Truly Devious is a young adult mystery novel written by Maureen Johnson.[1] The novel was published on January 16, 2018, and it is the first in a series of three novels: Truly Devious (2018), The Vanishing Stair (2019), The Hand on the Wall (2020), and the following standalone novels: The Box in the Woods (2021), Nine Liars (2022).[2] The books are published by HarperCollins.
The novel follows teenager Stevie Bell, who attends Ellingham Academy, a private school in Vermont. Ellingham Academy, founded by Albert Ellingham, is infamous for the 1930s kidnapping of the founder's wife and daughter. A mysterious riddle signed “Truly, Devious” was left behind, but the crime remained unsolved. Stevie plans to solve the cold case when she arrives at Ellingham Academy, but Truly Devious seems to return to the school when a new murder takes place.