The Vanishing Stair cover art

The Vanishing Stair

Truly Devious Series, Book 2

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The Vanishing Stair

By: Maureen Johnson
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
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About this listen

New York Times and Publishers Weekly best seller!

In New York Times best-selling 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 *

©2019 HarperCollins Publishers (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Crime Horror Literature & Fiction Mysteries & Detectives Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thrillers & Suspense Murder Scary Fiction Mystery Exciting

Critic Reviews

“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)
All stars
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Absolutely amazing sequel a few points kind of dragged but oh my god I can’t believe I have to wait until next year for the next book 😭😭

The cliffhanger has me in tears I need more

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loved it. listened to it in one day! highly recommend. the narrator was amazing too

amazing!

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Absolutely loved this book but why did she have to recap every little thing as if I’d not read the first one? But other than that I couldn’t fault it

Absolutely captivating

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I loved it. it kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. the narration was great.

incredible!

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Look I just can't take Daniel seriously as a character I'm supposed to be invested in, let alone meant to be into (from Steve's POV). He was already arrogant, rude, and snobby, and in the sequel he's now bizarre in a way that's possibly meant to be fun and impulsive but just comes across as uncomfortable and weird.
The contrived drama between her and Daniel was not compelling and I was super unsympathetic to the rich boy with daddy issues who is Hellbent on being the victim in every scenario. I assume he's going to get some redemption arc in book 3 but I would have much preferred to see more of literally any character aside from him.
Lastly I know the mystery is 'solved' in this book, which the readers with the benefit of flashbacks to the past are assured of, but I'm just not convinced that Stevie would think she had anything just from the clues she's gathered. It felt like a bit of a disappointing resolution to the big mystery. The clues she's gathered don't feel compelling enough, and the whole mystery felt a bit... Disappointing? To have required two books to get to that reveal? I know I know there's more to come, but I can't understand the otherwise glowing reviews.

A bit disappointing

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