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lermonysnickers's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.5
marlireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Not my favourite of the series, but I really liked seeing Stevie and friends move to a different setting and try to solve a new mystery. The darkest one yet!
The plot, the mystery, itself wasn’t quite it for me, unfortunately. And I wanted more of the characters we know and love, but also we have this entire new set of people that gets introduced because of this new setting that don’t really get explored a whole lot, which is a bit of a missed opportunity.
The plot, the mystery, itself wasn’t quite it for me, unfortunately. And I wanted more of the characters we know and love, but also we have this entire new set of people that gets introduced because of this new setting that don’t really get explored a whole lot, which is a bit of a missed opportunity.
raereads23's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
mrsmishler's review against another edition
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Xenophobia
lise__'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think this was a good book, however I was a bit disappointed. The premise was interesting and so was the mystery in the past. I liked the characters, but I think we got too much of them doing nothing of value. The mystery felt dragged out. I loved the truly devious triology and there you can also say it was dragged out, but that didn't bother me as much (or at all), because the setting was better. We also didn't know the characters yet which made it more interesting. Overall I still rated it pretty high, because I enjoyed reading it and it wasn't terrible, I had just expected better...
There was a lot of "fake" tension like when she thought David had just left or when we thought she lost the diary. That just wasn't necessary. I also didn't like the way everything was explained through the diary at the end, it felt lazy and it wasn't that interesting to read (it would've been more interesting if we had to piece it together ourselves). The ending also came out of nowhere. Yes, we knew she had taken out books about Nazi's at the library, but there was now way to know otherwise. I also saw someone that said there were no plot twists, which made it more boring, and I agree. A part of what made the first books so good was that there were those little plot-twists and that you could try and piece togheter the mystery, here that wasn't the case.
There was a lot of "fake" tension like when she thought David had just left or when we thought she lost the diary. That just wasn't necessary. I also didn't like the way everything was explained through the diary at the end, it felt lazy and it wasn't that interesting to read (it would've been more interesting if we had to piece it together ourselves). The ending also came out of nowhere. Yes, we knew she had taken out books about Nazi's at the library, but there was now way to know otherwise. I also saw someone that said there were no plot twists, which made it more boring, and I agree. A part of what made the first books so good was that there were those little plot-twists and that you could try and piece togheter the mystery, here that wasn't the case.
booksbytheglass's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
this is by far maureen johnson’s darkest chapter of the truly devious series - and let me tell you, I was SO here for it! it was the perfect amounts of spooky and thriller-esque with still keeping it a YA detective novel
when it comes to extending series past its intended trilogy, I’m usually team “leave it alone” but I’m very happy to be proven wrong here!!!! this was arguably some of the best writing and plot lines around stevie and her young detective brain 🫡
once again, stevie is back in the center of a cold case (right during a new homicide of course), and boy what a ride it was! the cast of characters in the small town was so vast - between their sketchy motives and closed off attitudes, I couldn’t decide who the culprit was!
in the end, I did think the solution came out of left field with no lead up, but it gave agatha christie wild solution vibes so I was rolling with it
and the best part was that david was veryyyyy minimally in this one because his attitude (and honestly stevie’s too in this one) needs a hard check 🥴 for two people who are seemingly very compatible, they sure stink at simple communication and understanding
anyway!!! reading on!!!’
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley rosé
when it comes to extending series past its intended trilogy, I’m usually team “leave it alone” but I’m very happy to be proven wrong here!!!! this was arguably some of the best writing and plot lines around stevie and her young detective brain 🫡
once again, stevie is back in the center of a cold case (right during a new homicide of course), and boy what a ride it was! the cast of characters in the small town was so vast - between their sketchy motives and closed off attitudes, I couldn’t decide who the culprit was!
in the end, I did think the solution came out of left field with no lead up, but it gave agatha christie wild solution vibes so I was rolling with it
and the best part was that david was veryyyyy minimally in this one because his attitude (and honestly stevie’s too in this one) needs a hard check 🥴 for two people who are seemingly very compatible, they sure stink at simple communication and understanding
anyway!!! reading on!!!’
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: columbia valley rosé
hawkeye_hawkins's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. It would have gotten more but the ending… the reason for the murders. Really?!?