12/4 Nine Liars

Stevie Bell is what I wished Nancy Drew had been. Stevie is earnest, slightly awkward, makes mistakes, suffers from bouts of insecurity and anxiety, and loves her friends. She is relatable and hilarious at the same time. You need to get to know her.

“Nine Liars” is the latest installment in the Truly Devious series that features Stevie and her friends as they solve a mystery. This time they are visiting London (and Stevie’s boyfriend) and a country manor house where they end up knee-deep in a decades-old murder mystery. Stevie  unleashes her well-honed detecting skills to find the killer, but the crew is running out of time before their flight home. Will this case prove to be too complex even for Stevie?

There is much to like about this story and its main characters. Though this is the first in the series that I have read, author Maureen Johnson provides just enough backstory to bring new readers along for the ride. Elements of classic English murder mysteries are sprinkled throughout. Elements of classic teen sleuth stories are there as well (such as the parents who are unseen, but supportive adults). 

This book is great for teen and adult mystery lovers. I will be recommending this book to my students and will suggest the entire series to the Bookworms (more on them later, but let’s just say they are buying LOTS of books for a school library). I will be reading the rest of the series (and I SO hope there are more installments). 

Thanks #NetGalley and Katherine Tegan Books for an advance reader’s e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. “Nine Liars” arrives on shelves at the end of the month.