The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious)

I love a good murder mystery and have been a fan of the Truly Devious series since the first book was published. There was an agonising wait for each new book, then one day it was all over but the rereads…or so I thought. Then up pops a brand new Stevie Bell mystery, a stand-alone too so no waiting around for the final solution. There is enough background in this book for you to read it as a stand-alone, even if you haven’t read the original trilogy. It also avoids spoilers so if, having read The Box in the Woods, you want more, you can go back to the start with book #1, Truly Devious. I can also recommend the audio books which I used for re-reading purposes. Narrator, Kate Rudd, really brings the characters to life. Like me, Stevie has been feeling a little flat after fulfilling her long time dream of solving the Ellingham Murders. She receives an invitation from entrepreneur, Carson Buchwald, for her and her friends to work at a summer camp with a side helping of cold case thrown in. The murder of four teenagers, christened the ‘Box in the Woods Murders’ occurred in 1978 at the then-named Camp Wonder Falls. The local town was devastated and never really recovered. When Carson brings in Stevie to solve the murders and help him make a true crime podcast at the same time, the locals are less than enthusiastic. Before very long it becomes obvious the case is not as cold as it appears. This book, like the others, is written from Stevie’s point of view and she is an easy character to bond with. I feel the havoc that solving a mystery wreaks on Stevie’s personal life and the driven nature of her desire, not just to solve, but to provide closure to those close to the victims. Johnson’s mysteries are rarely ‘here are the clues, you could solve it for yourself’ stories. The details unfold to us as they do to Stevie. While I am skilled at picking out salient details and will happily puzzle away at their importance, I have accepted that I will never get to the solution first. I am happy just to let the story unfold. The pleasure is in watching Stevie unpick the mystery, facing increasing danger as she does, but unable to let go until the mystery is solved. Stevie’s two sidekicks are a pleasurable background to the mystery. Johnson’s secondary characters are always interesting. I love Nate, the perennially blocked writer and Janelle the creative inventor. They always seem to be able to offer just the right support and practical assistance. Johnson is an amazingly inclusive writer. She normalises LGBTQ+ characters in a way that could teach some writers of adult fiction a thing or two. Boyfriend, David, also puts in an appearance but is less present than in previous books and there is a hint, just the tiniest hint that Nate also has feelings for Stevie. I’m taking this as a solid indication that more Stevie Bell Mysteries are on the horizon. Yay! The Box in the Woods was is a first rate Young Adult mystery. Out now in hardback, ebook and audio.

I loved the story- murders happening at camp 🏕️ , the characters, the writing, funny conversation between characters, small town setting, flash back chapters to the 1970s ———it was the perfect Halloween read until the BIG reveal. I felt like the end of the book was rushed and the BIG reveal was too far fetched 🤔🙄.

The fourth book in this series. I believe this is aimed at young adults but I loved the series and I'm 71! Just goes to show that if a book is well-written, the genre or subject is irrelevant. A cracking series which I am sad to complete.

i really liked thissss! it was fun and lighthearted (as much as a murder mystery with 4 dead teenagers can be) and i love these characters so it was really nice to read about them again!

I usually am pretty decent at guessing the ends to murder mysteries - but Maureen Johnson's books put my deductive skills to shame. Stevie is her usual relatable self; she's funny without intending to be, and can't do a single emotional conversation without wanting to put up a forcefield. The story is engaging. It isn't nearly as complex as the Truly Devious series, but this was a smaller case with only one book, so it made more sense for it to be less complex. Still, the ending surprised me, and the characters were just as vibrant. The only complaint is that it doesn't have more Nate and Janelle in it - best side characters ever. Nate's writing related subplot was hilarious though. Can't wait for the next installment of Stevie Bell.

I loved the first 3 books in the series and this one was good. Although considering the first mystery took 3 books to complete, this one felt shorted and there was less understanding to me at least... I will re read to see if I missed anything. Of how she got to the conclusion.

This author is bloody brilliant and all of their books are amazing, especially this one. Read it read it read it!

I loved this book more so than the original series.

Loved it! Fun summer mystery novel!

Muito bom o livro é a edição combina com os restantes livros da coleção

The book was well maintained. Coming to the plot, it was something none couldve guessed. It was fantastic to read. If you have finished The Ellingham- Truly Devious series, surely you will enjoy this one.

So... I’ve always favored Nate. Never been the biggest fan of David. He did change a little in this book, but Nate gets the spotlight and he’s the perfect character ever. The actual plot: it was good! The author sets it up so you think it’s every character, but somehow it isn’t. It’s very well planned, so many amazing plot twists. Personal experience: I started this book at 7:45pm. I finished it at 12am. (I did have interruptions) but I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t. Also wouldn’t recommend reading at night. It’s not scary, but you will put down the book so many times to process what happened, and at the end you will sit there, so if your looking for a book to fall asleep to, don’t look here. But definitely look here. When I’m looking at new books I always look for the things they never put in so here are some random info based off of personal opinion: Age: 13+ Packaging: very well, not even a scratch Romance: nothing dirty, just cute Books to read before (in order) : truly devious, the vanishing stair, the hand on the wall Also there is a bit of drugs and alcohol added, but nothing intense and hardly mentioned. Anyway, long story short, if you don’t read it, you’ll regret it and this isn’t the “no regrets” thing. You will definitely regret not reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s really good for our child, really enjoyed it