The Vanishing Stair
The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson is the second novel in the Truly Devious series, published by Katherine Tegen Books on May 14, 2019. This edition spans 400 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Stevie Bell, who is deeply engrossed in the Truly Devious case—a notorious unsolved kidnapping and triple murder from 1936 that has haunted Ellingham Academy. After a classmate’s murder prompts her parents to withdraw her from school for safety, Stevie is determined to return and solve the mystery, even if it means making a deal with the controversial Senator Edward King.
Readers will find themselves immersed in a narrative filled with twists and turns as Stevie navigates her obsession with crime and her complicated relationships, particularly with David, the son of Senator King. The plot thickens as Stevie grapples with the riddle left by Albert Ellingham and the implications of the ongoing investigation. The Vanishing Stair delves into themes of mystery and the impact of past events on the present, making it a compelling continuation of Stevie’s journey in her pursuit of truth.
Official synopsis Publisher
New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller!
In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s 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 case—an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936—has consumed Stevie for years. It’s 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.
Stevie’s 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 identity—Edward King’s son.
But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? 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.
* 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:
“The Agatha Christie-like ecosystem pairs with lacerating contemporary wit, and alternating past and present scenes makes for a multilayered, modern detective story.” —New York Times Book Review
“Remember the first time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was special? There’s that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell.” —USA Today (four stars)
“Be still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.” —Bustle
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