook, which is a little easier to get through.

9% I agree. It's a slow start. (view spoiler)[ I'm curious who the person Dottie met is and what she underlined. I think it's someone who parties with the Ellinghams. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

36% (view spoiler)[ I'm lukewarm about this book. I get that Stevie is an intellectual but the 3rd person POV creates a distance.

I do like the anxiety rep. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth]

66% (view spoiler)[ Okay, I think I'm getting into it now. Now that they mentioned the dry ice, it would make sense if that's what did it.

Gretchen is suspicious but it also could have been an accident while Hayes tried to do something for the show. (hide spoiler)]