I was a huge fan of Truly Devious which tells the story of a girl named Stevie who goes to the prestigious Ellingham Academy and ends up solving a decades old mystery. I was really excited to read this installment in the series and I actually told someone today that I was enjoying even more than Truly Devious.

Stevie has left Ellingham Academy for the summer to serve as a camp counselor- or at least that's what she gets her mom to believe. In reality, while she does go to camp in the role as counselor, the owner of the camp has brought her on in order to help solve a quadruple homicide that has gone unsolved for decades. In true horror movie style, as Stevie's friend Nate loves to remind her throughout the story, four camp counselors sneak out one night for some fun in the woods and are discovered the next day brutally murdered. With historical incompetence and people then in power in the small town possibly covering up the truth, perhaps Stevie can unravel what really happens.

Anyone who enjoys a multi-layered mystery will really fly through this book. I certainly have my opinions on the ending of this, so I am eager to discuss it whenever my students finish this one!

Wow -- I was very impressed and surprised by this book. I read the first three Truly Devious books (same characters, one main mystery) and the main flaw with those was that they were a slow build, with not as much happening in each book in terms of plot.

In this book, Johnson has already established our main characters: Stevie, Nate, Janelle, and David, and does a fantastic job of introducing new characters, such as Carson -- owner of a BoxBox subscription service (it is what is sounds like...they send an assortment, of boxes) and budding podcaster, Patty -- a baker and person with a whole lot of past in a small town, and Nicole -- an intimidating camp organizer who wears a whistle. This mystery is presented, and similar to Truly Devious, some information/clues is shown through flashbacks and journal entries, but it feels intentional, and it adds to the story, rather than making it drag.

5/5 stars for this book--I would certainly recommend to students (I teach high school/middle school), even as a standalone, and would consider using excerpts to study author's craft with humor and suspense building.

Since reading the Truly Devious trilogy I knew I had to get my hands on an ARC for this book as soon as I saw it pop up! I don't spend a lot of time reading young adult mysteries, but Stevie Bell and her crew have me hooked! I enjoyed reading about what the gang was like outside of Ellingham and how they would solve a completely different mystery. I was pleased to see that the entire cold cased was closed within the entire book, because I was not able to see how this could continue. One of the factors I loved the most was the duel time-line in the beginning of this book. Getting to know the characters from the past helped me feel more connected to figuring out the mystery. I hope Johnson will continue writing at least another book or two in this series, as it seems Stevie's crime solving career is only just beginning!

A worthy addition to the Truly Devious series! We have our fave teen detective, Stevie Bell, and her gang back. As the mystery is solved at the end of the book, we don't quite have the same amount of time we did with the first three books of the series. It still comes to a satisfying conclusion and will be enjoyed by mystery lovers.

I wanted to love this one as much as Truly Devious series, but I didn't. I still enjoyed Stevie and her mysteries. Definitely some twists and a good story. I just felt that it had too many agendas pushed at the reader vs just being able to enjoy the story. I would recommend it to my students, but for me personally it was a disappointment.

Disclaimer : I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


Ahhhh I’m so happy I don’t have to wait for this one! I’m just sad it’s over - I feel like all of my favorites ended last year and this year. This series was incredible and I love Stevie! There’s a true crime podcast case that Stevie is asked to work on and because it’s the summer and she has nothing else to do she accepts. The premise was enough to grab my attention and the story did not disappoint !! This is a must-read!!

This was so fun! Stevie is my favorite detective. This story did not go where I thought it would so the twist at the end was well done. Hope to have more Stevie in my life.

Teenage super sleuth Stevie Bell once again finds herself ensconced in a murder mystery. This time around, Stevie and her friends are summer camp counselors in a small town where life isn’t quite as idyllic as it seems, and a decades old cold-case heats up, bringing more danger than Stevie had bargained for.

I really enjoyed this! I think the author does a fantastic job when it comes to writing teenagers. They all have different personalities, quirks, strengths and issues; they’re interesting and relatable, and they read as authentic. The characters have grown a bit - both in their relationships and individually, and even when they seem to be regressing back to old dysfunctional thought patterns and behaviors, there is a bit more self-awareness present than before. For example, Stevie still avoids emotionally heavy situations and conversations, but she knows that she doesn’t handle them well and needs to find a better way of coping. Writing teenage characters that are endearing instead of annoying is a tall order and here it is very well done.

I felt fully immersed in the summer camp environment. The descriptions of the hot, muggy weather, abundant insects, and slightly uncomfortable shower stalls had me revisiting that aspect of my childhood and happy that I’m long past it. There is a general lack of adult supervision here that may seem a bit far-fetched to some, but based on my own camp experience I thought it was rather spot on.

The murder mystery itself was particularly captivating. There were little hints scattered throughout (and a few breadcrumbs that ended up going nowhere), and they culminated in a reveal that I thought was more believable and satisfying than the Truly Devious murder case. The author has obviously done her research, and Stevie has some rather insightful investigative observations that make her ability to solve these murders fall not too far outside my suspension of disbelief.

Overall, I found this book really entertaining. I think fans of the Truly Devious series will be pleased, and I can’t wait to read the next installment.

I loved this book. I waited patiently as each of the previous Stevie Bell books were published to get to the end fo the Ellingham murders and this was an amazing bonus. I love Stevie as a sleuth. She's smart and engaging but she's far from perfect and we get to struggle along with her until she does the big reveal. If you have a mystery fan in your house you should certainly add this book to your collection. I hope Stevie never stops solving mysteries.

This is Book 4 in the Truly Devious series and I feel it would be best to read these in order. Another great addition to the series. Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to review this title.

Stevie Bell is at it again! Fresh off her victory in solving the Ellingham Academy mystery, Stevie is lured to a summer camp by the owner to solve the notorious Summer Camp Murders of 1978. In July of 1978, 4 young people were found stabbed to death in the woods near Camp Wonder Falls. No one has ever been able to solve the mystery of what happened to these 4 teenagers. Stevie agrees to come to the camp with her friends, Janelle and Nate, to "work" while also sleuthing. Her amour, David, takes a break from his summer exploits enlisting new voters to join them for a week. As Stevie gets closer and closer to the truth, things get more and more dangerous.

I think I like this better than the Ellingham Academy trilogy. I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters in that one and with the time between publications, forgot many of the details. This one-volume mystery made it much easier to keep up with characters. However, I was able to figure out the solution about 40% through the book. I still didn't have all the details worked out, but enough. I enjoyed reading about Steview evolving as a friend.

I LOVED the Truly Devious series, and was so sad when it ended with Book 3. I think I actually squealed with joy to discover that Book 4 was coming.....and then I was lucky enough to get an advance copy (thank you to NetGalley and Harper Children's Books). I was nervous that Book 4 would be a let down since Ellingham Academy was not going to be a part of it. No need to worry though......Johnson could not have picked a better way to move the series forward without her iconic setting of the first 3 books. Although I missed Vi terribly in this one, it was fun to reconnect with most of the characters from the original trilogy (although Nate's storyline could have been a bit more fleshed out). The new camp setting and small town mystery were engaging, and I raced through the pages to discover what happened. The solution to our mystery was a bit far-fetched, but it did not take away from the anticipation that was built throughout the book. If you are a Truly Devious fan like myself, I think you will be pleased!

The Box in the Woods was a great addition to an engaging and fun series. For the always entertaining Stevie Bell and her cohorts from Ellingham Academy, even summer vacation doesn't afford a break from murder and mystery. Stevie is hired to solve a decades old crime at a summer camp, while continuing to manage the challenges of teenage life and relationships, and navigate the tangled social structure and prejudices of small town America. Steve continues to be on of the most identifiable sleuths in YA. Watching her wrestle with the responsibilities and emotional gravity of solving a crime where the family and friends of the victims are still alive and grieving provides a great window into her growth into adulthood Johnson's portrayal of anxiety is accurate and compassionate. Her characters are diverse and well developed. This volume in the Truly Devious series did not disappoint. It leaves me hoping for more adventures with Stevie Bell in the future.

Disclosure: I read most of this during a bout of insomnia and Ms. Johnson effectively creeped me out reading this book in the dead of night. I think Ms. Johnson including France Glessner Lee and Corinee May Botz's The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death are ingenious to introduce in Young Adult literature. .

Pros: Ms. Johnson captures 70s sleep away camp slasher movies perfectly. I am not going to lie, I kinda kept holding my breath for Jason to pop out at some point in the story. I wanted to spend more time in Carson's Think Jam room. I also want to hang with Janelle in the art pavilion.

Cons: I was disappointed with Stevie & David's relationship lack of attention in the story. I wanted to see more with Nate and his number one camper fan. Something to push him into writing FINALLY the sequel of his book. I also felt that both Janelle and Nate were kinda flat in this story. And when it came time for the final reveal of who was the killer, it felt like there were not enough bread crumbs to lead us to that conclusion. I didn't feel like there was a moment where I pondered the plot line to see where I missed the clues. I had kinda suspected the one person involved just because my brain always is looking for the most innocent but yet involved. I try not to swallow the red herring that the author uses to throw us off whodunnit. Carson brought them to Camp Shandy Pines then basically left the story after the first night. I don't know why but I kinda wanted him to pop in and out throughout the story to check in on our Ellingham three.

Bottomline: I have enjoyed the Truly Devious series and recommend them to young adult readers taking my Contemporary Literature class. She writes rich YA and Ms. Johsnon does not bend to YA stereotypes in her writing which I appreciate. Her books are a welcome addition to my classroom library. After an young adult reader has read this series and her Name the Star series, I would point young adult readers to Jennifer Lynn Barnes series The Naturals or Little White Lies.

This delightful stand alone is a fun entry to the Truly Devious series that fans of the original trilogy will enjoy. Newcomers should start with the first books to better understand who the characters are.

I like the Truly Devious series a lot, and I was very excited when I heard a fourth book was coming, especially because I found the third book--the ending of the trilogy--disappointing. I absolutely enjoyed this fourth book more than the third, although the ending does come a teensy bit out of left field. But it's just wild enough that it's thoroughly enjoyable.

I loved the Truly Devious trilogy, so I lost my mind when I found out there would be a fourth book.

The Box in the Woods is set at a summer camp where four teenagers were brutally murdered in 1978. Stevie Bell and her friends are hired by the new owner - a total knucklehead subscription box tycoon - to be counselors (but are really there to help him solve the cold case and make a podcast). Mayhem ensues.

This book is funny and smart and far-fetched in so many ways and so, so, so enjoyable. I think it may be my favorite of the four. I think you could read this as a standalone, but it would be better after reading the first three.

Bonus true crime nerd content: Stevie talks about Frances Glessner Lee's The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death (THE BEST)

* longer review will be posted on IG @leavemetomybooks closer to pub date

I cannot adequately express what an enormous treat this book was in a year marred by so much ickiness. I thought that Johnson's Truly Devious series, featuring intrepid teen detective Stevie Bell and her wonderful, supportive, and often absolutely hilarious friends, was over when the main mystery wrapped up after three books. This new installment, in which Stevie and friends literally decamp to...well, a camp in western Mass to investigate an unsolved quadruple murder from the 1970s, felt like an added bonus. I seriously hope Johnson continues this series forever, until Stevie is like 80 and can no longer physically examine crime scenes.

While Johnson's mysteries are always sharp, surprising, and just the right amount of creepy, it's the witty banter between the group of friends that I come for. They all feel like fully-formed people, who respond in ways that normal teen humans respond, but also they're smarter and cooler and make you want to hang out with them.

This book was so much fun, and a very welcome distraction from everything happening in the world.

<i>God made the country, but the devil made the small town.</i>

Reverend Vernon G. McGee's oft-quoted line may not have specifically been referring to murder mysteries, but it certainly pertains the the fourth entry in Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious series. After winning some fame as the person who "partially" solved the Ellingham Affair (some pieces of what Stevie learned in the third book, <i>The Hand on the Wall</i> couldn't be made public), life seemed as if it would go back to a form of normal for our brilliant detective. But as any mystery fan knows, that's rarely the case, and Stevie soon finds herself invited to a seemingly idyllic Massachusetts town to solve a cold case from 1978. In an homage to classic slasher films, four teenage camp counselors were murdered, with three of them found in an old hunting blind, which looks like a box (in the woods!) to the uninitiated. Naturally Stevie invites Janelle and Nate along (and later David), and she gets to solving.

This is drastically different from the Ellingham Affair in a number of ways. The first, and most important, is that 1978 isn't all that long ago, meaning that there are surviving friends and family of the victims - and this being a small New England town, most of them are still living right there. The case also wraps up in this single volume, which means that it has to be more tightly plotted, because Johnson isn't giving herself the luxury of a trilogy this time. It's still a fair play mystery, which means that the clues are all there for us to find them, along with the red herrings, at least one of which felt a bit too obvious. (As it turns out, it was, but not for the reasons I had initially assumed, which is a neat trick.) Stevie's still working with an essentially closed cast of suspects, but this time she's an absolute outsider: not from the town (death to trust in a small New England town), working for an unpopular rich guy, and digging into things people are actively trying to forget. It's a similar, but not the same, formula she worked with at Ellingham, and it works well.

My main complaint is that the romantic subplot still really feels shoehorned in. David and Stevie just don't have that much chemistry, and he more often seems to serve as reason for her to act like a "normal" teenager or to make a bad decision. But the mystery is well done and the use of 1978 works especially well. Japanese author Ryukishi07 once said that he set his mystery/horror series <i>Higurashi: When They Cry</i> in 1983 because it was recent enough to be remembered well but far enough in the past to feel like The Past. That's how 1978 works here, and the constant refrain of "it was a different time" along with assumptions about pre-Internet days definitely enhance how the story is told.

This is much more along the lines of Simone St. James' <i>The Broken Girls</i> than Golden Age mystery stories, albeit without the ghosts. It's a fast, compulsive read, and even if you didn't think the series needed another volume or if you weren't as keen on the third book as the first two, this is absolutely worth picking up.

I really love Maureen Johnson. There. I said it. I love her perfectly flawed characters. I love her inventiveness. I love the way they help one another without delving into the ridiculous. I really love Maureen Johnson.