Books › The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious Book 2)
The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious Book 2)
400 pages
A chilly, clever puzzle-box of a mystery where the ghosts of a 1930s tragedy bleed dangerously into the present.
What it feels like
Stepping back onto the fog-shrouded grounds of Ellingham Academy feels like slipping into a perfectly constructed, highly dangerous puzzle box. The narrative moves at a brisk, addictive clip, seamlessly weaving a glamorous, tragic 1930s mystery with the sharp, anxious reality of a modern teenager obsessed with true crime. The mood is distinctly autumnal and chilly, steeped in the claustrophobia of a remote boarding school where everyone has a secret and the past refuses to stay buried. The prose is witty and propulsive, balancing wry humor with genuine, creeping dread. It is a deeply satisfying read for anyone who loves the thrill of connecting red string on a murder board, delighting readers who crave clever heroines, hidden passageways, and the creeping realization that the truth always comes with a terrible price.
- Mood
- atmospheric
- chilly
- claustrophobic
- mysterious
- Tone
- wry
- clever
- suspenseful
- obsessive
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the weight of history · true crime obsession · hidden identities · the cost of truth · coming of age in crisis
- The writing
- Sharp, witty, and highly readable, balancing dark historical interludes with the snappy, anxious internal monologue of a modern teenager.
- The arc
- Moves from frustrated isolation to a thrilling, high-stakes determination as the pieces of a deadly puzzle finally begin to snap together.
- Who it's for
- True crime aficionados and puzzle-solvers who love a remote boarding school setting and a fiercely intelligent, slightly awkward heroine.
Content notes
- murder
- kidnapping
- anxiety and panic attacks
- manipulation
About the book
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER REALLY THERE?
The Truly Devious case--an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1916--has consumed Stevie Bell for years. It's the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate Hayed Major was murdered, and though she identified his killer, her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say.
Stevie's willingness to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be with her friends, and solve the case. Even if it means making a deal with the despicable Senator Edward King. And when Stevie finally returns, she also returns to David: the guy she kissed, the guy she's conflicted about at all times,and the guy who lied about his identity--Edward King's son. But larger issues are at play. Was Hayes's death really solved? Where did his murderer hide away to? What's the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair?
The Ellingham case isn't just a piece of history--it's a live wire into the present. The path to the truth has more twists and turns than Stevie can imagine, and moving forward involves hurting someone she cares for. In author Maureen Johnson's second novel in the truly devious series, someone will pay for the truth with their life.
This description comes from the publisher. The Vanishing Stair is the second book in the Truly Devious series, the first of which is Truly Devious.
Description from Open Library.
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