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bookb1itch's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really adore Stevie Bell and want to get students in my library to read her stories. I disappointed myself by getting into this one before I realised I'd missed "The box in the woods", which i now need to go back to. This one ends on a surprise cliffhanger, so I hope Maureen Johnson has more cases for Stevie to solve in the near future. Loved that Stevie and her friends were tourists in London for part of this book - some great references to tourist hotspots. Also lovely that part of the book was set during the Brit Pop War of 1995 between Blur and Oasis. Nostalgia for me, but something that might interest today's teens(?). These books talk the reader through the clues which help solve the crime and in my opinion are a better introduction to the genre than "A good girl's guide to murder" series, which is all over TikTok etc. I feel some of the content of "AGGGTM" is too adult for its target audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Minor: Sexual content and Vomit
itsheyfay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Honestly not my favorite of the series, but I still love Nate, Janelle, and Vi, and Izzy was a great addition to the group.
But the main mystery was hard for me to stay engaged with and follow. There were too many variables and too many people, so the reveal (while some pieces of evidence made sense) didn’t feel gratifying. Plus, maybe I missed it, but there was no clear motive for the murders.
But the main mystery was hard for me to stay engaged with and follow. There were too many variables and too many people, so the reveal (while some pieces of evidence made sense) didn’t feel gratifying. Plus, maybe I missed it, but there was no clear motive for the murders.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
grays_opinion's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Would have preferred more understanding as to why the first murder happened, but otherwise it was a good book with a good mystery. That last chapter was wild though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
paronomaniac's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Infidelity
mrsmishler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Murder, and Alcohol
bzliz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Okay this may be the worst in the series. I still found it entertaining enough and I didn’t mind Stevie and her friends having some real coming of age moments but the internal monologue about David got old quick. I have a few concerns about her priorities since she was so consumed by thoughts of him while trying to solve a missing person/murder case.
The mystery itself was much less solvable in my opinion. I did catch one of the main clues but I had a hard time connecting it to a killer since the cast was so big. I don’t know how I feel about this child going to spend the night at a house where someone is almost certainly a murderer. Stevie doesn’t have a very good sense of self preservation, which makes for a better book but is going to catch up to her someday.
The mystery itself was much less solvable in my opinion. I did catch one of the main clues but I had a hard time connecting it to a killer since the cast was so big. I don’t know how I feel about this child going to spend the night at a house where someone is almost certainly a murderer. Stevie doesn’t have a very good sense of self preservation, which makes for a better book but is going to catch up to her someday.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Infidelity
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I love the Truly Devious series. The books don't always hit the mark, but I don't really mind. Give me teen detectives solving cold cases! Why not! That said, I felt that the murder of the 90s far surpassed the present-day narrative here, and so my one complaint (if big) is that I wanted to spend the whole book in the Nine's company. It may also be my Cambridge/London bias...
A delight to devour all the same.
A delight to devour all the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Medical content, and Alcohol
tanvi45's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Infidelity
guessgreenleaf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
kawaii_rose's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book, but I feel that Maureen Johnson is introducing too much conflict in Stevie and David's relationship. It would be refreshing if the author could shift her focus to the other relationship in the story, which is between Vi and Janelle, instead of always focusing on the main character and their love interest. She also didn't express what "kind" of asexual person Nate was, as if he was aroace, or just ace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit
I enjoyed reading this book, but I feel that Maureen Johnson is introducing too much conflict in Stevie and David's relationship. It would be refreshing if the author could shift her focus to the other relationship in the story, which is between Vi and Janelle, instead of always focusing on the main character and their love interest.