Upon entering The Vanishing Stair, the second installment in the Truly Devious Trilogy, there are a few things of which the reader is certain: (1) the 1936 cold case is warming up, (2) one of Stevie’s classmates is dead while another is missing, and (3) the modern-day mystery’s criminal is just getting started. Stevie is determined to solve the 80+ years old mystery surrounding Iris and Alice Ellingham, and the support from her new friends drives her even further. But as the fog surrounding the cold case begins to clear in her mind, Stevie’s reality becomes ever more complicated and dangerous. This is not a mystery to miss, but be sure to first pick up Truly Devious, the first book in the series!

Truly Devious had me on the edge of my seat until the very end, and The Vanishing Stair was no different. Johnson does a brilliant job of balancing the mysteries’ progression with the personal growth and struggles of our protagonist, Stevie Bell. I absolutely adored the friendship dynamic she shares with Janelle and Nate. Not only does their dialogue feel authentic, but it is inclusive and allows the reader to learn more about Stevie’s friends and their progress at Ellingham Academy as well. Mystery-wise, I found myself equally invested in the cold case and modern-day mystery. I also loved that as we gained some crucial answers to questions posed in the first book, Johnson still leaves us on a cliffhanger by the end of The Vanishing Stair. 

Okay, I have to toot my own horn a bit. No spoilers, though, I promise! While reading Truly Devious, I made a guess at who could be the culprit(s) in the 1936 cold case. The clues involved in the journey toward solving this part of the whodunnit in The Vanishing Stair were new and not given in the first book, but when the reveal finally came, I learned that I was right! With that said, my experience was not dampened for having guessed the criminal(s) in the first book because the how and the why were still a mystery to me. Plus, there is still the modern mystery to be solved! With that said, I’m off to get my hands on the final installment in this whirlwind YA mystery series…now where did I leave my magnifying glass?