Another Stevie Bell mystery from Maureen Johnson. This time, as Stevie’s boyfriend David is studying in England, Stevie and her pals take the opportunity to travel to London on a whirlwind “study abroad” trip. Of course, once there, Stevie is called on to solve a murder from 20 years earlier that took place at a manor house. Nine Liars is a fun read for budding Anglophiles and fans of locked room mysteries, and one does not need to have read the other Stevie Bell books to enjoy the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Katherine Tegen/Harper Collins Children's Books for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"We're good at lying. We've been doing it for years."

Nine Liars is the next installment of the Truly, Devious series by Maureen Johnson. We follow Stevie and her friends as they embark on a London adventure to "study" abroad for school... but not really. David, Stevie's long-distance boyfriend, lives in London and invited her and her friends to come spend time with him. David's new, and suspicious, friend Izzy asks and pleads Stevie to help her Aunt Angela solve a murder mystery, from the 90s, that took away two of her closest friends. We are given the flashback POVs of the Nine friends in the 90s and the POV of Stevie trying to solve the case, while also trying to keep her relationship with David afloat.

As excited as I was to read Nine Liars my expectations might have been too high for this fifth installment. One of the biggest peeves I had with this book is the repetitive information. I understand that with mysteries you will be re-reading a few important and minor details, which is fine - it's expected but there have been a couple of times when we would get multiple police reports - all sounding about the same, the flashback POV goes over what happened and who dunnit and then you have Stevie revealing the exact same information again as if we didn't just read it in the last chapter. I don't know if this was intentional or an editing issue but it felt like a waste of time to have to re-read the same thing over again.

Another peeve I had with Nine Liars is Stevie and David's relationship. From the beginning of the series Stevie has always been very focused on the cases at hand and building her friendships with Nate, Vi, and Janelle. Enter David, the delinquent teen of a politician, who wants to do better for himself and Stevie, and the feelings they both developed for each other. When I was reading the other fours books of course the romantic in me was missing the romance and hoped for a little more between David and Stevie as the books released. I liked how their relationship was an "opposites attract" and the sweet moments between them - even with the few rough patches. It always felt like their relationship was on the back burner which is okay because I was invested in the murder mysteries... that is not the case with Nine Liars. Nine Liars literally takes their relationship from a soft 4 to a very high 10. It is at the front and center and it felt off-balanced. As much as I love seeing their relationship develop, it was too much. It took away from the development of the mystery and it was a weird and awkward dance of whether they'll have sex while also dealing with Stevie's jealousy of Izzy being David's closest friend in London.

The mystery itself and the Nine were underdeveloped. A lot of the time I would get confused as to who was who, if I put my kindle down for a period of time. I couldn't remember what anyone looked like and their personalities blended to a point where I would forget who was part of the Nine. In my opinion, I think because we were getting so much more of Stevie and David's relationship we weren't getting enough development in the mystery itself. I adored the Truly, Devious trilogy and The Box in the Woods, which was a great follow-up. Nine Liars fell short of my expectations and I didn't care about what happened to any of the Nine and who the murderer ended up being.

We were introduced to too many characters and one of the new characters to the Scooby Gang is Izzy. I liked Izzy and I would have liked to have learned more about her instead of feeling terribly towards her because we're reading from Stevie's POV. Izzy seems like she would become a good friend later on and I hope she is involved in some way in the next book (if there is one, it has not been announced yet).

David is a little shit, especially at the end. I liked him in the other books but I couldn't jump on the David train for Nine Liars. I'm honestly hoping at this point that either: Stevie will have a different love interest or just be single and try to figure her life out a bit.

What I did like about the book is the London setting and the friendship between Stevie, Nate, Vi, and Janelle. I really liked how supportive they all are of each other. I wish we would have seen more of it.

Overall I am a little bit disappointed. I wanted to love this one but out of all of Stevie's murder cases, this one is my least favorite. I am hoping there will be another installment in the Truly, Devious series.

3.5 stars

This book was good, but I think I am ready to be done with Stevie and Ellingham Academy. While I would read another book if Maureen wrote it, I think this story has been a little bit dragged out. BUT the ending of this ended on a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens next! Obviously I am conflicted about my feelings on this one. On one hand, I love Stevie and the gang, but on the other hand I don't think there is another crime that Stevie could possibly be embroiled in. So where do I stand on this book? I liked it because the characters were great and it was fun being back with them, but the mystery wasn't super riveting and I wasn't a fan of the character development.

See synopsis below from Goodreads:
Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.

Received a Netgalley from the publisher. However, at this time (after I started the book), the staff at Harper Collins are on strike due to unfair wages, conditions, etc.

Will leave a review after the strike being held by this imprint’s staff.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 5th book in the Truly Devious series and, unfortunately, I enjoyed this one the least. With the gang headed to the UK, it felt like "a very special episode of "Truly Devious," contrived to keep the Scooby gang together and also bring in David.

The core locked room mystery was just okay for me. I wasn't that invested in "the Nine" and had trouble keeping the characters straight in my mind.

That said, I do enjoy Stevie's awkwardness and tenacity and would definitely read more books in the series.

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson is book #5 in the Truly Devious series, which is a captivating young adult mystery series that follows true crime aficionado Stevie & her trusty friends as they jaunt across the pond & stumble into another case. I genuinely love this series & was so excited to jump back in. I loved the change of scenery with the majority of this book taking place on their school trip abroad.
The complexity of these cases in this series never fails to amaze & entertain me. I am such a fan of Stevie, her intelligence, her grit, her determination & even her laser-focused personality. I think she’s a fascinating lead that showcases awe-inspiring detective work while still being a teenager. It’s a tough balance to create & I think it’s done very well.
The case that this book follows centers around a group of nine friends. At the beginning, when one is learning about the original case from years past, one is introduced to the nine friends all at once. Because nine is a rather big group, it’s a bit of an information overload, or at least it was for me & I had trouble distinguishing people apart. However, once I did really get into this story, it was easier keeping tracking of everything.
The wrapping up of the case happened rather quickly 8 didn’t feel completely resolved to me. Perhaps this was done intentionally for the next book & if so, then that makes complete sense!
Also, without giving anything away, my mouth literally fell open in shock at the ending & I had to reread to make sure I read correctly. I am in need for there to be more books in this series because my curiosity is peaked!!
If you enjoy young adult mystery novels, then I highly recommend checking out the Truly Devious series!

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson comes out December 27, 2022!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for this arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains murder, violence & gore.

I will post closer to release date & add links once I do!

THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!! another locked room mystery ftw. this is an arc so no spoilers!! the way the mystery layered itself was so interesting. i loved the unique personalities of all of the nine, it was really giving murder on the orient express. stevie and the crew were back and better than ever, which i of course ate up. the mystery was just so good and i LOVE izzy!! i hope she can become a regular character in the next books!!

SPOILERS FOR NETGALLEY:
DAVID KISSING SOMEONE ELSE AT THE END OMG????? if the next book isn’t steve having to cover up a murder she committed a la pip from a good girls guide i’ll riot. ok back to the actual mystery. i was a little bit suspecting peter because he seemed the most unassuming but the reasoning was incredible. the button thing was also so clever!!! the inclusion of british history was so great. can’t wait for what comes next!!!

Maureen Johnson is a magician with words! She weaves together an enthralling, intriguing story that you race to solve along with Stevie.

Nine Liars adds more complexity then previous Stevie Bell Mysteries, making the characters richer and depth to the story.

Well, I was late to the party on this series it seems. I didn't read it was book 5, but enjoyed it all the same! This is right up there for Holly Jackson fans and I will be reading the other books in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5/5
I am sooooo happy to have been able to read this. The Truly Devious series is one of my most beloved book series so, reading Nine Liars was such a treat. I enjoyed the gang once again coming together and in a different country. Quirky, fun, creative, fast paced, YA, mysterious, and peculiar! I really enjoyed the cold case mystery and The Nine and how it all rolled out. The romance built up as well was quite different but it was okay. Very Agatha Christe vibes. I loved it and cannot wait for more!

Stevie Bell’s adventures continue in the fifth installment of the series. The setting involves an old English manor on a stormy night~ need I say more?! I really enjoyed the friend group dynamic as they solved the mystery.

A great YA thriller that I will look forward to reading more of in the future!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Before I get into my review, I want to say a quick thank you to both the publishers over at Katherine Tegan Books and NetGalley for completely making my reading year by giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nine Liars is the fourth book in the Truly Devious series and follows Stevie and her friends as they travel to London for a study abroad experience. But when Stevie gets there a cold case from 1995 awaits her. Can she juggle her boyfriend, her academic responsibilities, and an English country house mystery without dropping one of those balls? Nine Liars comes out on December 27th and is available for preorder now.

There was so much to enjoy with this one. The country house and the mystery there all felt very Dark Academia which was not the vibe I was expecting for this novel. And it was so so good. I loved the London settings and the country side setting. I also liked the fact that the main lie this group of college friends shared for decades was something that does happen. People really do lie to the cops about this sort of thing despite the fact that it takes away from the murder. People look at something and go ‘I have to lie about this because it’s a major thing that will get me in trouble if I don’t.’ When in reality, the cops care much more about catching a murderer than they do whatever small thing you’re doing. As someone who watches and listens to a lot of true crime, this felt very realistic. Also, I enjoy the fact that the murderer isn’t some diabolic or psychotic person, it’s someone whose actions get away from them and everything snowballs. Of course, we still have our core main characters who are lovely and I enjoyed seeing them in new situations and new settings. I liked the tiny mystery about what was going on with Nate. And I liked that Nate came out to Stevie as Asexual. I felt like there was a lot of other LGBTQIA+ rep in the series so I didn’t expect it to happen. It’s pretty rare for me to read something with an Ace character in it so it felt like a little win for my sexuality.

There were moments when I felt really anxious while reading this one. Which probably is a plus for the writing side, showing that the author can make me feel for the characters and the situations. But it made me so uncomfortable for certain parts of the story. Especially the last 50 pages or so. That wasn’t helped at all by the feeling that David was acting really strange during the end of Stevie’s stay in England. I feel like it was a bit out of character for him. I know as a fandom we don’t all agree about Stevie and David’s relationship, but I think we can all agree that he was a much better boyfriend in The Box in the Woods than in the books that came before it. But the end of this one made it feel like he was reverting back to the old David behaviors. And maybe this is all supposed to lead up to another book in the series which would have more to explore with Stevie and David. I just didn’t like that aspect of the story very much. At the end of the novel we also had a lot of Stevie being frustrated by the case and unable to solve it. It felt a bit like she was banging her head on the wall trying to find a way in. I felt her frustration and her fear and her anxiety which made it uncomfortable as she struggled to solve the case. Or maybe I just have a whole anxiety disorder of my own.

Overall, this was the English Country Side case of the Truly Devious series and it was practically everything I ever wanted. I still love Stevie and all of her friends (yes, even David). And I still love following her along as she attempts to solve cold cases and to deal with her anxiety. I would follow Stevie Bell to the ends of the Earth. Great expansion of the series. Well worth the read.

This was hit or miss for me. I hadn’t realized that it was part of a series that really doesn’t work well as a stand alone book. The characters fell a little flat for me and I am not really a fan of to-be-continued endings but I suspect that fans of the series will find lots to like.

I cannot get enough Stevie Bell novels -- Maureen Johnson has the perfect recipe for a compulsively readable mystery with heart, humor, and impeccable characters/relationships. This English manor murder mystery is charming from start to finish, with solid stakes and development for our favorite characters. I can't wait for the next one!

Maureen Johnson does it again. I knew this book was going to be a hit as soon as I picked it up. It’s definitely important to remember that this is technically the 5th book in the series, so I was already connected to the characters.

this is one of my favourite series and I enjoyed this book just as much as the others in the series.

I enjoyed this book so much! I started the Truly Devious series earlier this year and instantly fell in love. So thankful for this advanced copy as I was needing mor mysteries to solve.

Are you kidding me with that ending?! Okay I know I should get more into other things but my jaw literally dropped. I won't spoil anything about the actual end (and it wasn't even a cliffhanger for the mystery but more for the personal/interpersonal stuff).

As always, I'm thrilled to see more books added to this series. I'd keep reading and reading. Based on that ending I also have to assume there's some kind of sequel coming. I've seen that some folks get sick of these books and the characters but I just find them compulsively readable. I need that in my life at this point because it takes me so long to read books unless they're addicting and fun. 

The mystery at the center of this one was really interesting. Stevie and crew head to London to visit David and have some "cultural experiences" for school. While there, David's new friend asks Stevie to help solve this mystery surrounding her aunt and her eight friends. Two of them were murdered one night and she's never believed that it was a random robbery gone wrong. Naturally, Stevie can't resist, and spends the whole trip trying to figure out what happened that night with "the Nine." It was really an intriguing mystery especially because there were so many people involved. There were so many little clues that I absolutely could not put together but knew they all meant something, so it was really fun to try to figure out.

David annoyed me for really the first major time in this series - I think that'd be my biggest gripe. Most people grew sick of him a couple of books ago but I haven't minded him. I'm officially uninterested in their relationship but it also doesn't prevent me from enjoying the books. Overall, still love Stevie's sleuthing and the cozy mystery vibes of this series.

I’ve read the first four books in the series already. This was definitely my favorite so far. The author really put a lot more story into this installment and it was quite well done! I can only assume based on the ending that there will be another book in the series at some point! 4.5 stars,

Thank you to NetGalley abd Harper Collins Publishing for the free advanced reader copy. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Publication date Dec 27, 2022

Thank you to Harper Collins for sending along an early copy of NINE LIARS by Maureen Johnson. This book publishes on December 27.

I really love Stevie and her pals. It was so nice to be in this world again! This is book number five in the TRULY DEVIOUS series and features a whole new case and a new setting! This story mostly picks up right where BOX IN THE WOODS left off. We have a dual timeline for a whole new mystery and I love all the music references from the 90s in that one, the cliffhanger at the end just makes me more exited for more books! If you haven’t yet gotten into the TRULY DEVIOUS series, I highly recommend it.