Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 4/5

Around 1936, wealthy (and odd) Albert Ellingham started a boarding school for gifted children in the mountains of Vermont. He loved elaborate games and riddles.

Shortly after the school opens, Ellingham’s daughter and wife are kidnapped. He gets a riddle in the mail signed “Truly, Devious.” Albert gives the kidnappers everything they want yet his wife Iris is still murdered. His daughter Alice was never found. Around the same time a first-year student named Dottie Epstein is found dead. This just adds to the mystery of it all. Was she in the wrong place at the wrong time or was she a part of the kidnapping plot?

Years later, Ellingham Academy is still running and current students are: Janelle, Nate, Element, David, and Stevie. Janelle builds machines. Nate is a grumpy author. Hayes is the star of a YouTube series. Element “Ellie” is an artist. David makes video games. Stevie Bell is a true crime enthusiast. In fact, Stevie is obsessed with the events that happened at Ellingham Academy in 1936.

When a current student is killed and another goes missing, everyone is on edge. Understandably so. This is just the first in the series so to be continued…

4/5