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

mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I was a bit skeptical of a new Truly Devious book because it seemed like the series had ended. The Box in the Woods delivered on all of the things I enjoyed from earlier Truly Devious books. Johnson's writing is always so wonderfully atmospheric that I find myself hopelessly sucked in. Stevie continues to be a main character I love reading about. It was great to see her grapple with solving a mystery where the people of interest were still alive and able to be interviewed.

I really didn't care for the whodunit, which is the main reason I'm giving this 4.25 stars. It felt like some key clues were withheld from the reader until the big reveal.

The Box in the Woods is a true standalone novel. It hints at the mystery from prior books but doesn't give away any spoilers about how the mystery was solved or who did it. Stevie and her friends are introduced with enough details that you could easily get to know them if this was your first Truly Devious book. As a forgetful reader, I personally loved the little introductions that helped me remember who was who.

Overall, The Box in the Woods was a solid read that kept me racing to find out who happened. I hope we end up getting some more Truly Devious books.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings