Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the advance copy of Nine Liars! Though I don't think this is the strongest of Stevie's stories, it did capture my attention and keep it throughout the course of the book. I was fairly certain I had the crime solved fairly early, and I was only off about one thing. However, it was the deeper look into Stevie's relationships and her struggle to move into a place where she wouldn't see her found family every day that really drew me in. Overall, a solid read that my Truly Devious fans will be excited to find!

After a misstep (in my opinion) with the last Stevie Bell book, this one returns to the hallmarks of the original series I loved. The only thing I didn't love about this one is that it ended and I have to wait awhile til the next one (there's going to be a next one right?!)!

Another Truly Devious mystery. This time Stevie and her friends travel to England to solve a double homicide from the 1990s. For about half of the book, the murder takes a very backseat to teen drama, relationships, and college anxiety...but then it picks up and drives all the way to the end. Definitely recommended for fans of the series.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Childrens Books for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love Stevie and the mysteries she solves! Nine Liars is my favorite one so far! Stevie is missing David while he’s in London. David convinces her to do a study abroad with their friends. While in London David’s friend asks for Stevie’s help. Her aunt was involved in a cold case, 9 friends go to the countryside only some of them survive. Is this a classic case of burglary or do the nine know more then they have said? I enjoyed Stevie getting to see another place, the references to London and England were fun! There were twists and turns, plenty of intrigue, and this mystery was deeply personal! I of course loved Nate, Vi, Janelle, and David as always! I also enjoyed the nines backstory they were all very interesting characters! Izzy was also a really fun addition to the group! And the ending left me heartbroken! There has to be a sixth book! An enjoyable mystery that I couldn’t put down! Highly recommend if you like mysteries, especially if you have enjoyed Stevie’s journeys from the beginning! Can’t wait to read it again!

Nine Liars is another entry in the Stevie Bell saga, following our favorite sleuth and her friends across the pond to a new, London setting. In comparison to the previous books, the mystery component of this book felt much lower compared to the interpersonal conflicts. It’s refreshing to see more of the friendship dynamics at play in this book, while most of the mystery plays out in flashback chapters. The nod to a locked house mystery will delight any readers of classic mysteries and the week-long deadline will hook reads who love suspense. All together, this is a great addition to the Stevie Bell universe and it leaves reads waiting eagerly for the next book!

4 stars for the latest installment of the "Truly Devious" series, "Nine Liars"!!! Have read and really enjoyed them all, and this latest is no exception, with the friends getting more mature as we go. This time, Stevie Bell & the gang investigate a 90's cold-case in England at Cambridge, since her bf David is studying in England. Enjoyed the time-lines a lot more in this one and of course, the author's well-known shock twists. I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted DRC from the publisher & NetGalley and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having not read all of the previous books in this series I thought I would be lost but that was certainly not the case. This was a fun romp through London and the English countryside as Stevie attempts to solve a murder from 1995, find a missing aunt AND spend time with her long distance (but now right in front of her) boyfriend! The Nine were a group of inseparable friends in 1995, they lived, worked and lived together. Their dynamic was a unique one and that all changed when two of them were killed during a game of hide n seek. All these years later some thing unsettle Izzy’s aunt and she is determined to find out the truth, possibly with Stevie’s help. This book was fun, if a bit long, and gave lots of details leading to the solving of the murder.

Very fun read with a clever mystery and likable characters! Although this is a continuation of the Truly Devious world, Nine Liars will definitely appeal to new readers since it’s a standalone story which gives plenty of context for past backstory. With that being said, it did take me some time to get into the past setting since it was so front heavy in the book and didn’t really set up why so much time was taking place there. Also, because of this, it was at times difficult to keep track of the many characters who were part of the mystery. But once Stevie and her friends are on the case the story picked up pace and came together in really clever ways.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this title.

Stevie Bell is back! And she’s in London! (I follow Maureen Johnson on Twitter and know she has ties to England; I’ve been waiting for a TD novel set in England!)

Stevie, Nate, Janelle, and Vi convince Dr. Quinn that they should be allowed to do a study abroad trip for a week in London - where David is studying. Of course, Stevie crosses paths with someone who wants her to solve a murder, this time from 1995. Stevie is really feeling the pressure of being The Girl Who Solves Murders, so this book dives into her dealing with that and how it’s affecting her mental health.

Another solid addition to the Truly Devious series. I admit I had to read the big reveal a few times to try to understand how Stevie figured it out. It seemed like a teeny tiny bit of a mental stretch to me (I’m still a bit confused about one or two details), but I rolled with it and overall enjoyed the book.

And the last page…..I think people are going to have a lot of feelings about that!!!

If you like the series, you will definitely want to read this book. If you haven’t read the series, I definitely recommend starting with book one and giving it a try!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love Stevie Bell adventures and this is just so perfect. I could not put it down. I was so happy to be back with the gang. This gave me dark academia vibes and I am so here for it. If you are a Stevie and the gang fan read this book.

I read the other books in this series and was excited for this book, but it fell flat for me. I don't know if my mood wasn't conducive to this book or if the story wasn't that great, but compared to the other books in this series, I was a bit disappointed.

Pros:
The mystery was very intriguing. Unlike the other mysteries that Stevie solved, this one had basically no clues, which made it more interesting to see how she would solve it without any familiarity.
I liked the representation of ace individuals with Nate.
I didn't see it coming when Stevie figured out who the killer was. I was very surprised.

Cons:
Stevie seemed more disoriented, disorganized, and all around dysfunctional in this book. She seemed to barely be engaging at school, the fact that she couldn't even dress herself besides a black hoodie was alarming, and no sense of planning for the future. It was just unappealing that Stevie is almost an adult and seems to have decided that if she isn't solving a murder she basically will act like a useless blob.
There was too much descriptions of scenery and the setting in this book. I had to skim several sections because it just went on and on. I get wanting to set the scene for the reader but this was too much. Most of this book barely felt like a mystery and felt like an in-between transition for Stevie and the characters.
Stevie acted so selfishly in this book. Her complete disregard for her friends and their plans for what they were going to do in England was ridiculous. She lied to them knowing that it was putting everyone in jeopardy with the school.
The group was in England for 7 days. During this time Stevie managed to solve a case that had no evidence. This was just really unrealistic and felt like a stretch. Stevie was good at solving cases in the other books but at least she had time and evidence. This time there was nothing to suggest she would be able to solve this case and somehow she did.
All the stuff with David and the will-they-won't-they was unnecessary. Also, the ending and the cliffhanger was not needed.

Overall, this was an okay book. The biggest redeeming quality and what kept me from taking off another star is how surprising it was when Stevie caught the killer. However, many aspects of this book felt unnecessary and like the author was trying to create a transition for the next book(s). I also don't understand why this book ended on a cliffhanger.

Stevie Bell is back and on the case in the this next installment in the Truly Devious series. Stevie and her friends get an opportunity to study abroad in London, and Stevie can't wait to see her boyfriend David, who is also there studying. It's a welcome distraction from trying to figure out what she is going to do with her life after she graduates from Ellingham Academy. While they are sightseeing and trying to stick to a carefully monitored schedule, they get caught up in a murder mystery that took place in 1995. Nine friends were at an English manor house and two were murdered with an axe. The killer was never caught. But that's never stopped Stevie before. A fast-paced whodunnit that will leave you guessing.

Lost a star for a disappointingly slow start, complete with anxiety and uncomfortablenessosity. But! She really brought it back around by the deeply satisfying conclusion.

This was, unfortunately, my least favorite book in the series so far. There was too much focus on Stevie and David's relationship drama (complete with a cliffhanger ending that is meant to be upsetting but that fell flat for me.)

3.5 stars. So excited to read this because I absolutely loved book 4. This wasn’t as good. First of all, Nate is my favorite character in this series and he’s barely in this book. And he gets an orientation label which is just woke overkill for me in this series. I am royally pissed about this. Why does everyone need a label?!?! Also, David is garbage, in all books in this series, and especially in book 5. What is the appeal? Another big issue is how much time is spent playing tourist. Just really unnecessary. But, the mystery is excellent. Recounting what happened and Stevie’s wicked mind figuring it out. Stellar. Johnson really shines with this. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

Thanks to Maureen Johnson and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

Stevie Bell is back and I couldn't be happier! Back for her 5th novel - Stevie travels to London with her friends in tow to visit David. As is her style, she gets wrapped up in a murder mystery with an intriguing storyline. The flashbacks outline what led to a double murder in a woodshed - good thing Stevie is there to put the puzzle together. Be warned... the cliffhanger is epic! Glad this ensures Stevie will be back for #6.

Previous to picking up the Stevie Bell books, I had never read any Maureen Johnson - I was aware of her, but she was primarily publishing YA in a time I felt I had outgrown it as an audience. However, listening to her talk about her books on her podcast, Says Who, around the time The Box in the Woods was coming out, finally got me to pick them up. I started with Box in the Woods and then moved back to Truly Devious. It's possible to go this way, but I don't recommend it.

This is the 5th Stevie Bell book, and the second stand alone novel, although characters and more importantly relationships between characters develop from book to book. So while you could pick this up without reading any other Stevie Bell, you'll might get a little lost as to who's who.

Without spoilers for this book, or character dynamics for other books, this was a fun murder romp, told in Johnson's now consistent style for these mysteries, part flashback/transcript, part present day. I read it in one sitting, about 4 1/2 hours (Sorry Maureen, I know it took a very long time to write and edit), on a rainy Sunday afternoon, which was the perfect setting to read it in. Personally, I'm quite happy about the very end of the book, although I think I might be in the minority on that one.

It was a little slow for Stevie to start getting involved in things, because we had to get to the setting first, but once things picked up, they went along at a good clip. I'm enjoying seeing the character growth between each book, and I'm glad we got some more time with Nate, although more Janelle and Vi please! I especially liked the red herring/not red herring put in about a classic mystery, which foreshadowed part of what happened, without giving the whole thing away.

Looking forward to Stevie Bell 6!

Another fabulous mystery featuring Stevie Bell! The English setting, fast pace, and fantastic side characters were all a hit! Didn’t entirely love some of Stevie’s character this time around (her friends are very forgiving). However, a solid addition to one of my favorite series of all time! Brutal cliffhanger, but overall a must read!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Stevie Bell is at it again, but this time, she's going international! Stevie is having a rough semester; she has no new cases, she can't decide where she's applying to college, and her boyfriend is studying in London. But when David asks Stevie and her friends to come to London, she jumps at the chance to see him again. David's friend Izzy, introduces Stevie to an unsolved double murder, where two college students were killed with ax while playing a game of hide-and-seek.

I've been on a big murder mystery kick lately, so I finally decided to read this series. So far, I've enjoyed it enough that I read straight through and requested this ARC. I do like these standalones better than the original three books.

So, for the good. I enjoyed the mystery portion. It was engaging, interesting, and kept the plot moving forward. I appreciate the portrayal of Stevie's anxiety, it's nice to see some accurate representation.

Unfortunately, I liked most of the side characters more than I liked Stevie. I did not enjoy her character regression. She went from being a very independent person, to being dependent on David, so much that she can't even focus on homework long enough to read a full paragraph and begins lying to her friends. David was also irksome. However, I love Janelle and Vi, and I deeply connected with Nate's revelation.

All in all, I still enjoyed the book, and with that cliffhanger, there will definitely be another book, which I will likely read.

I've been loving this series, so I'm always happy to see another installment. Nine Liars presents a new mystery for Stevie to solve, as well as a host of anxieties for her to deal with. Not only is she dealing with her first long distance relationship, it's also time for college applications (and Stevie has no idea what she wants to do with her life). When David calls and invites Stevie and her closest friends to do a week long "study abroad" in London, she jumps at the chance to get away.

If you've been enjoying Stevie's adventures so far then you'll likely be happy with Nine Liars as well. For me, this one was a little less fun to read then the previous book since Stevie is mostly a big ball of anxiety who can't stop obsessing about David (and to a lesser extent, the future). This is completely realistic and understandable, just a little less fun for me, personally.

One warning, Nine Liars ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. On the plus side, this means we're definitely getting another Stevie Bell book. Of course reading the ARC means I have even longer to wait before I get to the resolution! Overall this continues to be a great YA mystery series, and I'll be happy to stick with it as long as Johnson wants to keep writing.