The Velvet Knife

Truly Devious #6

by Maureen Johnson

Return to the world of Truly Devious as Stevie Bell and her friends travel to New York to solve a murder in the next standalone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.

Stevie might be the greatest teenage detective Ellingham Academy and the world has ever seen, but even she can’t figure out what happened with her boyfriend, David. What she needs is a distraction: a good old-fashioned murder. Stevie is much happier dealing with dead people. They’re a lot less confusing—they don’t send cryptic texts and make out with other girls in British pubs.

But then Stevie gets exactly what she wanted when a dead body turns up in the middle of a Manhattan apartment complex, and this one is . . . complicated. Caught in a web of messy alive-people feelings, Stevie finds herself questioning all human connection. Is magnetism only manipulation? Can you trust anyone? Does anyone realize that they’re joining a cult—before it’s too late? And are things with David really over?

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary, Dark Academia

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 29, 2026

Reviews

[lisa ★]

if david doesn't bite the dust in this book i don't want it

[Anna Quarterman]

ALREADY THE NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT??? MAUREEN PLS

If David doesn't grovel within the first 50 pages, OR end up happy, I'm gonna cry

[megs_bookrack]

ARC received!!!

Thank you so much, Harper Collins Children's Books. I have been anticipating this book for so long. I had almost given up hope, but she's finally here!!!



Earlier:

WE HAVE A TITLE!!!
WE HAVE A COVER!!!

I LOVE THEM BOTH!!!



Original:

Here she is. Truly Devious #6!! We know nothing about her, but I still want to date her!!



I'm slightly obsessed with this series and the fact that we once believed it to be a trilogy, yet here we are at Book #6, makes me so incredibly happy!!

[sanije · Rating 5 out of 5]

if this book isn’t about david’s murder i’m gonna scream

[emma]

i'm going to keep reading this series as long as it keeps coming. to my eternal detriment

[:3]

cryingggg all the reviews on this right now are just everyone threatening david

[Audrey]

Mystery idea for this book: David dies and Stevie spends the whole book figuring out who killed him just to reveal it was her

[kai ☆ [hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope Stevie decides to plot someone's (David's) murder instead of solving it.


(iykyk)

[Sylvie]

THE ENDING!?!??!?!? I need this book now.

Although, I have some requirements:
1. NO MORE DAVID, just absolutely not
2. Stevie needs to pull her life together
3. I want to see more of Izzy
4. The focus needs to be more on the murders, not teen drama

[tori ۶ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

please let david and stevie be happy this book 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 & make him suffer a little for what he did to stevie at the end of 5

[niyya نية]

If David isn't brutally murdered by the next killer, this will be the start of my villain era #JusticeforStevieBell

[˗ˏˋ saoudia! ˎˊ˗]

need her NOWWWWW

[Anvita (anvitascorner)]

18 feb 2023: I NEED THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW I JUST FINISHED NINE LIARS AND IM NOT OKAY

[Your.average.reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE TELL ME DAVID IS NOT SERIOUSLY OVER WITH STEVIE!! I just finished Nine Liars and i can't believe we got left like that. They had their ups and downs but I'm still holding strong with them together 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[warda]

David I hope you choke you awful menace (davidstevie endgame pls and more nate content 🙏😢)
🥰🥰🥰

[tey]

david is dying in this book. (im the gun)

[Noah]

Honestly? I don't know if I can read another one of these if David is the sole focus...

[kenzo]

maureen johnson redemption era?

[Claire Poppleton]

i’m about ready for either david to die, or some really good david + stevie content since nine liars had way too much drama for my liking

also i swear this book is going to give me a concussion because imma bang my head too hard against the wall in frustration.

[Maias.reading🫶 · Rating 5 out of 5]

IM MAD I NEED THIS NEXT BOOK😭 IM SO MAD AND DAVID I WANTED THEM TO STAY TOGETHER BUT NO DAVID HAD TO GO AND KISS SOME RANDOM PERSON IN THE BARRR 😭😭😭 SOME SADATE MEE

[Leah Mae]

If my boy david doesn’t grovel in the mirror beginning of this book or ends up happy whether it be with Stevie or not… we’re going to have a problem

[veska]

David better die🎀❤️

[Toya Taylor]

Okay for this book I have some options:

David is one of the victims

David sees that Stevie glowed up and moved the London and got all successful, and didn't miss his cheating ****. And then is all in grovel mode....only for Stevie to reject him, and be with her true love Nate. (Yeah in my mind Nate lied about the asexual stuff to throw off Stevie. Ever notice that he's always the first to come with her protesting and all, but he comes).

But what is a no go for me.... Stevie should not ever go back to David....EVER!!!!!!!

While I love Janelle and Vi.... I don't see them staying with the group...unless if like the Nine they find a way to stay as a group.

Maureen.... It is Nate and Stevie's time!!! She gets him and he gets her.

[Juliana]

desperately need the old stevie to come back to me

[hq]

screw david

[Daphne T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love David and believe he loves Stevie, he just made a drunk mistake. I do however want to see him grovel and suffer a bit. I just finished Nine Liars today (April 27th, 2023) and can't wait for the next one! Also, I would love a lot of Stevie and Nick content in #6, their friendship is everything 😍

[S.K. Ali]

Does the word "standalone" mean WE WON'T LEARN WHY THAT SCOUNDREL DAVID ENTERED our dear Stevie's life (must not yell her name ofc) IN THE FIRST PLACE JUST TO DEVASTATE our darling queen? UGHHHHHHH please have her move on from that wicked wretch (if indeed he is a wicked wretch; there is only a 2.34% chance he isn't though) so our Stevie can go on Stevie-ing in the perfect way she did BEFORE SHE MET THAT MISCREANT WITH THE LANKY LIMBS.
(Sorry for blaring my feels. Stevie does that to me. She is one of my favorite characters of all time.)

[lapetitepritt]

we'll be waiting

[Armalite]

Books 1-3 were excellent. Books 4-5 annoyed me to no end. I'll still give that one a try.

[lea ౨ৎ]

david get behind me.