In this week's episode of the show, we talk about the first two books in the Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson, Truly Devious and The Vanishing Stair. Such a good start to a mystery series! There's murder! Secret passages! Romance! Riddles! So many good things!
In the series, our main character, Stevie Bell, is selected to attend Ellingham Academy, a prestigious school for the brightest and most clever students. She's chosen to attend because she wants to be a detective and is certain she can solve the Ellingham Affair, the mystery that happened on the school grounds when it first opened, back in the 1930s. Way back then, Albert Ellingham, the eccentric millionaire who created the school received a mysterious letter made from cut up magazines. The letter featured a rather grizzly poem signed Truly, Devious, then, shortly after, Albert's wife and daughter were kidnapped. At the same time, a student at the school goes missing. Are those cases connected? Although it's been almost 90 years, Stevie is sure she can solve the case of what actually happened at Ellingham Academy. But... can she solve the mystery that's unfolding around her RIGHT NOW? It seems Truly Devious might be at it again...
If you love a good Agatha Christie mystery or long to be Sherlock Holmes, you'll likely find this series to be just as delightful as we did. Here's our mystery-solving picture of the week. Maybe don't hire us to solve any mysteries as we probably won't be very good at it, but at least we look good in sepia tones and fake hats.
Truly,
Amanda