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A YA mystery that really wasn’t all that mysterious..

Welcome back!
Today’s post will once again be a less than flattering review of yet another popular/mainstream book.

Now.. Knowing how much I love mysteries (and actually remembering how interested I was in this series) my husband got me the first three books in this series.. and it is the perfect example of why you should read a book before buying it.

I had such high expectations here and there was so much potential but, alas, I was not impressed.

Let’s find out why!

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(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Publication date: January 16, 2018
Pages: 423
Genre: Teen and Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction
Book 1 of 4: Truly Devious

Dedication: For anyone who has ever dreamed of finding a body in the library.

First line: Fate came for Dottie Epstein a year earlier, in the form of a call to the principle’s office.

A school for exceptional minds, once the scene of a terrible crime, is a haven for teens with remarkable skills and talents.
Built by a man with more money than anyone really needs, the academy was meant to give it’s students a place to learn at their own pace, in their own way.

“It was, in short, idyllic and fantastical, and may have remained as such had it not been for that foggy night in April 1936 when Truly Devious struck.
Schools may be famous for many things: academics, graduates, sports teams.
They’re not supposed to be famous for murders.”

Any student with the desire to attend Ellingham can apply.. but to be accepted is another story.
Ellingham is looking for something special, a spark of some kind, and how they determine which students best fit the Ellingham way of life is unknown, still, students from across the country try their hand at being one of the rare few who are selected to attend this prestigious academy.

“Ellingham had no application, no list of requirements, not instructions other than, “If you would like to be considered for Ellingham Academy, please get in touch.”
That was it.”

Stevie Bell sent in her own passionate request for admittance and, shockingly, succeeds at securing a much treasured spot.
With a love for mysteries and a fondness for Sherlock Holmes, Stevie wants more than anything to be the first to discover the identity of Truly Devious and reveal the truth of what happened to the Ellingham family so many years ago.

Three Stars

Characters: Young. Frustrating.
Storyline: Had potential.
Pace: Slow.
Writing: Well done and by far the best part.
Cover: 3.5/5

There are multiple POVs that switch between the present and the past.

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First: I love mysteries. Adult, young adult, teen, MG, you name it. Pick any age group, any genre, and you’re likely to find dozens of incredible mysteries just waiting to be solved.
Second: With so many books to choose from, you’re going to occasionally come across a few duds. I know this and still.. it surprises me every time.

Maybe this would have been a better read had the blurb not assured us of an entirely different story than what I found inside. Perhaps that would have changed things. Unfortunately, I had expectations.. and few of those were satisfied.

The author did attempt to give us the promised mystery-obsessed and crime-loving protagonist.. I do believe that. However, what we actually get is a young, awkward girl who’s just trying to find a place to belong amidst a collection of similarly young, awkward characters. Which, okay, I can see that working for the series overall.. but where is the almost fanatical interest in the crime? Stevie’s determination the solve it? Where is the drive to uncover the wealth of secrets hiding in this school’s dark history?
Not here, I can tell you that.

What really irked me was that the most intriguing aspect of the story, that of ‘Truly Devious,’ was such a little part of the actual storyline that my disappointment only grew as I read on. It may play a more significant role later on in the series but, after how much trouble I had completing this first book, I have little desire to trudge my way through another.

I could not connect with any of the characters and found them more frustrating than likable. Their relationships with one another were more confusing than interesting and I often questioned whether it/they/everything was unappealing to me in particular or if my mood at the time colored my opinions a bit too strongly. How else could a book with so much good press have me struggling to keep turning pages?

In a nutshell: this one just wasn’t for me.
I may continue the series later on (when time has smoothed the edges of my disappointment) but I don’t see it being any time soon.

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I’m in the minority here so, if this book is one that caught your eye, I would still recommend giving it a chance.. You could very well have an amazing reading experience, love the characters, and come away a great fan of the story.
I wish you the best of luck either way.

Have you read this book/series?
What did you think?

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