The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious, 2) (PDF) (Print)

New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller!

In New York Times bestselling author Maureen JohnsonÕs second novel in the Truly Devious series, there are more twists and turns than Stevie Bell can imagine. No answer is given freely, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

The Truly Devious caseÑan unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936Ñhas consumed Stevie for years. ItÕs the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate was murdered, and her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say. She must move past this obsession with crime.

StevieÕs willing to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be back with her friends, and solve the Truly Devious 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, and the guy who lied about his identityÑEdward KingÕs son.

But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? WhatÕs the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isnÕt just a piece of historyÑitÕs a live wire into the present.

* Junior Library Guild Selection * Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2019 * Hypable's Best Books of 2019 *

Praise for Book One:

ÒThe Agatha Christie-like ecosystem pairs with lacerating contemporary wit, and alternating past and present scenes makes for a multilayered, modern detective story.Ó ÑNew York Times Book Review

ÒRemember the first time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was special? ThereÕs that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell.Ó ÑUSA Today (four stars)

ÒBe still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.Ó ÑBustle