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Truly Devious #4
The Box in the Woods
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2021)After solving the case of Truly Devious, Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery from New York Times best-selling author Maureen Johnson.
Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she’s back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer.
But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls - the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case.
Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders.
But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.
* Cosmopolitan Best YA Books of 2021 * People Magazine Best Books of Summer 2021*
©2021 Maureen Johnson (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers
Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she’s back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer.
But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls - the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case.
Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders.
But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.
* Cosmopolitan Best YA Books of 2021 * People Magazine Best Books of Summer 2021*
©2021 Maureen Johnson (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers
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First published June 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,355 reviews
Want to read
May 11, 2020I just hope Stevie dumps asshole David and winds up dating her true love Nathaniel Fisher
June 11, 2021
can this series have ten more books? thank you very much😭
June 19, 2021
all the Nate content gave me life
AND I ACTUALLY LOVED DAVID??? who am i-
RTC
(4.5⭐)
______
Pre-read Review:
All I need in this book is more Nate
AND I ACTUALLY LOVED DAVID??? who am i-
RTC
(4.5⭐)
______
Pre-read Review:
All I need in this book is more Nate
June 8, 2022
Ding ding ding! We have a big WINNER!
I loved this standalone more than Truly Devious Trilogy! It was amazing to see my favorite gang members back! ( of course I talk about Stevie- Nate and Janelle) Douchebag David is also back! But something magical happened in this book: I learned to tolerate David: I never fantasized to perform 100 ways of punching him. Especially at the last third of the story he earned so many brownie points with his contribution to solve the case and proved himself as a devoted member of the team. But I’m still watching him! I hope he doesn’t screw again and confuses Stevie’s mind!
Stevie is one of a kind. Most high school teens have different hobbies. Some of them into sports. Some writes…Some draws… Some dances… But Stevie solves crimes. She already solved Ellingham Academy’s coldest, very famous case which occurred mid 30’s.
Stevie is still quirkiest Queen: reminding me of my teenage years: whodunnit books, true crime addiction ( additionally she also devours true crime podcasts), suffering from anxiety issues. She’s interesting way to look at things and see the world from different view!
Now she is working at her summer job at charcuterie, cutting cheese in thin pieces, struggling not to fantasize how to kill the customers in 5 million creative ways.
But an email changes everything. Carson Buckwald, owner of Box Box recently purchased a camp site at Western Massachusetts called Camp Sunny Pines which was used to be called Camp Wonder Falls where the Box in the wood murders have been committed in summer of 1978 : 4 innocent camping counselors: young teenagers were massacred.
Now Carson makes a true crime podcast/ documentary about the camp and he heard about her brilliant performance at Ellingham Academy. He asks her help by providing her fully paid summer job at the camp. She can also brings her friends.
A big bold YES! This is the opportunity she’s been looking for. Janelle and Nat already says yes and David hmmm yes he’s always extra annoying who promises to join them later and wants her to keep him updated about events.
So the gang reunites the solve the 4 decades long mystery and this is where I’m shutting my big mouth!
This is unputdownable, addictive, exciting, one of the fastest reads of mine! I’m telling you this is so much better than trilogy and if you haven’t read Truly Devious series you may still read this book because the author summarizes the past events adroitly and briefly so you can catch it fast and take your ticket to this wild ride!
I’m giving my five murder mystery, quirky Sherlock Holmes meets Poirot apprentice, teen slasher vibes at the camp side, exciting, action packed thriller stars!
I loved this standalone more than Truly Devious Trilogy! It was amazing to see my favorite gang members back! ( of course I talk about Stevie- Nate and Janelle) Douchebag David is also back! But something magical happened in this book: I learned to tolerate David: I never fantasized to perform 100 ways of punching him. Especially at the last third of the story he earned so many brownie points with his contribution to solve the case and proved himself as a devoted member of the team. But I’m still watching him! I hope he doesn’t screw again and confuses Stevie’s mind!
Stevie is one of a kind. Most high school teens have different hobbies. Some of them into sports. Some writes…Some draws… Some dances… But Stevie solves crimes. She already solved Ellingham Academy’s coldest, very famous case which occurred mid 30’s.
Stevie is still quirkiest Queen: reminding me of my teenage years: whodunnit books, true crime addiction ( additionally she also devours true crime podcasts), suffering from anxiety issues. She’s interesting way to look at things and see the world from different view!
Now she is working at her summer job at charcuterie, cutting cheese in thin pieces, struggling not to fantasize how to kill the customers in 5 million creative ways.
But an email changes everything. Carson Buckwald, owner of Box Box recently purchased a camp site at Western Massachusetts called Camp Sunny Pines which was used to be called Camp Wonder Falls where the Box in the wood murders have been committed in summer of 1978 : 4 innocent camping counselors: young teenagers were massacred.
Now Carson makes a true crime podcast/ documentary about the camp and he heard about her brilliant performance at Ellingham Academy. He asks her help by providing her fully paid summer job at the camp. She can also brings her friends.
A big bold YES! This is the opportunity she’s been looking for. Janelle and Nat already says yes and David hmmm yes he’s always extra annoying who promises to join them later and wants her to keep him updated about events.
So the gang reunites the solve the 4 decades long mystery and this is where I’m shutting my big mouth!
This is unputdownable, addictive, exciting, one of the fastest reads of mine! I’m telling you this is so much better than trilogy and if you haven’t read Truly Devious series you may still read this book because the author summarizes the past events adroitly and briefly so you can catch it fast and take your ticket to this wild ride!
I’m giving my five murder mystery, quirky Sherlock Holmes meets Poirot apprentice, teen slasher vibes at the camp side, exciting, action packed thriller stars!
November 3, 2021
Hi MTV, and welcome to my purgatory crib.
Come on in. Make yourself at home. But also get homey while you're walking, because it's tour time. So...yeah. This is my humble abode and the location of my unrelenting mundane quasi-punishment.
Over on your left, you'll see a pretty good series starter, a mystery book with fun banter and completely unhinged and unrealistic characters but also an autumn-y boarding school setting. Highs and lows.
Up ahead, there's a slightly worse version of the same thing. No need to spend much time here. It'll only get less interesting if you keep thinking about it.
Okay, if we keep moving a bit, here we are at the original ending of the house. Not what you wanted, right? Pretty unsatisfying, as far as endings go. You kind of realize that the journey here was more fun than the conclusion. So it's no wonder that...aha! Another door. We built a surprise addition! We couldn't end there.
So finally, here we are. The center of the home, and the fourth book in the series. Where both highs and lows go to die. Nothing particularly good, nothing particularly bad - other than the pain caused by your memories of when things were better. Not good - never good - but better.
There's no way of knowing, but Maureen Johnson might just keep building. Aren't those memories, that nostalgia, your yearning for things to be as okay-to-good as they once were - aren't those enough for you to come back for the rest of the tour?
It's a pretty sh*tty house. But maybe it'll get better. There's always that.
Bottom line: Quick! Run, while nobody's looking! There's not much time, and like a Sarah J. Maas series, this tour will just keep going!
Bottom bottom line: Was this too abstract?
-------------
pre-review
these books are not good and yet........they do have a certain something.
review to come / 2.5ish
-------------
currently-reading updates
tis the season
-------------
tbr review
i am so excited for this book and i am so certain i am not going to like it. we exist
Come on in. Make yourself at home. But also get homey while you're walking, because it's tour time. So...yeah. This is my humble abode and the location of my unrelenting mundane quasi-punishment.
Over on your left, you'll see a pretty good series starter, a mystery book with fun banter and completely unhinged and unrealistic characters but also an autumn-y boarding school setting. Highs and lows.
Up ahead, there's a slightly worse version of the same thing. No need to spend much time here. It'll only get less interesting if you keep thinking about it.
Okay, if we keep moving a bit, here we are at the original ending of the house. Not what you wanted, right? Pretty unsatisfying, as far as endings go. You kind of realize that the journey here was more fun than the conclusion. So it's no wonder that...aha! Another door. We built a surprise addition! We couldn't end there.
So finally, here we are. The center of the home, and the fourth book in the series. Where both highs and lows go to die. Nothing particularly good, nothing particularly bad - other than the pain caused by your memories of when things were better. Not good - never good - but better.
There's no way of knowing, but Maureen Johnson might just keep building. Aren't those memories, that nostalgia, your yearning for things to be as okay-to-good as they once were - aren't those enough for you to come back for the rest of the tour?
It's a pretty sh*tty house. But maybe it'll get better. There's always that.
Bottom line: Quick! Run, while nobody's looking! There's not much time, and like a Sarah J. Maas series, this tour will just keep going!
Bottom bottom line: Was this too abstract?
-------------
pre-review
these books are not good and yet........they do have a certain something.
review to come / 2.5ish
-------------
currently-reading updates
tis the season
-------------
tbr review
i am so excited for this book and i am so certain i am not going to like it. we exist
September 12, 2024
It's finally Summer and for True Crime enthusiast, Stevie Bell, that means returning home from Ellingham Academy. After solving a real-life murder case at school, working at the deli counter of a local grocery store is going to be a real Snooze Fest. Yawn, indeed.
Stevie has just about come to grips with her new Summer status when she receives some correspondence that grabs her attention. Maybe the next couple of months won't be so boring after all.
The message is from the new owner of a kid's summer camp, Shady Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. Stevie is intrigued because she knows this camp.
In 1978, Camp Wonder Falls, and the neighboring town of Barlow Corners, suffered a terrible tragedy. Four local teens, all counselors at the camp, were killed in the woods one night, having snuck away for some private fun.
The case was never solved. Carson, the new owner, invites Stevie to become a counselor, while also working with him developing a podcast focusing on the murders.
You may be wondering why an adult would seek Stevie out and offer her this position, but keep in mind, at this point, Stevie and her crime solving antics have gained her some notoriety. Particularly in True Crime circuits. Carson believes Stevie may be able to crack the decades old case.
The kicker is, Stevie gets to bring some friends along. That sweetens the deal and she's in, along with Nate and Janelle.
But this town is as enmeshed in these murders as the camp itself, and someone doesn't want the case to be solved, putting Stevie and her friends in danger. Will they be able to figure it, or become victims themselves?
The Box in the Woods was nostalgic and fun. I enjoyed the shake-up, as far as the setting goes, in this one. I love Ellingham Academy, don't get me wrong, but this made for a nice change of pace.
I always enjoy a scary summer camp vibe and this definitely had that. It was campy, mysterious and cleverly-plotted. A fantastic set-up.
As with the earlier books in this series, you do get the past perspective played out for you as well. I enjoyed the sections from the past a lot.
You're there as the vicious crime is discovered and then taken back to learn of events leading up to it. The murders themselves were chilling, the descriptions and discovery, just imagining being in the camp when something like that happened. It was creepy.
Amateur sleuths are one of my absolute favorite tropes in a mystery and Stevie is one of the best. I love how her mind works and watching her go about her research and putting the pieces together is just so satisfying.
I also was impressed with how Johnson wrote this one so that it could actually be read as a standalone. I have read every book in this series and would definitely recommend that, but I can see how someone could actually read this on its own.
Then, once they fall in the love with the characters, they could actually go back and read the previous books.
Oh, also, before I forget, for David fans, he is in this one too and I gotta say, I enjoyed him here. I've never been a huge David-stan, but for some reason in this one, he really grew on me.
I'm not sure if it is because of everything he has been through over the course of the last two books, but he is really maturing and nicely. I'm super stoked for the next book, because I'm interested to see where their relationship goes.
For those interested, the fifth book, Nine Liars, is releasing at the end of this month, on Tuesday, December 27th.
I love these characters and the compelling mysteries Johnson brings to the page. The alternating timelines and steady progressions of the plots have never failed to keep me fully engaged.
I will continue to read this series for as long as they continue to release books. Stevie fan for life!!
Stevie has just about come to grips with her new Summer status when she receives some correspondence that grabs her attention. Maybe the next couple of months won't be so boring after all.
The message is from the new owner of a kid's summer camp, Shady Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. Stevie is intrigued because she knows this camp.
In 1978, Camp Wonder Falls, and the neighboring town of Barlow Corners, suffered a terrible tragedy. Four local teens, all counselors at the camp, were killed in the woods one night, having snuck away for some private fun.
The case was never solved. Carson, the new owner, invites Stevie to become a counselor, while also working with him developing a podcast focusing on the murders.
You may be wondering why an adult would seek Stevie out and offer her this position, but keep in mind, at this point, Stevie and her crime solving antics have gained her some notoriety. Particularly in True Crime circuits. Carson believes Stevie may be able to crack the decades old case.
The kicker is, Stevie gets to bring some friends along. That sweetens the deal and she's in, along with Nate and Janelle.
But this town is as enmeshed in these murders as the camp itself, and someone doesn't want the case to be solved, putting Stevie and her friends in danger. Will they be able to figure it, or become victims themselves?
The Box in the Woods was nostalgic and fun. I enjoyed the shake-up, as far as the setting goes, in this one. I love Ellingham Academy, don't get me wrong, but this made for a nice change of pace.
I always enjoy a scary summer camp vibe and this definitely had that. It was campy, mysterious and cleverly-plotted. A fantastic set-up.
As with the earlier books in this series, you do get the past perspective played out for you as well. I enjoyed the sections from the past a lot.
You're there as the vicious crime is discovered and then taken back to learn of events leading up to it. The murders themselves were chilling, the descriptions and discovery, just imagining being in the camp when something like that happened. It was creepy.
Amateur sleuths are one of my absolute favorite tropes in a mystery and Stevie is one of the best. I love how her mind works and watching her go about her research and putting the pieces together is just so satisfying.
I also was impressed with how Johnson wrote this one so that it could actually be read as a standalone. I have read every book in this series and would definitely recommend that, but I can see how someone could actually read this on its own.
Then, once they fall in the love with the characters, they could actually go back and read the previous books.
Oh, also, before I forget, for David fans, he is in this one too and I gotta say, I enjoyed him here. I've never been a huge David-stan, but for some reason in this one, he really grew on me.
I'm not sure if it is because of everything he has been through over the course of the last two books, but he is really maturing and nicely. I'm super stoked for the next book, because I'm interested to see where their relationship goes.
For those interested, the fifth book, Nine Liars, is releasing at the end of this month, on Tuesday, December 27th.
I love these characters and the compelling mysteries Johnson brings to the page. The alternating timelines and steady progressions of the plots have never failed to keep me fully engaged.
I will continue to read this series for as long as they continue to release books. Stevie fan for life!!
January 17, 2021
Will not be going camping anytime soon.
July 19, 2021
Nate is one of the best fictional characters ever and I will accept no argument on this matter.
June 29, 2021
as usual, nate carried
January 11, 2022
Not to be dramatic but I'd die for Stevie...
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW!
September 19, 2021
3/5
So this was a disappointment. I expected so much from this. I loved the previous three Truly Devious books and there was no reason I wouldn’t read this. Sadly it wasn’t that good.
I think a big thing that made me like it less was the setting. I didn’t connect with the summer camp vibes like I connected with the private school in the middle of nowhere vibes of Ellingham Academy. I feel the school setting really gave the story this unique feeling which is odd to say since so many murder mysteries take places at school but those were my feelings! I’m such a sucker for dark academia and this wasn’t dark academia because there was no school 😩
It seemed like a typical YA murder mystery. The format of the mystery wasn’t unique and my biggest pet peeve here was NO PLOT TWISTS. What. The whole plot revolves on finding a diary. Once they had it the mystery was solved. It was so disappointing and with the twists in the first three I wished we had had more of that here.
Stevie was so annoying here. I’ve never liked her or Nate (unpopular opinion) so having so much of them drained me. My favourite has always been David and his role in this book was so subpar and, quite frankly, I found him annoying.
Janelle was her usual good self which was relief.
The first few 1970’a flashbacks were so so good and got me completely hooked into the story. But once those ended and we were fully in the present time, I got bored. So many parts seemed unnecessary to me and there wasn’t any drama to make up for the lack of action. Everything seemed so odd. And when we had all those diary entries as well I got bored because all though they were revealing who the killer was, it seemed as if there was no stakes to anything.
The conclusion to the mystery itself was so bad. The murderer was a Nazi???????? That was the most random out of nowhere plot twists that made no sense in the slightest. I get the mentions of Germany were foreshadowing but still. It felt so odd to read. He got away with the crime and died free. If you have a nazi as your villain the least you can do is have them go to prison or, you know, get killed. It left such an unsatisfied tone and ending to the story.
Overall I wanted to like this but didn’t but if the next book takes place in England as I think it will be based on the hints at the end I’m in bc I adore mysteries in England <3
So this was a disappointment. I expected so much from this. I loved the previous three Truly Devious books and there was no reason I wouldn’t read this. Sadly it wasn’t that good.
I think a big thing that made me like it less was the setting. I didn’t connect with the summer camp vibes like I connected with the private school in the middle of nowhere vibes of Ellingham Academy. I feel the school setting really gave the story this unique feeling which is odd to say since so many murder mysteries take places at school but those were my feelings! I’m such a sucker for dark academia and this wasn’t dark academia because there was no school 😩
It seemed like a typical YA murder mystery. The format of the mystery wasn’t unique and my biggest pet peeve here was NO PLOT TWISTS. What. The whole plot revolves on finding a diary. Once they had it the mystery was solved. It was so disappointing and with the twists in the first three I wished we had had more of that here.
Stevie was so annoying here. I’ve never liked her or Nate (unpopular opinion) so having so much of them drained me. My favourite has always been David and his role in this book was so subpar and, quite frankly, I found him annoying.
Janelle was her usual good self which was relief.
The first few 1970’a flashbacks were so so good and got me completely hooked into the story. But once those ended and we were fully in the present time, I got bored. So many parts seemed unnecessary to me and there wasn’t any drama to make up for the lack of action. Everything seemed so odd. And when we had all those diary entries as well I got bored because all though they were revealing who the killer was, it seemed as if there was no stakes to anything.
The conclusion to the mystery itself was so bad. The murderer was a Nazi???????? That was the most random out of nowhere plot twists that made no sense in the slightest. I get the mentions of Germany were foreshadowing but still. It felt so odd to read. He got away with the crime and died free. If you have a nazi as your villain the least you can do is have them go to prison or, you know, get killed. It left such an unsatisfied tone and ending to the story.
Overall I wanted to like this but didn’t but if the next book takes place in England as I think it will be based on the hints at the end I’m in bc I adore mysteries in England <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
June 24, 2020NO WAY!
(all i want from this is for stevie to actually get her moose lol)
(all i want from this is for stevie to actually get her moose lol)
June 27, 2021
STEVIE BELL IS COMING BACK STEVIE BELL IS COMING BACK STEVIE BELL IS COMING BACK STEVIE BELL IS COMING BACK
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not surprised at all that i loved this!! hoping we get more from the series because of (1) reason: STEVIE BELL!!!!
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not surprised at all that i loved this!! hoping we get more from the series because of (1) reason: STEVIE BELL!!!!
Read
June 3, 2020WHERE IS DAVID?!
August 4, 2021
Loved the atmosphere - which is totally different than in previous 3 books but still awesome
lost-interest
June 18, 2021This book was released and I still haven't picked it up. 💀🔪
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How did I not know there's going to be a book 4 in the Truly Devious series??? I'm so excited!! The cover is gorgeous, especially since it's purple, my favorite color :p
God, 2021 seems so far away :/
There are so many great books coming out in 2021 that I wanna read!
_______________________________________
How did I not know there's going to be a book 4 in the Truly Devious series??? I'm so excited!! The cover is gorgeous, especially since it's purple, my favorite color :p
God, 2021 seems so far away :/
There are so many great books coming out in 2021 that I wanna read!
October 30, 2022
“This whole thing is ticking a lot of the horror movie boxes. Murder at a sleep away camp. A serial killer. A final girl. A kid who died because some teenagers were being irresponsible.”
Stevie Bell is home for the summer and working a mundane job behind a deli counter. How could life be so utterly boring after her whirlwind year at Ellingham Academy and solving not just one mystery but two?! One of them as far back as the 1930’s.
That’s all about to change when she gets an email from Carson the owner of a well known box service called Box Box and also the new owner of Sunny Pines Summer Camp. Formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls and the infamous spot of The Box in the Woods Murders, an unsolved murder case involving the gruesome deaths of 4 teenage camp counselors back in 1978. Carson has invited Stevie to be a part of his PodCast which will detail the story of Barlow Corners, the victims and the crime itself. Carson would also like Stevie to take a crack at solving the decades old murders.
To sweeten the deal Carson let’s Stevie invite along her friends from Ellingham. This is a tougher case than Stevie realized, it’s more emotional and real feeling. She actually witnesses the towns pain and the grieving loved ones are still alive and raw. She needs Nathan and Janelle to help her put together the puzzle pieces from 1978. But someone from Barlow Corners doesn’t want this secret to come to light and Stevie Bell, amateur sleuth extraordinaire might not live to solve another case.
Maureen Johnson once again does an amazing job weaving past and present together so seamlessly. It reads so perfectly fluid. She also leaves lots of bread crumbs to follow, but I never would have seen this coming until the very end. I’m not sure how I feel about the reasoning behind murders, but I could actually see it as a possibility. Maybe exaggerated a bit but still possible.
Even though The Box in the Woods detours away from Ellingham Academy and has a completely different scenery and scenario along with some new characters thrown in the mix, it doesn’t lose its charm. Stevie and friends never fail to disappoint. With Stevie being the oddball girl that loves everything murder, Janelle the lovable best friend who never met a craft (or project) she didn’t like and Nathan my favorite of them all whose sarcastic humor and whit kept me laughing even with some serious tones, I couldn’t help but fall in love with them all over. And they do Summer Camp in only ways that they can do. My only complaint is I would have liked a little more on Stevie’s friends.
I loved the 70’s nostalgia and the references to Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac. These were groups a bit before my time but I can remember my mom listening to their music when I was just a young child. The songs Sabrina and friends were listening to brought up some warm fuzzy memories. That’s always a plus!
I was worried I would become bored with the Truly Devious series, but if anything I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment, to see where Stevie’s new year at Ellingham Academy takes her and who’s next on the chopping block. 😁
June 21, 2021
Full review to come!
September 30, 2024
3.5 stars reading vlog: https://youtu.be/yOpShJza85A
this book had 5 star potential until THAT ENDING!! maureen babes what were you thinking
this book had 5 star potential until THAT ENDING!! maureen babes what were you thinking
June 27, 2021
4.5 stars
When I say that I screamed my head off when I got approved for The Box in the Woods, I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. Truly Devious is one of my favorite mystery series, so when I heard that there was gonna be one more book in the series, I couldn’t believe it. And this stand alone spin off did not disappoint!
Reading this was like returning to an old group of friends. We got to see Stevie, Nate, and Janelle in a completely different setting, but the charm of a cold murder case still surrounds them. Maureen Johnson KNOWS how to plot out a mystery. I am absolutely terrible at predicting the events in books, so the whole time it’s a complete guesisng game for me. It’s always fun because I can never tell which clues are actually hints, and which ones are meant to throw the reader off. But by the end reveal, everything came together, all the clues lining up perfectly. Now the only thing I want to do is go back and reread this entire novel just so I can pick up on the hints that I missed.
For me, The Box in the Woods was everything I loved about the Truly Devious trilogy, but at the same time I have the exact same critiques, there wasn’t much improvement. I still adore Stevie as our main character (though at some points she gave off “not like other girls energy”), the friendships between all the academy students, and the tension you feel while reading the novel. These are all things that have carried over extremely well from the original trilogy. Yet, the most glaring issue was the romance between David and Stevie. It’s just not there, there’s no spark. And I do think there is a decent amount of filler in this series, maybe if I go back and reread it won’t actually seem like filler, but the first read can drag a bit.
If you enjoyed the original Truly Devious trilogy, you definitely will want to pick up The Box in the Woods, you won’t want to miss the reunion of the Minerva house gang!
When I say that I screamed my head off when I got approved for The Box in the Woods, I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. Truly Devious is one of my favorite mystery series, so when I heard that there was gonna be one more book in the series, I couldn’t believe it. And this stand alone spin off did not disappoint!
Reading this was like returning to an old group of friends. We got to see Stevie, Nate, and Janelle in a completely different setting, but the charm of a cold murder case still surrounds them. Maureen Johnson KNOWS how to plot out a mystery. I am absolutely terrible at predicting the events in books, so the whole time it’s a complete guesisng game for me. It’s always fun because I can never tell which clues are actually hints, and which ones are meant to throw the reader off. But by the end reveal, everything came together, all the clues lining up perfectly. Now the only thing I want to do is go back and reread this entire novel just so I can pick up on the hints that I missed.
For me, The Box in the Woods was everything I loved about the Truly Devious trilogy, but at the same time I have the exact same critiques, there wasn’t much improvement. I still adore Stevie as our main character (though at some points she gave off “not like other girls energy”), the friendships between all the academy students, and the tension you feel while reading the novel. These are all things that have carried over extremely well from the original trilogy. Yet, the most glaring issue was the romance between David and Stevie. It’s just not there, there’s no spark. And I do think there is a decent amount of filler in this series, maybe if I go back and reread it won’t actually seem like filler, but the first read can drag a bit.
If you enjoyed the original Truly Devious trilogy, you definitely will want to pick up The Box in the Woods, you won’t want to miss the reunion of the Minerva house gang!
June 18, 2021
About the book: After solving the case of Truly Devious, Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.
Stevie and her friends from the Ellingham Academy are spending summer together investigating old murders/cold cases. Of course this is a dangerous, thrilling, and chilling job. I read this book in one sitting and could not put it down. Calling all crime thriller, mystery thriller, young adult thriller lovers, or those who are already fans of this spectacular series. What a gift from Maureen Johnson!
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Stevie and her friends from the Ellingham Academy are spending summer together investigating old murders/cold cases. Of course this is a dangerous, thrilling, and chilling job. I read this book in one sitting and could not put it down. Calling all crime thriller, mystery thriller, young adult thriller lovers, or those who are already fans of this spectacular series. What a gift from Maureen Johnson!
I received a gifted copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
June 17, 2021
OH MY LORD! Where have I been?! Has this JUST been announced or something?! I’m SO F*CKING EXCITED!!!! I literally never would have expected this!
HELL YAH!
HELL YAH!
January 18, 2022
the thing about these books is that they are not good but they are also so good.
September 20, 2021
uh...okay sure.
July 8, 2021
why maureen johnson? why did you give me hope just to snatch it away?
i had really enjoyed reading the truly devious trilogy and yet the only feeling this book evoked from me was frustration. was it a necessary installment? no but it could have been a fun one. and yeah, it can be read as a standalone in case you're interested (are you though?)
at first i had high hopes. halfway through i thought maybe i could give it a three and talk about what happens when hercule poirot meets i know what you did last summer. so you can imagine my disappointment when i realized there was info dumping at 90%, which honestly shouldn't have surprised me at all considering our dear stevie bell goes on long bike rides, gets involved in arts and crafts, stares at the ceiling thinking about her boyfriend and generally does everything but investigate for the most part. the 1978 case was interesting which is what pisses me off. this could have been such a good book if it had nothing to do with stevie (or any outsider solving the case forty years later, really).
the writing wasn't terrible BUT there were moments when even adult characters read like teenagers. maybe maureen johnson has been writing ya for too long because i can assure you no woman in her fifties would be talking about the "vibe she wants to give off".
also, the romance. i have nothing against david but unfortunately that was a classic example of telling without showing. i have no idea why these two love each other. there wasn't a single moment of bonding. they met face to face after months and their interaction was lukewarm at best. they fought (because why talk things out when you can be angsty instead) and then we get the confession?? what?
oh and i am not here for the stairway to heaven slander. fuck that. and the dozens of times led zeppelin and fleetwood mac were mentioned? while talking about the 70s? groundbreaking. yeah i may be biased because i love rock with my whole heart but the fact that so little research was done is unprofessional to say the least.
lastly, the unveiling of the mystery. the plot twist if you will (although i wouldn't call it that because the were really no clues to even slightly suggest ). it all depended on the aforementioned exposition and in case you want to read this book because you enjoy guessing i'm telling you there is simply no way you can figure it out. not because you're not smart enough but because not even stevie has a single fucking clue until the last 10% of the book.
if you're still reading, thank you for coming to my ted talk. i didn't mean to be mean, i promise. i'd still like to try some other book from the author in the future. and i can definitely see another stevie bell mystery on the horizon, this time set in england. *sighs*
i had really enjoyed reading the truly devious trilogy and yet the only feeling this book evoked from me was frustration. was it a necessary installment? no but it could have been a fun one. and yeah, it can be read as a standalone in case you're interested (are you though?)
at first i had high hopes. halfway through i thought maybe i could give it a three and talk about what happens when hercule poirot meets i know what you did last summer. so you can imagine my disappointment when i realized there was info dumping at 90%, which honestly shouldn't have surprised me at all considering our dear stevie bell goes on long bike rides, gets involved in arts and crafts, stares at the ceiling thinking about her boyfriend and generally does everything but investigate for the most part. the 1978 case was interesting which is what pisses me off. this could have been such a good book if it had nothing to do with stevie (or any outsider solving the case forty years later, really).
the writing wasn't terrible BUT there were moments when even adult characters read like teenagers. maybe maureen johnson has been writing ya for too long because i can assure you no woman in her fifties would be talking about the "vibe she wants to give off".
also, the romance. i have nothing against david but unfortunately that was a classic example of telling without showing. i have no idea why these two love each other. there wasn't a single moment of bonding. they met face to face after months and their interaction was lukewarm at best. they fought (because why talk things out when you can be angsty instead) and then we get the confession?? what?
oh and i am not here for the stairway to heaven slander. fuck that. and the dozens of times led zeppelin and fleetwood mac were mentioned? while talking about the 70s? groundbreaking. yeah i may be biased because i love rock with my whole heart but the fact that so little research was done is unprofessional to say the least.
lastly, the unveiling of the mystery. the plot twist if you will (although i wouldn't call it that because the were really no clues to even slightly suggest ). it all depended on the aforementioned exposition and in case you want to read this book because you enjoy guessing i'm telling you there is simply no way you can figure it out. not because you're not smart enough but because not even stevie has a single fucking clue until the last 10% of the book.
if you're still reading, thank you for coming to my ted talk. i didn't mean to be mean, i promise. i'd still like to try some other book from the author in the future. and i can definitely see another stevie bell mystery on the horizon, this time set in england. *sighs*
December 25, 2021
if someone breathes too hard near david, it's ON SIGHT
truly, this book was unnecessary to the series and didn't have the tightest plot line, but i just love spending time with these characters, so i kind of had a blast
truly, this book was unnecessary to the series and didn't have the tightest plot line, but i just love spending time with these characters, so i kind of had a blast
December 23, 2025
This is book 4 in a series of (so far) 6 books but I found it comfortable to read as a stand alone.
Stevie Bell is a teenager who is also a skilled sleuth. When she is invited to attend a Summer Camp in order to solve a cold case she quickly invites a couple of friends to help and off they go. The rest is nicely told, nicely scary and very well written.
I found it stood up well as a standalone but it had every reason to make me want to read the rest of the series. A really enjoyable read. Four stars.
9
Stevie Bell is a teenager who is also a skilled sleuth. When she is invited to attend a Summer Camp in order to solve a cold case she quickly invites a couple of friends to help and off they go. The rest is nicely told, nicely scary and very well written.
I found it stood up well as a standalone but it had every reason to make me want to read the rest of the series. A really enjoyable read. Four stars.
9
July 7, 2025
𝟒🌟!!! "You're too obsessed with true crime." God forbid a girl’s determined to solve an unsolved 1970s cold case, choose murder investigations over crafting friendship bracelets at summer camp.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: I’M BACKKKKKK. Bloody hell, it’s been a minute since I’ve been on Goodreads since life has been hectic and I haven’t got time to read😭. On a positive note, I did pass my theory test for driving so that’s just made my day better!!😌🤍
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: I’M BACKKKKKK. Bloody hell, it’s been a minute since I’ve been on Goodreads since life has been hectic and I haven’t got time to read😭. On a positive note, I did pass my theory test for driving so that’s just made my day better!!😌🤍
July 9, 2021
if this cover isn't purple or yellow i will be suing
edit: ITS PURPLE KSNSKSKDNS
ayeeeeee guess who's finally out of her reading slump??? all it took was staying up until 1:45 am to finish this book when i have work tomorrow morning and falling behind on two months worth of reading *air horn noises*
i wish i could make a clear and concise draw between whether this little fun fourth book was better than the original trilogy but it's not fair to compare at all when i feel so attached to the character development. it would be comparing stevie and the gang when i first read truly devious and loved it to them now, and i can't pick between the two.
obviously, it's nice to have a whole three books to wrap up a murder mystery storyline because it gives more space for things to go wrong, more room for development, for learning to love the characters and the writing style and the world, but the author still pulls off the one book story arc just as well as the original trilogy, and let me just say, i would be happy with at least three more of these books but i understand if she decides to leave it here lol
i'm just so happy that this is so good and now i'm super excited to see what the author has next up, if anything, especially outside of this universe and these characters. but still a mystery though, please, ur really good at writing those :)
edit: ITS PURPLE KSNSKSKDNS
ayeeeeee guess who's finally out of her reading slump??? all it took was staying up until 1:45 am to finish this book when i have work tomorrow morning and falling behind on two months worth of reading *air horn noises*
i wish i could make a clear and concise draw between whether this little fun fourth book was better than the original trilogy but it's not fair to compare at all when i feel so attached to the character development. it would be comparing stevie and the gang when i first read truly devious and loved it to them now, and i can't pick between the two.
obviously, it's nice to have a whole three books to wrap up a murder mystery storyline because it gives more space for things to go wrong, more room for development, for learning to love the characters and the writing style and the world, but the author still pulls off the one book story arc just as well as the original trilogy, and let me just say, i would be happy with at least three more of these books but i understand if she decides to leave it here lol
i'm just so happy that this is so good and now i'm super excited to see what the author has next up, if anything, especially outside of this universe and these characters. but still a mystery though, please, ur really good at writing those :)
November 13, 2021
***4,5 stars***
Absolutely LOVED the Truly Devious series and this fourth book was no exception. It's funny, witty and murdery goodness! Maureen Johnson is such a talented author - as long as she writes, I'll read.
The Box in the Woods is separate from the other books, but it's just as juicy and good. It continues with Stevie Bell and her friends solving cases, this time at a summer camp, where 4 teenagers were murdered in the 70s and no one has ever figured out who did it.
Entertaining, thrilling, and mysterious, this series is great for true crime lovers of all ages.
Absolutely LOVED the Truly Devious series and this fourth book was no exception. It's funny, witty and murdery goodness! Maureen Johnson is such a talented author - as long as she writes, I'll read.
The Box in the Woods is separate from the other books, but it's just as juicy and good. It continues with Stevie Bell and her friends solving cases, this time at a summer camp, where 4 teenagers were murdered in the 70s and no one has ever figured out who did it.
Entertaining, thrilling, and mysterious, this series is great for true crime lovers of all ages.
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