You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Sixteen year old Stevie Bell is a true-crime aficionado. She's a master of forensics, an old hand at criminology, and has read every Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes story out there. Now, Stevie is starting her junior year at Ellingham Academy - a private school on a mountain in Vermont, where students can study whatever they're interested in, with no tuition, thanks to the wealthy Ellingham family - after all, learning should be a game.
Ellingham Academy is also home to one of the biggest unsolved crimes in American history - the kidnapping and murder of society woman Mrs. Ellingham; her 3 year old daughter, Alice (whose body was never found); and student Dolores, back in 1936. The murders were preceded by a threatening letter signed by "Truly Devious."
Stevie is determined that she will be the one to solve this cold case. Unfortunately, it looks like Truly Devious - and the spectre of death - may not have left Ellingham Academy, after all, and Stevie may get her wish to investigate a real-life mystery.
Kat's Note: I read this in two days. I can't freaking wait for book 2!
Ellingham Academy is also home to one of the biggest unsolved crimes in American history - the kidnapping and murder of society woman Mrs. Ellingham; her 3 year old daughter, Alice (whose body was never found); and student Dolores, back in 1936. The murders were preceded by a threatening letter signed by "Truly Devious."
Stevie is determined that she will be the one to solve this cold case. Unfortunately, it looks like Truly Devious - and the spectre of death - may not have left Ellingham Academy, after all, and Stevie may get her wish to investigate a real-life mystery.
Kat's Note: I read this in two days. I can't freaking wait for book 2!
To be fair, I feel like this book ended in the middle of the book. To be continued....
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
AHhHhhhHhhhHhhHHHh NOM NOM NOM!!! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! i ate it RIGHT UP!
first of all, this is a deliciously cozy (and fast-paced!) book to read when it rains with a cup of tea. it is SO easy to devour. that is the first step in a good mystery!
secondly, stevie is an amazing character! she feels real, relatable, and smart. the portrayal of panic attacks also, to me, was very accurate. not to mention, her pov made me laugh out loud repeatedly! LOVE her. in addition, all the characters seem to me to be aged very appropriately? it really feels like high school, and i see all the different types of students that i know! all the characters i was supposed to love, i did, the ones i was supposed to feel iffy about, i did, etc. just on point technique from the author right there.
third, the whole thing has a delightfully spooky setting! remote boarding school? YES PLEASE!
even when the mystery wasn’t happening, it was, because you are getting the very well handled dual timeline!
i wouldn’t say anything SHOCKED me out of my seat, but we haven’t had the reveal to end all reveal yet because—two more books!
GOSH I JUST ADOOOORE THIS BOOK. instant new mystery fave—that is a trilogy? i’m praying that the next two can compare!!
(also a note: can someone tell me if it also bothered them how in the first poem the author used the word slow twice in two stanzas?????? it drove me nuts!! but that’s just my pickiness so i’m not letting that affect my love of the book! edit: in book 2 they say the poet was kinda bad so...... i’ll take it LOL)
first of all, this is a deliciously cozy (and fast-paced!) book to read when it rains with a cup of tea. it is SO easy to devour. that is the first step in a good mystery!
secondly, stevie is an amazing character! she feels real, relatable, and smart. the portrayal of panic attacks also, to me, was very accurate. not to mention, her pov made me laugh out loud repeatedly! LOVE her. in addition, all the characters seem to me to be aged very appropriately? it really feels like high school, and i see all the different types of students that i know! all the characters i was supposed to love, i did, the ones i was supposed to feel iffy about, i did, etc. just on point technique from the author right there.
third, the whole thing has a delightfully spooky setting! remote boarding school? YES PLEASE!
even when the mystery wasn’t happening, it was, because you are getting the very well handled dual timeline!
i wouldn’t say anything SHOCKED me out of my seat, but we haven’t had the reveal to end all reveal yet because—two more books!
GOSH I JUST ADOOOORE THIS BOOK. instant new mystery fave—that is a trilogy? i’m praying that the next two can compare!!
(also a note: can someone tell me if it also bothered them how in the first poem the author used the word slow twice in two stanzas?????? it drove me nuts!! but that’s just my pickiness so i’m not letting that affect my love of the book! edit: in book 2 they say the poet was kinda bad so...... i’ll take it LOL)
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated