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The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson
4.5
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

This is the second book in Johnson's excellent YA murder mystery series and I had SUCH a good time with it. It's hitting a really satisfying mix of flashbacks to a kidnapping/murder case from the 1930s which took place at a elite boarding school; present day story line of Stevie Bell, true crime obsessive, trying to solve the cold case; and Stevie Bell, teen with severe anxiety trying to navigate some complicated friendships, a potential romance, conservative Republican parents and a series of mysterious deaths. The historical and the present day mysteries are both being strung out across multiple books, but so far the first two volumes have concluded with reveals that were surprising cliffhangers but also still well-earned endings. This series reminds me of The Westing Game the murder mystery I loved most as a teenager. I definitely plan to keep reading the series and I can't wait to see how all of these separate plot threads will wrap up!