The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

On the cusp of solving Ellingham's oldest, greatest mystery, Stevie Bell is pulled out of her school due to the death of one student and the disappearance of another one. Both were her friends. However, she finally convinces them to let her go back with the help of a corrupt senator who makes a deal with her, one that could possibly ruin her hard-earned friendships at school. When more things start to go wrong, Stevie realizes that figuring out the cold case is more important than ever - as it may be connected with whatever is happening now.

I enjoyed reading this book, especially as it was a continuation of Truly Devious, a book I also thought was fun to read. The mystery was just right between vague and clear - it was vague enough that you couldn't immediately guess the perpetrator but clear enough that you could follow Stevie's thinking. The characters were all very interesting and realistic. There was a good balance between the mystery and murders and the more normal parts of Stevie's life at Ellingham. I really liked this book, and I thought it was a very well written thriller/mystery novel. I'm excited to read the next one. I would definitely recommend reading this if you've read Truly Devious.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10

Montrose Library