Tag: maureen johnson

This book was absolutely fantastic!

Truly Devious was a shining star last year for me, I really enjoyed the whole premise and plot of the story and The Vanishing Stair really lived up to the expectations that I had built up.

Stevie’s parents have pulled her out of Ellingham Academy after the tragic death of her classmate. She still longs to return and figure out the unsolved case of Truly Devious but her parents are resolute. That is until Edward King turns up at her house with a solution.

Every single line of this book was captivating to read. It was really fast paced and the stakes were incredibly high. The theme is very dark and mysterious and there are so many twists and turns that you can’t help but turn the pages.

Stevie was really relatable in this book. She is so driven and focused on her goal and she will really stop at nothing to find out the truth of what happened that night back in 1936 and also the present day conundrum of Ellie and Hayes. I like the fact that she didn’t immediately dismiss Ellie’s disappearance and looked further into it. It really showed how dedicated she is in becoming a detective. I also like that fact that she tried to include others into her discoveries. She asked for help when she thought she needed it and didn’t dismiss their input.

I’m not quite sure what to make of David yet. I kind of wrote him off as a typical rich kid character that is trying to get his absent fathers attention, but I can’t help feeling like there might be more to his story. I liked how we see him break down after they found Ellie, it was nice to see a teenage boy express his feelings and not be embarrassed by it. He acknowledged their friendship in his grief and I thought that showed how comfortable he is with Stevie.

Larry is another character that I kind of dismissed in the first book and didn’t think he would have a pivotal role in the storyline. I thought he was very honourable and decent and actually treated Stevie with respect and slight disgruntlement for being in the midst of all the scandals. Stevie kind of looked up to his as an authoritative figure that she could trust which is far and few between.

This book is so entertaining; it really has you on the edge of your seat as you read. I found myself really engrossed and engaged in the plot, as I didn’t want to miss anything. All the scenes in the book I thought were pivotal in the overall storyline and every single character that is introduced or carry on from the last book have a purpose. I love reading between the lines and figuring out all the clues and I can’t wait to get my hands on the final book and see once and for all what happened to Alice. I definitely have my theories and I’m excited to see if any are true!

⭐️5/5 I loved this! Mysterious, moody and manic, a wonderful read!