A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for 'Nine Liars' by Maureen Johnson.

My students this year LOVE mystery novels. I brought my copy of 'Truly Devious' at the beginning of the school year for them to read, and everyone that read it love it, as well as the following books in the series. When I told them there was another book coming out in December, I had so many questions of "what is it about?!"

My only real complaint (in my opinion) was how much focus was on Stevie's struggles and insecurities in her relationship with David, and their lack of communication.

But I can finally tell my students that they won't be disappointed with the mystery that Johnson has unfolded for us. It did develop very slowly, and I had a love/hate relationship with over it not being obvious - it was a little frustrating that some clues were only given with the final reveal.. but, overall a lovely mystery.

4/5

Meh. Loved the previous books. Can't finish this. I'm pretending Stevie's story stopped with Box In the Woods. Just not my cup of content.

I'd personally rate a book I didn't finish 1 star. But I'll refrain and give this an average 3.

Stevie Bell is back to solve a murder in Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson.

"Senior year at Ellingham - Stevie is adrift. Her boyfriend, David, is in London. Her friends are concentrating on college applications. She's just solved a big case and now there's nothing to distract her. David invites her and her friends to London to do a two-week study abroad. Shortly after they arrive, David's friend, Izzy, tells them about a double-murder from 1995 that her aunt knew about.
Nine friends went out to a country estate for the weekend, but only seven came back. Was it a burglary gone wrong? Or is someone still lying? "

This story spends a lot of time in Stevie's head. She's worried about life, love and future. Her hoodie choices are interesting and hilarious. It's nice to be in a different location like London and to visit a creepy mansion in the countryside. Johnson makes the Nine a group you want to hang out with (but not too long - too much for me) There are secrets and more deaths. You never know until the reveal who the killer is. There were a couple of clues at the beginning so if you pay attention you might catch something.

This can be read as a stand-alone. There are references to previous books but not much is given away if you haven't read them.

Not a fan of the very end. Stevie deserves better.

A nice YA crime fiction story from Johnson. Fans of the Truly Devious books will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC of this!

This series is so hard for me to rate - I hate a cliffhanger in a mystery, so the original trilogy I had to convince myself to return to and finish. But every time she adds a new book I am like “really, I should read all of them!” 😂😂 I liked this one quite a bit, the flashbacks intertwined with current events worked well for me this time - I felt like I mostly understood what was happening. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming, but I suck at solving mysteries, I just enjoy the ride to the end. Stevie’s interpersonal stuff in this book had quite a lot going on - lies, concern about cheating/relationships, a coming out, etc, and it was fun to see that part of their story get to shine. I’m definitely going to keep reading these.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and Katherine Tegen Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Stevie Bell's life feels adrift. With two cold cases under her belt and not a new one insight, she's supposed to be focusing on getting ready for college and deciding what she wants for her future. It doesn't help that boyfriend David has decided to study at Cambridge this semester and she's officially the girl with a long distance boyfriend. And when David offers her and her friends -- the ever-lovely group of Jannette, Vi and Nate -- a chance to come visit, Stevie can't pass it up.

But things in jolly old England aren't exactly how they appear, especially after David's friend Izzy tells Stevie about a double homicide case from 1995 that's gone cold. Izzy's aunt and her eight friends went for a holiday at a countryside manor...but two of them were found murdered the next day with an ax. Something about everyone's stories doesn't add up and it's up to Stevie to figure out who's still lying and who the killer is after next.

As a big fan of the Truly Devious trilogy, as well as "The Box in the Woods," I had high expectations for this book and like always Maureen Johnson did NOT disappoint. The first 20 percent of the book or so was a little slow as all of the components that allowed the Ellingham gang to travel across the pond and while some of it ended up be integral to the central mystery, I could have done without some of the sight-seeing passages.

And the central mystery was brilliant. It felt like the perfect nod to Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes and now that we're on our fifth Stevie Bell novel, I feel as though I'm getting familiar with her thought process and was catching clues along the way. Everything Johnson includes could end up being important and this was no exception. Expertly weaved together. My only complaint is I wish there had been more flashbacks with the Nine, who probably could have carried the whole book themselves. It was difficult to keep them all straight at first but Johnson made sure they were all different enough that I eventually caught on.

However, I was not a huge fan of the turn in David and Stevie's relationship. I never got the impression they were a huge will-they-or-won't-they couple because they always seemed kind of inevitable to me? But these are also high schoolers so it really does be like that sometimes.

Loved loved loved. Keeping my fingers crossed for a sixth book already.

In my opinion, this series just keeps getting better and better! The crew is back to solve another mystery, but this time in London! Fans of the OG trilogy may be disappointed that this one doesn't take place at the elusive and grand Ellingham Academy, but I thought it was refreshing to get a change of pace.

The novel starts off in an area that I think many YA readers are either going through themselves or went through when they were young adults -- the feeling of anticipation of what's to come as you begin a new chapter in your life. Stevie is in the midst of her senior year at Ellingham and doesn't know which direction to go: where to go to college, should she even go to college, or go in a completely different direction -- maybe with her crime-solving? It's a daunting time when you are on the precipice of adulthood.

In part to procrastinate her college admissions essays and to see her boyfriend, David, who is currently going to school in London, Stevie devises a plan to do a quick study abroad trip with her friends. Here they meet David's friend, Izzy, who has a family connection to a murder from many years ago involving nine friends.

I think what gripped me most about this book compared to the others in this series was the background story of the nine friends or as the title implies - liars. I thought they were such an interesting group of people and it was both a great plot device to switch between the past with these characters and the current time with Stevie and her friends. The juxtaposition of both friend dynamics was so well done.

The ending is satisfying in some ways and devastating in others. The best part is that it's set up for there to be more in the series!

I still really enjoy this series a lot. I will say, I think this one was my least favorite. I think because it focused less on the mystery and more on the relationship with Stevie and David- which based on Goodreads reviews, literally no one ships. I wouldn't call it an unsatisfying ending but a bit rushed. I did really like the friend group involved in the mystery- please give me more of them.

Stevie is a young sleuth that has solved several murder mysteries in her past. While on a trip abroad visiting her boyfriend, Stevie and her friends uncover a new mystery in need of solving that proves to be too much for Stevie to resist. I have been enjoying this series and love the cast of characters. The books can be read as a standalone but readers might not be as invested in Stevie and David's relationship without the context of the other books. I wasn't a big fan of the way this book ended, it felt very abrupt and like it cut out mid-scene, though I suppose that will be an enticement for me to read the next book.

The Quick Cut: A teen girl visits her boyfriend in London and finds a new mystery to solve with her friends in the process.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for providing the ARC for an honest review.

If you solved a decades old mystery, what would you do next? Go back to life as it used to be or feel adrift, looking for something new to interest you? In this fifth book of the Truly Devious series, Stevie is looking for purpose in her senior year.

Stevie has twice now solved decades old mysteries, including the one of her high school named Ellingham Academy. However, while everyone else in her class is focused on finishing senior year and applying for colleges, Stevie finds herself looking for purpose. When her boyfriend provides an opportunity to study abroad in London, she joins her friends in the adventure and finds a new mystery to solve. Can she find out what happened with these nine friends in the 90s?

Like the previous book in the Truly Devious series, this one is setup to function as a standalone. While it definitely works on that level, this one also has a lot of relationship angst for Stevie and David, which won't have as much interest for new readers. The ending certainly won't be of interest to anyone not invested in them as a couple either.

Stevie as our lead heroine is flawed in many ways and her addiction to a new mystery to solve really highlights that. As a reader, I love that she's not perfect and has this grand future plan in mind. She doesn't know what she wants to do other than solve mysteries. While she has friends applying to colleges, she's focused on other things. I think the struggle with post high school life is more common than acknowledged and seeing this book showcase that is a good thing. Not everyone has to go to college (and that's a good thing)!

The only criticism I have is for the melodramatic saga known as Stevie and Davids long distance relationship. It really plays out a lot in this book, especially at the end. Stevie deserves better anyways and I quickly started to hate David. Overall, I find the relationship angst distracting, so if you also can't stand romantic melodrama, this book isn't entirely a fit for you.

A mystery abroad with romantic angst.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

#NineLiars #NetGalley Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Excellent read.

Let me start by saying that Maureen Johnson is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. To the point where I don't actually know how to review this book. Was it perfect? Probably not for everyone. But did I absolutely adore it? You better believe it.

There is something about the writing style in the Truly, Devious series that always sucks me in. I’m not reading a book, I’m watching the drama unfold before me. I can see so clearly the surroundings Stevie and her friends find themselves in. The fact that this book takes place in London for the majority of the book was even better. Although I have missed the amazingly mysterious Ellingham Academy, it was great to see some of my favorite characters so far from home.

That leads me to my next point. The characters. Despite the teenage angst and whiny moment, I love Stevie, Nate, Janelle, Vi, and sometimes David. As always, I would have loved to see more of Nate, but I think at this point, the only way to get enough would be to have an entire book from his point of view. When in the midst of a mystery, I love seeing the way Stevie’s brain works. The way she makes connections and puts the picture together is fascinating.

I appreciated that the mystery took precedence to the drama. The mystery was well crafted and made sense, especially with the flashes back to the past. The parts that focused on what happened in 1995 were fluid in the way that they connected with the progress that the case made in the present. The more personal parts of the story for Stevie were the parts that seemed abrupt. There were a few times that I was surprised in the direction that her life was taking.

I am going to go ahead and give this book 5/5 stars because I appreciated the thought that went into the mystery of the book. As the main storyline of the book, it was important to be that it take precedence over the other storylines.

Be sure to check trigger warnings.

Special Note: If you read this book. Please message me. I am desperate to discuss.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Book for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maureen Johnson knows how to write a mystery. Opening this book is like visiting with an old friends as you see all the familiar characters and places - a friend with never ending drama. Having solved all the murders and mysteries in this academy, Stevie's attention turns abroad as she visits David in London. I laughed, I gasped, and I loved every page.

After a slow start, this proves to be just as engaging as the previous books in the series. It's not as tightly plotted and Stevie's romantic woes really do detract (and distract) from the mystery plot, but the conclusion is satisfying enough, even if the David/Julian parallel doesn't quite pan out. Read it for the mystery and Nate's unsurprising-but-important confession.

Taking a page straight from Agatha Christie, Nine Liars takes us to a secluded English country home surrounded by murder suspects. Stevie's hyper fixation on David for the first third of the book, while likely accurate, is wearying. After that, we're off to the races. Johnson never fails to create an engaging, high risk, yet playful setting that keeps readers turning pages. I found myself sneaking a page or two between emails at work. For fans of Sherlock Holmes, My Favorite Murder, and E. Lockhart.

Nine Lairs is the newest installment in the Truly Devious series. In this book Stevie and her friends travel to London for a small study abroad get away, but the moment they land Stevie’s boyfriend introduces them to his friend Izzy who throws Stevie into an old murder mystery case that her aunt lived through.

In this book we follow two storylines. One following Stevie and her friends as they explore London, prep for college, and go through the motions of natural friend group hardships. The other storyline follows Izzy’s aunts friend group, called the Nine, back in the 90’s when two of their friends got murdered and the case went cold.

On their trip Izzy introduces Stevie to her aunt hoping that Stevie can help solve the mystery of her friend’s murders. Izzy’s aunt doesn’t take this well as she isn’t willing to talk about that trauma from her life and then seems to ghost Izzy. They soon realize that she isn’t just ghosting them but may be missing and in danger of her own.

I absolutely love this series and I recommend it almost everyday to readers. I think this is a fantastic series and every book packs its own punch. I really enjoyed this book because we are being taken to London along with the group and are in a whole new setting while still having the comfort of Stevie’s amazing friends. I really enjoy the way this series deals with hard topics without being insensitive or too unnecessarily gruesome. Each mystery packs a punch while being written very well. I also love the way the relationships are written. Often times I have found in young adult books that the relationships are toxic or things are left without consent or there is no healthy communication happening in them and it makes readers think those things are normal and okay when they are not. This book dives into those healthy and necessary conversations between the characters and I believe more books need this to show young people that these are needed and useful in real life.

Overall I cannot recommend this series enough and this book did not fail to live up to the standard I have set for this series!

Thanks to NetGalley for a VERY EXCITING ARC of this book. I absolutely loved the other Truly Devious books and was totally looking forward to this one.

I loved the English estate setting and the alternate timeline about the murders in the past. I loved seeing Stevie and her crew again.

I found the actual mystery/thriller piece a bit lacking, but the atmosphere made up for it.

The last line makes me think/hope there will be a 6th book forthcoming….

Nine Liars is another Stevie Bell mystery set in England. Stevie and her friends explore and solve another cold case. A little slow and a little predictable, but I enjoyed the personal turmoil that Stevie experiences.

I will read every Stevie Bell book ever published. Forever.

I reread the previous 4 title in preparation for this. It was my 3rd read of the main trilogy, and my 2nd read of the follow-up. I love them more every time I read them.

In this book, Stevie is dealt another cold case that has stymied investigators, this time in England where she and her pals are for a study abroad program. We have another dual-timeline, where we're introduced the the cold case players and get the scoop on them and their activities alongside what Stevie and the gang are up to.

I liked the core mystery, and it ends on a cliffhanger, so there will definitely be a follow-up book for complete resolution.

As always, I still hate David. And maybe even more in this book, because his entitlement and d-baggery are just next level. I really wish they would just break up and be done with it. Stevie needs to know that she's enough without needing someone like David to give her validation.

I requested this before I realized it was the 5th book in a series I had not read yet. It wasn't a problem though because the author did a great job recapping what happened in earlier books. I wish all authors would do this in series books. Stevie's boyfriend plans a study abroad trip for her and her three friends to visit London where he lives. In between visiting the Tower of London, the London Eye and going on a Jack the Ripper tour, Stevie meets her boyfriend's friend Izzy. Izzy introduces the group to her aunt Angela whose two college friends were murdered in an unsolved case. Izzy hopes Stevie's history of solving cold cases can help her aunt. The book skips back in time when Angela and her friends (The Nine) stayed in a country house playing hide and seek in the dark one night when her two friends were murdered. When Angela goes missing after some odd texts, Stevie and her friends try to find Angela and solve the murders. I liked the London setting and it brought back memories of traveling there 14years ago. I felt the ending was abrupt but I'm still looking forward to reading the first book in the series.

Stevie Bell does is again!

Nine Liars was such a wonderful stand alone in the Stevie Bell Truly Devious universe. Not only do we get an unsolved mystery in London for Stevie to work on, but we also get to see the continuation of her time at Ellingham Academy and her relationships with Nate, Janelle, and David. I really enjoy that Maureen continues to go back and forth between Stevie’s present day point of view and the past of the Nine Liars. This mystery will suck you in! Even by the end of the story, I still wasn’t sure who was the culprit! 5 stars!