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kb_sherman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
abeaninapod's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Okay so I love this series! I love the characters, the plot is so rich and everytime I think that it's the end it turns out it isn't. And we finally got to uncover so much about the mysteries of book one and two. But it was a little anticlimactic.... I don't know if it will pick back up in the next book. But this one lacked some of the umph that the others before had. Don't get me wrong my butt was clenched just as tightly (but I'm a scaredy cat) so all that sneaking around in the dark and the murders... yeah not good for bedtime reading. And guess when I do 95% of my reading!
I felt like the relationships were kinda flung together too. But I also understand that they went through a lot together and that brings people closer or at least makes them more curious about each other so I'll allow it.
Anyway. This is not a light read. But it's a great read.
I felt like the relationships were kinda flung together too. But I also understand that they went through a lot together and that brings people closer or at least makes them more curious about each other so I'll allow it.
Anyway. This is not a light read. But it's a great read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Mentions and describes anxiety and panic attacks in detail.mariekejee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I enjoyed this book the most out of the three, I think. I grew to like the friend group a lot (although I still have some very mixed feelings about David) and the resolution of the mysteries was very satisfying. I liked the parts where it's trying to be cheeky and self-aware about being a mystery - the part where Larry walked into the room with the wall scanner and Stevie started complaining about how long-winded her speech was, had me laughing out loud .
It's entertaining - but as a YA novel with teenagers as protagonists, it's also a bit horrifying. I'm usually not too bothered by people dying in these typical mystery novels (I was promised murder and I will be disappointed if I don't <i>get</i> murder, ya hear me), but the idea that two kids died in such an awful, sad way is horrifying.The fact that an adult purposely man slaughtered these kids is even worse and honestly makes me feel gross . The resolution of the Alice plot line was also heartbreaking. I didn't realise until this book that Alice was <i>just three years old</i> when she was kidnapped. There's just a lot of sad crime in this book.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to 1936, and getting to know these characters involved in the Ellingham case. The David plot line/romance is still a bit hit-or-miss for me (although I am such a sucker for the "two people are fighting but they're trapped somewhere and might not get out so they need to sort out their shit" trope). Stevie is still an irresponsible little shit sometimes and I don't understand how these adults don't keep her locked up somewhere but it makes for a fun read, at least. Speaking of irresponsible: what is the deal with Germaine? The story wants me to believe shewas the one watching Stevie from the outside, but girl, you're in the middle of a fucking blizzard. Where the fuck was she staying? Why was she outside Stevie's window at midnight? You can't expect me to believe she stayed alive by just kicking it without a place to hide from the storm .
Oh well, teenage antics aside, this was a good book. If you're into mystery stories and don't get queasy by a little underage murder, then I'd recommend this series. The cliffhangers are a bit unfair, but they kept me reading. The tension keeps building throughout the series and although it takes 1000 pages for the mystery to be completely resolved, it's worth it in the end and I'm glad I kept reading. Maybe I'll even pick up more of Johnson's books! Who knows.
It's entertaining - but as a YA novel with teenagers as protagonists, it's also a bit horrifying. I'm usually not too bothered by people dying in these typical mystery novels (I was promised murder and I will be disappointed if I don't <i>get</i> murder, ya hear me), but the idea that two kids died in such an awful, sad way is horrifying.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to 1936, and getting to know these characters involved in the Ellingham case. The David plot line/romance is still a bit hit-or-miss for me (although I am such a sucker for the "two people are fighting but they're trapped somewhere and might not get out so they need to sort out their shit" trope). Stevie is still an irresponsible little shit sometimes and I don't understand how these adults don't keep her locked up somewhere but it makes for a fun read, at least. Speaking of irresponsible: what is the deal with Germaine? The story wants me to believe she
Oh well, teenage antics aside, this was a good book. If you're into mystery stories and don't get queasy by a little underage murder, then I'd recommend this series. The cliffhangers are a bit unfair, but they kept me reading. The tension keeps building throughout the series and although it takes 1000 pages for the mystery to be completely resolved, it's worth it in the end and I'm glad I kept reading. Maybe I'll even pick up more of Johnson's books! Who knows.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Gun violence
talislibrary's review against another edition
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
The third book in the Truly Devious trilogy (soon to be extended to a fourth book), The Hand on the Wall aims to tie up the loose ends from the mystery spanning across this trilogy. Is this book needed? No, this series would have worked fantastically as a stand-alone. However, is it still enjoyable? Yes! I will forever love a mystery set in a boarding school (hello my dark academia obsession).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
iamkiaraayleen's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
spearly's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Sorry, there's not 2, but 3 books in this series? I like the first but how long can Johnson drag this out??
EDIT:
Well I have finally finished this series! I have some lukewarm feelings.
The good:
Everything tied up real nice with a big bow. I wasn't expecting the way things came together, and I was pleasantly surprised by Stevie's big reveal.
The writing is great! Nice, fast-paced, keeps you on your toes. Johnson has a way with world building, that's for sure!
The, not bad, but meh:
I thought Truly Devious was a standalone novel and the 1936 cold case had been solved, so I wasn't sure what to expect from another 2 novels! And to be honest, I could not even tell you what happened in book 2. I feel like this series could have been a duology.
Also, obviously this is a very YA type of mystery, but I think I was expecting a bit more suspense. A bit more heart-pumping, a few more twists and turns, a story that you can never figure out. The reveal was satisfying, but the road to get there was loooong.
A decent series. Not sure I'll be following the Truly Devious family into Stevie's next mystery, The Box in the Woods.
EDIT:
Well I have finally finished this series! I have some lukewarm feelings.
The good:
Everything tied up real nice with a big bow. I wasn't expecting the way things came together, and I was pleasantly surprised by Stevie's big reveal.
The writing is great! Nice, fast-paced, keeps you on your toes. Johnson has a way with world building, that's for sure!
The, not bad, but meh:
I thought Truly Devious was a standalone novel and the 1936 cold case had been solved, so I wasn't sure what to expect from another 2 novels! And to be honest, I could not even tell you what happened in book 2. I feel like this series could have been a duology.
Also, obviously this is a very YA type of mystery, but I think I was expecting a bit more suspense. A bit more heart-pumping, a few more twists and turns, a story that you can never figure out. The reveal was satisfying, but the road to get there was loooong.
A decent series. Not sure I'll be following the Truly Devious family into Stevie's next mystery, The Box in the Woods.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Murder
Minor: Drug use
onemamareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-hand-on-the-wall
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse
blenchbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
sunsetcity's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think this one was my least favorite of the three books in this series, but I still enjoyed it. I liked how mystery wrapped up, but the parts that took place in the past were a little repetitive in this book as a lot of it had already been revealed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
doriangay's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Grief