Historical Fiction
![Maureen Johnson - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_maureen_johnson.jpg)
Nine Liars (Truly Devious)
Stevie Bell solved the case of Truly Devious, and now she's taking her detecting skills abroad when she becomes embroiled in a mystery from 1990s England. Another pulse-pounding and laugh-out-loud stand-alone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson.
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.
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.
Editorial Reviews
"The exploration of the importance of friendship adds emotional vulnerability to this book, which has a well-developed sense of place and features the series' signature humor and layered mystery elements. Immersive and genre-savvy." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A scintillating mystery. Johnson delivers a meticulously crafted fair-play mystery that gratifies as a standalone while also forwarding the richly textured characters' arcs, a treat for fans of the series. Distinctly written flashbacks to 1995 pepper the present-day narrative, creating resonance and investing readers in Stevie's case. Stevie cues as white; the supporting cast is intersectionally diverse." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Now that we've read the fifth novel, we're tempted to buy the rest of the series. We had to admit it: we had not idea who the killer was until Stevie figured it out. The author gives us just enough information to draw conclusions and multiple plot twists take us for a spin. Even when we thought we know what to expect, we didn't." - The Honey Pop
Bestselling author Maureen Johnson employs the hallmarks of classical Agatha Christie-style mysteries...while cleverly subverting others. Stevie still gathers the suspects together to reveal the solution, but she does so in a fresh and unexpected way, and Johnson replaces Christie's stock characters with Stevie's diverse and emotionally nuanced friends. - BookPage
Praise for THE BOX IN THE WOODS: "Johnson's hallmark charming humor and lovable characters provide a robust foundation for another cracking mystery, this time ingeniously working with summer camp and locked room mystery tropes. Stevie's relationship with her lifelong anxiety is particularly well portrayed. A fantastic stand-alone mystery companion revisits a much-loved sleuth." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"While fans of Johnson's Truly Devious trilogy (and there are many) will undoubtedly be eager for this spinoff, Stevie's summertime exploit both stands alone and adds compelling layers to the established characters-an impressive feat. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Johnson builds on the success of her NYT-bestselling Truly Devious series with this...
"A scintillating mystery. Johnson delivers a meticulously crafted fair-play mystery that gratifies as a standalone while also forwarding the richly textured characters' arcs, a treat for fans of the series. Distinctly written flashbacks to 1995 pepper the present-day narrative, creating resonance and investing readers in Stevie's case. Stevie cues as white; the supporting cast is intersectionally diverse." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Now that we've read the fifth novel, we're tempted to buy the rest of the series. We had to admit it: we had not idea who the killer was until Stevie figured it out. The author gives us just enough information to draw conclusions and multiple plot twists take us for a spin. Even when we thought we know what to expect, we didn't." - The Honey Pop
Bestselling author Maureen Johnson employs the hallmarks of classical Agatha Christie-style mysteries...while cleverly subverting others. Stevie still gathers the suspects together to reveal the solution, but she does so in a fresh and unexpected way, and Johnson replaces Christie's stock characters with Stevie's diverse and emotionally nuanced friends. - BookPage
Praise for THE BOX IN THE WOODS: "Johnson's hallmark charming humor and lovable characters provide a robust foundation for another cracking mystery, this time ingeniously working with summer camp and locked room mystery tropes. Stevie's relationship with her lifelong anxiety is particularly well portrayed. A fantastic stand-alone mystery companion revisits a much-loved sleuth." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"While fans of Johnson's Truly Devious trilogy (and there are many) will undoubtedly be eager for this spinoff, Stevie's summertime exploit both stands alone and adds compelling layers to the established characters-an impressive feat. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Johnson builds on the success of her NYT-bestselling Truly Devious series with this...
Readers Top Reviews
HeatherMelissa Pa
I liked the other books but this mystery was not as good and the ending was just a real shame.
Kia S StacyHeathe
I loved every single word of “Nine Liars” and want everyone I know to read it. I’ve read and enjoyed most of Maureen Johnson’s books but the Stevie Bell mysteries are especially incredible and the format of having a cold case tied to a case in the present day is fascinating. Can’t wait for the next Stevie Bell adventure!
Brady RaeKia S St
Thank you NetGalley and Katherine Tegen 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!
