A review by thepaperbackplanner
The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Stevie Bell is back, baby, and it’s time to solve a murder! Well, several murders. At a summer camp. Let’s dive in! This murder mystery has everything: Angsty teens, a small town with big drama, ridiculous subscription boxes, arts and crafts, fear of snakes, a horrible tech bro, and all the twists and turns you may not see coming. I will say that while sometimes I am good at solving mysteries, I did not solve this one entirely, so we can add “satisfying mystery solution” to that list! The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because I, personally, missed the really in-depth mysteries we got from the Truly Devious trilogy since this was a standalone novel. This has been a pattern I’m noticing about myself recently: As much as I love the *idea* of a standalone story, it’s hard for me to adjust to them as part of a longer series. It’s the same with Murderbot Diaries — my favorite one is the longest one. This is a real “it’s not you, it’s me” situation. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone interested in a quick, fun YA mystery summer read!