  | Book Details Title: The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious) |
Book DescriptionReview “The final, riveting chapter of the Truly Devious murder series. Throughout this intricately woven, fast-paced whodunit, Johnson demonstrates how proximity to wealth and power can mold and bend one’s behavior, whether with good or―here largely―devious intent. The brainy secondary characters’ quirky talents and interests complement Stevie’s sleuthing skills; . . . they include diversity in socioeconomic background, mental health challenges, physical disability, and sexual orientation. A richly satisfying, Poirot-like ending for Johnson’s inspired and inspiring teen sleuth.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))”In this hotly anticipated trilogy finale, Johnson pulls out all the stops, filling the thrillingly nimble narrative with classic mystery conventions. A striking foray into an examination of what mysteries can ever truly be solved, and a satisfying send-off for a series that will be missed.” (Booklist)“Maureen Johnson brings her delectable ‘Truly Devious’ murder mystery trilogy to a thrilling conclusion, neatly tying together her dueling narrative threads, one set in 1936 and the other in the present day, with an action-packed finale during a blizzard at Ellingham Academy in the mountains of Vermont.” (Buffalo News)”This will be essential reading for the many fans of the first two books. This trilogy ender is fun, satisfying, and a genuine treat for teens and adult mystery fans.” (School Library Journal)“The perfect mix of intimate character moments, intriguing epiphanies, and dangerous situations make it an overwhelmingly satisfying conclusion.” (Hypable)“This was an absolutely perfect finale to an engaging series.” (YA Books Central)”This inclusive, inventive, and vastly entertaining series has been a boon to YA literature. As a layered, complex character who solves crime while also battling anxiety, Stevie Bell reads like the redoubtable love child of Jessica Fletcher and Adrian Monk. There will hopefully be more Stevie Bell mysteries to come.” (Horn Book Magazine)Praise for TRULY DEVIOUS “Be still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.” (Bustle)“Jumping between past and present, Johnson’s novel is deliciously atmospheric, with a sprawling cast of complex suspects/potential victims, surprising twists, and a dash of romance. As in her Shades of London books, Johnson remains a master at combining jittery tension with sharp, laugh-out-loud observations.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review))“Remember the first time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was something special? There’s that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell. Parallel mysteries unfold with cleverly written dialogue, page-turning brilliance and a young sleuth just as captivating as Hercule Poirot.” (USA Today (four stars)) Read more About the Author Maureen Johnson is the bestselling author of several novels, including 13 Little Blue Envelopes, the Truly Devious series, the Suite Scarlett series, and the Shades of London series. She has also written collaborative works such as Let It Snow with John Green and Lauren Myracle and The Bane Chronicles with Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan. Maureen lives in New York and online on Twitter @maureenjohnson or at www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com. Read more Customers Review: OK, I seem to be in the minority here of being slightly disappointed by this trilogy’s finale. I was really excited to see how this book will conclude and to tie up all the loose ends. Instead, it felt like Maureen Johnson was cramming so much information into one book, there was so much drama involved both in the past and the present storylines, she was still revealing a lot of new information in the finale but also having to give us closure and resolve everything before the end of the book, leaving us feeling a little out of breath and…unsatisfied?Almost like…when you build up to something for so long and the climax, the best part of it, only lasts a few seconds, it feels so underwhelming. Makes you think, that’s it?Stevie solves the freaking murder! The murder of the century! And yet, we’re still discovering new things about Alice and her parents, and her birth, and who she really turns out to be, and I’m thinking what? Is that really necessary to move the story or the mystery forward? And then in present time, there’s the mystery of all these accidents that keep happening, and I feel like Johnson revealed a little too much at the beginning with that meeting between Stevie and her advisor making me guess who the villain is very early into the book.Then there’s David and his unnecessary drama. I mean, come on…so she made a mistake, but did she really? She wanted to get back to school, how’s that a crime? And she never ended up telling his dad ANYTHING. And she apologized like a million times. And yet he still appears halfway through the book only, and acts like a complete and total jerk to her for another third of the book, and then suddenly they’re making out again. It makes no sense! Their romance and connection were one of the things that I really loved about this trilogy and Johnson destroyed that here. Everything felt rushed at the end. All the revelations, the hook ups, the make ups, the closure she gave us was rushed and ruined it slightly for me.Did I still enjoy reading this? Yeah, I did. I love Maureen Johnson’s books and the first two parts in this trilogy make up for how badly executed this one is. But do I wish it was better? Yes. A thousand times yes. | |
78 reviews