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Unabridged Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 10 hours, 12 minutes
Read by Kate Rudd
In recent years, most popular young adult series have focused on supernatural drama or post-apocalyptic action. But Truly Devious, the first installment in the series by author Maureen Johnson, moves to a faraway school that’s forever haunted by decades-old crimes.
The story travels to Ellingham Academy, tucked away in the mountains of Vermont, where only the brightest thinkers and most gifted artists are accepted. But the place is just as famous for its mysteries as it is for its student body. Back in the 1930s, not long after tycoon Albert Ellingham opened the school, the founder’s wife and daughter went missing shortly after he received a gruesome riddle in the mail. Now, Ellingham student Stevie Bell is convinced that she’ll be the one to solve the case. But after she arrives, the school is caught up in yet another mystery.
Truly Devious offers two mysteries for the price of one: one unsolved mystery from the ‘30s and one from the present day. As Stevie arrives at Ellingham and attempts to settle into her new life with new friends, her story is interspersed with snippets of stories, evidence, and testimony from the original case. And the air of mystery surrounding the school sets an eerie and intriguing tone for the novel—as well as the rest of the installments to come.
Of course, even without the mystery, Ellingham Academy is a fascinating place: an elite academy on a remote estate in the mountains, where eccentric young writers and actors and scientists converge to learn from the best instructors with no tuition costs. The characters are all different, yet they’re all interesting—and they’re sure to grow and develop as the series continues.
Stevie makes a lovably awkward guide through the world of Ellingham. A bit of a loner, more comfortable investigating the dead than talking with the living, she struggles to fit into her new environment—especially with a bunch of classmates whose abilities actually seem useful. But when a new crime takes place on campus, she finds that her years of studying police investigations may finally come in handy.
Unfortunately, this haunting mystery isn’t really a standalone novel—and while there are some revelations along the way, the conclusion brings more questions than answers. So be warned that once you finish reading, you’ll be eager to pick up the follow-up.
Still, despite its cliffhanger ending, Truly Devious is an engrossing thriller. If you enjoy a good mystery, you won’t want to miss this young adult whodunit series.
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