YA Mystery

Review: The Night in Question (The Agathas #2) by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

~ megs14malloy

The Night in Question (The Agathas, #2)The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Night in Question is the second book in The Agathas series by author duo, Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.

I loved the first book, which was a great start to a YA Mystery series, named because the main characters are such big fans of Dame Agatha Christie. How fun is that!?

Set in Castle Cove, our protagonists are high school girls, Alice and Iris. Initially, they seem like opposites, but become close friends after Iris becomes Alice’s tutor and they’re thrust together into the midst of a perplexing mystery.

These two make quite the detective duo. I just love their friendship. Iris brings with her a lovable group of misfits, who embrace former it-girl, Alice, into their ranks.

Even though Alice and Iris are the stars of the show, the other members of the friend group also become quite involved in their cases, helping where they can.

The mystery in this installment begins at a school dance at the infamous local mansion, Levy Castle. It’s there that a fellow classmate is violently attacked in a secluded room upstairs, far away from the school-sanctioned activity.

Another girl in their class is accused of the crime, but Iris and Alice believe she’s innocent. Determined not to let the real criminal get away, the girls haul out the ole’ murder-board and get to work.

I had a lot of fun with this story. First, I will say, I was a little worried about it going in, that I wouldn’t remember the characters and everything that went on in the first book.

I guess this would be a good place to note that there is a mystery from the past that sort of acts like a subplot to the main mysteries of these stories.

The historical mystery involves a local film star from the 1940s, who actually lived in Levy Castle. It is discussed a bit in the first book and is explored much more in depth here.

I read the first book so long ago, I felt like I may not remember important details. I’m happy to report though, that I had no cause to worry. These authors did a great job providing subtle recaps in relation to that first book.

I really enjoyed how quickly this kicked off as well. Within the first 10-15%, we were already setting up a solid locked-room mystery.

It was funny, the girl who ends up getting accused of the crime, she’s a really rich girl and her Dad is like an important businessman. Alice and Iris go to their house, to offer their help in clearing the girl’s name, and the Dad is all like, who are you? What qualifies you to help my daughter?

He totally underestimated the girl power of our dynamic duo and I was just waiting for him to eat his words. The greatest thing about Alice and Iris is their determination. They go above and beyond to get to the truth; even if it puts them at personal risk.

This mystery got fairly complicated, but it was plotted so well. The used of mixed media added to my engagement level with the story. I always love that.

I also really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know this cast of characters better. It’s clear from the end of this that there is going to be another book in the series; so exciting!

Agatha Christie fans unite!!!

I’m not sure if the Spice Girls are Christie fans, but I feel like they most likely are. Girl power and all that. That’s the exact vibes of this series.

If you love a solid YA Mystery, or Mysteries in general, I would absolutely recommend this series. It’s fast-paced, well-plotted and a ton of fun.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m really looking forward to continuing on with this series and as silly as it may sound, cannot wait to see what the cover looks like!!

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Review: Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

~ megs14malloy

Lying in the DeepLying in the Deep by Diana Urban
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After being betrayed by her best friend, Lainey, and her boyfriend, Silas, who are now a couple, Jade cannot wait to start her COB-adventure. She needs a way to escape from her regular life and what better way than aboard a shop?

‘COB’ is short for Campus on Board and is essentially a Semester at Sea program that Jade has been anticipating for years. It couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

Set on a luxury cruise ship, Jade is ready to meet new people and escape from the dark hole she’s been in.

In the line to board though, she’s shocked to see Lainey and Silas. They’re kissing and laughing, clearly happy. Lainey attracting attention, as always. Jade’s stomach drops. What are they even doing here!? This is her thing.

As annoyed as she is by the new couple, Jade is also confused as heck as to how it even happened. She wants answers and become set on getting them.

Luckily, on the ship, Jade’s mostly distracted from her heartache. She’s making new friends, her roommates are supportive, they’re going on excursions at various ports, but Lainey and Silas are never too far from her mind.

With time at sea, the players involved begin to get to know each other fairly well, their various dramas and secrets on full display. Therefore, they all know Jade holds a bit of a grudge against Lainey and Silas.

When there’s a murder, some people suspect Jade. She didn’t do anything, but now needs to prove it, because if she didn’t do it, that means there’s a killer on board.

Along with her new crush, Felix, Jade sets out to get to the bottom of the mystery before more people die.

Lying in the Deep is easily my favorite Diana Urban yet. This was close to a perfect YA Mystery/Thriller for me.

It features a fantastic setting, a varied cast of characters, wildly over-the-top drama, a classic-feeling locked room mystery, a shady corporation housing deadly secrets, blackmail, murder and more…

I had an absolute blast reading it. Lainey and Silas were so unlikable and I loved being on Jade’s side and rooting for her as she tried to survive this dangerous cruise.

There were moments I wanted to shake her, she didn’t always make the greatest choices, but I was invested in her character and her life. The side characters were equally messy and fun. I loved watching their relationships grow and change over the course of the story.

I am an atmosphere-girlie and I loved the setting of the luxury cruise ship. A bunch of students, strangers to one another before boarding, being trapped on a ship together. You just know juicy things are going to go down.

I also liked the idea of the excursions they went on in the various ports. There was always some action happening during those events.

Additionally, I thought the mystery was really well done. I loved how it progressed and the amateur sleuthing aspects involving Jade and Felix were so fun.

I had many theories, some panned out, but a lot didn’t. I didn’t fully catch on to the whodunit until very close to the final reveal. I had a lot of fun getting to that point.

The ending was completely insane, almost too much, but not. I liked it and was fully satisfied with the very final moments. Overall, I think Urban nailed this one.

I definitely recommend for Readers who enjoy a fun and fast-paced YA Mystery-Thriller. The cruise setting makes this the perfect Summer read. Grab your copy now!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Razorbill, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to pick up more from Urban in the future.

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Review: The Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore

~ megs14malloy

The Last One to FallThe Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Last One to Fall is the second novel I have read from Gabriella Lepore. I read This Is Why We Lie in 2021 and had a lot of fun with it.

When I heard Lepore was releasing another YA Mystery-Thriller this year, I was excited to get to it.

This story is set in a small coastal town and it follows six friends after one of them plunges from a warehouse building to their death.

At the very beginning of the story, you know someone has died, but nothing about the incident is clear, not even who the victim is, or if foul play was involved.

Through a couple of different perspectives, as well as some great mixed media usage, the night of the fatal incident is slowly pieced together, until the truth is revealed.

I had fun with this. It’s a good, solid story, full of drama, back-stabbing, secrets and lies. Frankly, we live for that.

I did struggle with my rating. I decided on a 3.5, because I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as This is Why We Lie, which I rated 3.5-stars and rounded up to 4.

I think that’s fair. I feel like, for me, this narrative was a bit of an uneven experience.

My level of commitment to the story got stronger in the second half. The beginning was slow-going and it also had some parental drama effecting the kids and their friendships. I’m not down for that IRL, or on the page.

With this being said, there is quite a bit of family drama, which I do enjoy. Stuff does go down in families, with many barely holding it together. I get it. It’s when parents choose romance, flings, drugs, etc., over their kids well-being that starts to ruffle my feathers.

That is a tiny part of this novel though, I am just using it as an example of why I didn’t enjoy this quite as much. Also, I did find the first half, the relationship dynamics, a little difficult to follow.

In the later part of the novel though, once I had more of a handle of who everyone was and what their role was in the friendship group, I couldn’t put it down. I needed answers. I had no clue what the truth was and it did surprise me.

I did really enjoy the mixed media aspect of this as well. I felt like it added intrigue to the story, as each time it was used it left me with more questions than answers.

Overall, I had fun reading this one. While it probably won’t stick in my mind as a new favorite for 2023, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a solid YA Mystery-Thriller.

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a great time trying to figure this one out and will definitely pick up whatever Lepore writes next!

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Review: Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones

~ megs14malloy

Missing ClarissaMissing Clarissa by Ripley Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

In August of 1999, in the small town of Oreville, Washington, local It-Girl, Clarissa Campbell went missing from a party in the woods. She was never seen again.

Clarissa’s disappearance and the mystery surrounding it made national headlines. It was exactly the type of story the public desires; a beautiful white girl, popular and beloved by all, vanishing without a trace.

Decades later, best friends and Oreville High School students, Cam and Blair, decide to take on Clarissa’s case for their journalism class; creating their own podcast to document their investigation.

They know it’s ambitious, but their goal is to solve the case, to finally see justice for Clarissa. With minor oversight from their Journalism teacher, Mr. Park, the girls set out in their investigation and start to post their podcast. Before they know it, they have a serious following.

Will they actually be able to solve this?

Missing Clarissa is a solid and compelling YA Mystery. It was easy for me to get drawn into this story. I liked both Cam and Blair from the start and thought their relationship was believable. I really enjoyed their dynamic and how their personalities played off one another.

Cam is the one who is much more driven and focused in regards to this project initially, but Blair brings a lot to the table. Blair is great at reading people and getting them to talk to her, whereas Cam is a little more blunt in her interpersonal communications.

As the Reader, you get to learn about Clarissa and her story at the same time the girls are and I appreciated that. I feel like many authors would have included a past perspective, perhaps Clarissa’s, to tell this story.

In my opinion. the way Jones laid this out worked really well in this case. Because you just had the modern perspective, it felt like you were actually part of the investigation with Cam and Blair. While I think I would have enjoyed the story either way, I liked how straight-forward this was.

It was refreshing.

There were times that I grew worried about our mains. I grew connected to them and was worried they were going to get hurt. Especially Blair, because her character image sort of came to mirror Clarissa’s.

They left no stone unturned in their investigation, interviewing friends, family, teachers, even police who were around Oreville in 1999 and may remember something of import. The podcast took off.

I will say, in the second-half, there was a side character who started to be included more; a love interest of Cam’s. I couldn’t stand that person and after they became involved, it annoyed me and became a distraction.

It changed the dynamic of Cam and Blair working together. I don’t know, that just kind of threw me a bit.

Luckily, it did come back around in the end, so while there were a few narrative choices in here that drove me batty, I still think overall this is a fun, compelling story.

I’m not over the fictional true crime podcasts yet…

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Review: Immortality (The Anatomy Duology #2) by Dana Schwartz

~ megs14malloy

ImmortalityImmortality by Dana Schwartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Immortality is the second book in Dana Schwart’s YA-Gothic Fantasy Romance The Anatomy Duology.

First, let’s get the most obvious thing out of the way. This cover is absolutely stunning and the two novels together…

They’re perfection. They also fit this story nicely. These books follow Hazel Sinnett, who after the tumultuous events of Anatomy: A Love Story finds herself on her own.

Not one to give up in the face of adversity, however, Hazel continues to plug along, doing what she does best; learning about human anatomy, while also putting her knowledge to good use helping the underprivileged of Edinburgh.

When a young woman comes to Hazel, scared and distressed, she never even considers turning the sick woman away, even though the procedure she requests is against the law.

Unfortunately for Hazel, her efforts that day don’t go unnoticed and she is arrested and imprisoned. The punishment, possibly execution. This is no joke.

Just when Hazel thinks it’s the end of the road for her, a confounding message arrives that saves her skin. She has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly daughter of King George IV.

Before she knows it, Hazel is freed from prison and transported to the Palace, where she must befriend the Princess, a task easier said than done, and figure out just what the heck is wrong with her.

As Hazel becomes more involved with the royal court, it’s clear to her that something is afoot. If she can’t figure out what it is, and soon, there could be a lot more than just her life at stake. We have a mystery on our hands!

Immortality is a very solid sequel. Sometimes it can be difficult with a second book to create the same magic as the first, but I think Schwartz pulled it off overall.

I was delighted from the get-go to be back with Hazel. I really grew to love her over the course of the first book and she was sticking true to herself in this follow-up.

As a girl who goes against the grain of what family and society expect of her, Hazel’s personality rings true and is quite intriguing. I love how she never backed down, even when her family basically shunned her. She took risks and although doesn’t live the most extravagant lifestyle, I think she’s able to sleep pretty comfortably at night.


I was sorry to see her get into a bit of a pickle early on in this one, but it was fun watching how she got out of it. Of course it was more pure luck and her reputation than anything else, but we’ll take what we can get.

I also liked her immersion in the royal court. There were definitely some interesting characters flitting about around there and as expected, a ton of royal drama.

While this one didn’t feel as dark and gothic to me, mainly due to the different road the plot went down, it was still well done as far as the atmosphere and overall vibe.

I also missed the dynamic we had between Hazel and Jack in the first one. As they were getting to know one another, the pining and tension was fantastic and you really couldn’t have that same thing here. I missed it, but obviously understand why that couldn’t be a part of this continuation.

However, we do get another intriguing man, a doctor no less, circling around Hazel like a bee to honey, so that definitely brought some more cute fun.

I’ve enjoyed watching Hazel grow over the course of this story, as she became even more committed to her vocation, in spite of the contempt, disrespect and disregard she received from most of her male peers.

I also enjoyed the light fantastical elements sprinkled throughout the duology, the idea of the immortality serum; to learn more, you’ll have to read the book, by the way.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I enjoyed my time with this duology and am looking forward to reading more from Dana Schwartz.

I hope she sticks to the gothic-feeling, light-fantasy romance style that she brought us here. She does it so well!

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Review: Nine Liars (Truly Devious #5) by Maureen Johnson

~ megs14malloy

Nine Liars (Truly Devious, #5)Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

School is back in session and Stevie Bell has finally hit her Senior Year. Unfortunately, with her boyfriend, David, overseas studying in London, Miss Stevie is that mopey, distracted long-distance relationship girl. We all know her.

Her friends are noticing the change and although they’re mostly supportive, they sort of wish she would just get back to being herself. Solve a murder, or something.

Soon enough, it’s David to the rescue, as he has hatched a fairly stellar plan. He invites Stevie, Nate, Janelle and Vi to come to London to do a study-abroad for a week. Each of them devises a schedule and specific course of inquiry for their time there.

David has secured them a place to stay. It should be easy. They just need to sell the Headmaster on the idea.

I think you know what happens because the group ends up there, in London, ready to study their little hearts out. Sure.

On their first night, they get introduced to Izzy, one of David’s closest London friends. As luck would have it, Izzy has a mystery. Stevie is winning all around, her hot boyfriend and a cold-case mystery all in one place!!

Izzy has insight on this mystery because her Aunt Angela was one of the individuals involved.

In 1995, Angela was part of a very tight-knit group of friends, collectively known as The Nine: Sebastian, Rosie, Angela, Sooz, Peter, Noel, Theo, Yash and Julien. They were all actors, artists and their lifestyle was a bit wild. They worked hard and played harder.

After their graduation from Cambridge, as a bit of a celebration, they took a trip to Julien’s family’s country estate. The morning after a drunken version of hide-and-seek, two members of the group are found dead.

It’s clear they were murdered. Very clear. Yet due to lack of evidence, no one was ever arrested for the crime.

Years later, under the influence of pain relievers following a hospital stay, Izzy’s Aunt Angela says some things to her that raise Izzy’s suspicions. Does her Aunt know what happened to her two murdered friends?

She asks Stevie to look into it and you know our Stevie, you are not going to dangle something that tempting in front of her and not have her bite.

Thus begins the London-installment of Truly Devious!

I love this series so much. This is the 5th-book and I have eagerly read them all. I’ve never been disappointed and will continue to pick them up for as long as they are released.

This was such a fun romp with Stevie and friends. I loved the change of scenery with them studying in London for a week and of course, the murder mystery solving.

Additionally, in this one, I really enjoyed the past timeline following Aunt Angela and her friends. It was such a dynamic, yet messy, group and I was living for the drama.

In the present timeline, there was also drama of course. Stevie and David navigating their relationship, taking it to new levels and all of them being focused on the college application process. I’m always interested in watching characters grow and begin to figure out their own path.

This is a bit of slow burn. It does take a while to really get into the intensity of the mystery and subsequent investigation. However, in my opinion, it was well paced and I think the payoff was worth the wait.

Ohhh, also, we’re definitely getting another book. There’s no way this is the end of Stevie’s story. Maureen Johnson wouldn’t play us like that.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has been enjoying the Truly Devious series. For those who haven’t started it yet, and enjoy YA Mystery, what are you waiting for?! This is not a series to be missed!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m low-key obsessed with this series and hope for many more future installments!

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Review: A Ruinous Fate (Heartless Fates #1) by Kaylie Smith

~ megs14malloy

A Ruinous Fate (Heartless Fates, #1)A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let me choose my own fate. Or ruin myself trying…

Calla Rosewood is a young witch essentially trying to outrun her fate. Due to a dangerous curse, Calla left her coven 4-years ago and has been living a life of secrecy with her best friends, Hannah and Delphine, ever since.

It’s a complicated history, but in addition to her curse Calla has marks on her skin that display her past rolls of the Witch’s Dice. These marks indicate Calla is very close to fulfilling the legend of becoming the last Blood Warrior.

After a horrendous night where she is betrayed by her ex, Ezra, Calla finds herself one-step closer to fulfilling her fate. Then she meets someone who offers her the chance to erase her previous rolls for good.

Of course she’s suspicious. She thought she was the only one with rolls this bad, but according to this guy, he has the same rolls. He’s heard of a spell that can be performed by the notorious Witch Eater that can erase their marks and clear the slate.

Gideon, the man with the enticing offer, needs Calla’s help gathering the ingredients needed to perform the spell.

He asks her to enter the deadly Neverending Forest with him on the mission. This is where the Witch Eater lives and unfortunately the only way they can complete their task.

We’ve got ourselves a quest, one of my all-time favorite Fantasy tropes. All aboard!!

Joining strong and sexy, Gideon and Calla, on their quest will be Calla’s charming ex-Ezra, as well as Hannah and Delphine. They can’t let Calla risk her life alone. They really are good friends.

The group enters the Neverending Forest and quickly realize this is not to be a simple journey. Nothing in the forest is as it appears, with the forest constantly changing and rearranging.

Luckily, Delphine, a siren, has magic that allows her to see past some of the forest’s trickery, but will it be enough to get them through to the end of their mission successfully?

I’m probably doing a horrendous job summarizing this complicated plot, but hopefully you get the general idea. For me, this story got progressively stronger as it went along.

Initially, you are thrown into this world and I was definitely floundering. There’s not a lot of explanation as far as the world goes. You’re just sort of dropped into it in a way that, honestly, felt jarring.

Eventually though, it does settle down and I ended up becoming extremely invested in these characters, their journey and the ultimate outcome.

I loved the darkly-magical forest atmosphere. It was the perfect backdrop for our protagonist’s quest. It gave a certain Alice in Wonderland feel with danger at every turn.

I liked learning about Calla and her friends, although I’m still not sure I grasp all of the nuance behind the magic system. There was a lot that I am hoping will be explored further in the second book; including the difference between the kinds of witches.

There is romance, including a tense love triangle. I liked the triangle, but I’m that way. I know a lot of people aren’t into it, so I will toss the caution flag here. In my opinion, this one had great drama. It was scandalous and I was here for it.

Additionally, there was a ton of action and as it got closer to the conclusion, I was definitely at the edge of my seat. I cannot believe how this left off. There were some events I didn’t see coming.

How long until the next book?

Overall, even though the beginning felt a bit chaotic, and I still have some questions about the world and magic system as a whole, I did truly enjoy this.

Seriously, the ending, oh my word, how am I going to wait!? So much went down and it was simultaneously badass, intense and heartbreaking.

I cannot wait to return to this world and group of characters. Yikes, there is so much story left to tell. This was well done by Kaylie Smith. I’m sold.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I ended up having a ton of fun with this and definitely recommend it to fans of angst-filled YA Fantasy.

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Review: The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious #4) by Maureen Johnson

~ megs14malloy

The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious #4)The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s finally Summer and for True Crime enthusiast, Stevie Bell, that means returning home from Ellingham Academy. After solving a real-life murder case at school, working at the deli counter of a local grocery store is going to be a real Snooze Fest. Yawn, indeed.

Stevie has just about come to grips with her new Summer status when she receives some correspondence that grabs her attention. Maybe the next couple of months won’t be so boring after all.

The message is from the new owner of a kid’s summer camp, Shady Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. Stevie is intrigued because she knows this camp.

In 1978, Camp Wonder Falls, and the neighboring town of Barlow Corners, suffered a terrible tragedy. Four local teens, all counselors at the camp, were killed in the woods one night, having snuck away for some private fun.

The case was never solved. Carson, the new owner, invites Stevie to become a counselor, while also working with him developing a podcast focusing on the murders.

You may be wondering why an adult would seek Stevie out and offer her this position, but keep in mind, at this point, Stevie and her crime solving antics have gained her some notoriety. Particularly in True Crime circuits. Carson believes Stevie may be able to crack the decades old case.

The kicker is, Stevie gets to bring some friends along. That sweetens the deal and she’s in, along with Nate and Janelle.

But this town is as enmeshed in these murders as the camp itself, and someone doesn’t want the case to be solved, putting Stevie and her friends in danger. Will they be able to figure it, or become victims themselves?

The Box in the Woods was nostalgic and fun. I enjoyed the shake-up, as far as the setting goes, in this one. I love Ellingham Academy, don’t get me wrong, but this made for a nice change of pace.

I always enjoy a scary summer camp vibe and this definitely had that. It was campy, mysterious and cleverly-plotted. A fantastic set-up.

As with the earlier books in this series, you do get the past perspective played out for you as well. I enjoyed the sections from the past a lot.

You’re there as the vicious crime is discovered and then taken back to learn of events leading up to it. The murders themselves were chilling, the descriptions and discovery, just imagining being in the camp when something like that happened. It was creepy.

Amateur sleuths are one of my absolute favorite tropes in a mystery and Stevie is one of the best. I love how her mind works and watching her go about her research and putting the pieces together is just so satisfying.

I also was impressed with how Johnson wrote this one so that it could actually be read as a standalone. I have read every book in this series and would definitely recommend that, but I can see how someone could actually read this on its own.

Then, once they fall in the love with the characters, they could actually go back and read the previous books.

Oh, also, before I forget, for David fans, he is in this one too and I gotta say, I enjoyed him here. I’ve never been a huge David-stan, but for some reason in this one, he really grew on me.

I’m not sure if it is because of everything he has been through over the course of the last two books, but he is really maturing and nicely. I’m super stoked for the next book, because I’m interested to see where their relationship goes.

For those interested, the fifth book, Nine Liars, is releasing at the end of this month, on Tuesday, December 27th.

I love these characters and the compelling mysteries Johnson brings to the page. The alternating timelines and steady progressions of the plots have never failed to keep me fully engaged.

I will continue to read this series for as long as they continue to release books. Stevie fan for life!!

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Review: Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace

~ megs14malloy

Belladonna (Belladonna, #1)Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

With a story as beautiful as its cover, Belladonna took me completely by surprise. I enjoyed this so much!

We follow Signa Farrow, who is not your average girl. I know you hear that a lot, but in this case it’s true. For example, she has an immunity to Belladonna, can commune with spirits and has a relationship with Death.

Unfortunately, our Signa was orphaned as a child and has lived with many guardians since. Recently, she’s been with her Aunt Magda, who is cruel. There’s no love lost between the two. So, when Aunt Magda suddenly dies, Signa isn’t exactly heartbroken.

She does have questions about her future though. Then she receives word that her last remaining relatives, the Hawthornes, would like her to go live with them at their Thorn Grove estate, as her Uncle Elijah’s ward.

Lacking other options, Signa leaves her old life behind willingly and with a bit of hope in her heart.

Arriving at the estate, she begins to become acquainted with everyone. Her Uncle is mourning his wife, Lilianne, who passed away recently. Woefully, her younger cousin, Blythe, seems to be suffering from the same mysterious illness that prematurely killed her mother.

When it becomes clear to Signa that Lilianne didn’t die of natural causes an unexpected murder mystery begins to unfold. This is made significantly more interesting by the fact that Signa gets the support of her old friend, Death, as she tries to solve it.

This book surprised me. I really didn’t know much about it going in. My initial attraction was the cover, followed by Adalyn Grace’s name on said gorgeous cover.

I was delighted with the setting, which based off some dates of included journal entries would be sometime in the 1850s or 1860s. It has a lush gothic feel that I really loved. Even the focus on plants like belladonna, Signa’s frequent use of it, felt very period specific and natural to me.

I enjoyed learning about Signa’s Thorn Grove family along with her. She’s really thrust right into their world of formal parties, frequent visitors and gossipers galore.

Having lived a fairly secluded life up until that point, I think Signa had felt very lonely. Now surrounded with people she becomes attached, to some more than others. Particularly her cousin, Blythe. She’s very saddened by Blythe’s illness and becomes determined to see her well.

I actually really ended up enjoying the romantic elements as well. I loved the dynamic between Signa and the character of Death. It was giving me Addie LaRue vibes and I was not mad about it.

Signa, at the age where it would be acceptable for her to marry, has some other prospects as well. Watching her navigate that, while trying to decipher her unusual feelings for Death was super compelling. I was eating it up.

Grace did a fantastic job of building the tension and mystery. It was hard to put down once Signa began looking into Blythe’s illness. It was a bit of a race against the clock and for a while, almost everyone was a suspect.

I loved the ending of this as well. It was a great set-up for the second book. Personally, I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Signa is one of my favorite new characters of the year, so I can’t wait to be reunited with her.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Hachette Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I definitely recommend the audiobook for this story. It was so easy to get swept up into this world through that medium. 10-out-of-10 recommend!!

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Review: The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious #3) by Maureen Johnson

~ megs14malloy

The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious, #3)The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hand on the Wall is the third book in the Truly Devious series. At this point in the story, three people connected to Ellingham Academy have died since our intrepid protagonist, True Crime aficionado, Stevie Bell has arrived.

One, the victim of a potential prank gone wrong, the second, dead by misadventure and the third succumbed to a tragic accident in Burlington. Is that all these deaths are though? Were they accidents and misadventures, or something much more sinister. How about murder?

If you haven’t read the earlier books, you may want to avoid the rest of this review. Although I do try very hard not to reveal anything not included in the Publisher’s synopsis.

At this point, Stevie Bell knows who Truly Devious is. She’s cracked the case. One of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time, and she, a high school girl in rural Vermont has figured it out. At least she thinks she has.

It’s actually hard for Stevie to concentrate strictly on the decades-old case. Paired with the recent tragic events, it’s becoming muddled. Stevie is perplexed. Her gut tells her these three newer deaths are in some way connected to those of the past, but how?

With a storm of epic proportions bearing down on the private school, most students are quickly evacuated for safety. Stevie is right where she wants to be though. She can’t leave. Not when the answers she seeks could lie within these walls.

I loved the two previous books and this was definitely a solid continuation to the series.

I really enjoyed filling in some of the blanks regarding the historic-Truly Devious case. In this installment, as with the previous two, you do get alternating perspectives of both the past and present-timelines.

The information gained in this book really helped to make sense of some of the questions I’ve had regarding that earlier timeline, but where does it go from here?

This left off in a very intriguing place, so I am definitely excited to move forward with the next book.

Stevie has grown so much as a character since the first installment. She’s gaining confidence and really coming into her own. I am looking forward to watching her grow even further as she continues working on the many mysteries surrounding her.

Another aspect I really enjoyed about this one was the inclement weather. The storm essentially evacuating most of the unnecessary players from the school was a nice set-up for creating a spooky, claustrophobic-feeling ambiance.

I am planning to continue onto the next book very soon, in order to be caught up just in time for the 5th-book in the series, Nine Liars, to be released next month!

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