This book was nearly perfect. The story was very good and it all got explained in the end. However, it felt like there was no time for the reader to try to put the pieces together to figure out the mystery until the last chapter of the book where the mystery is being explained. The reader didn’t have many of the facts until then.

I finished the final book in the original Truly Devious trilogy around this time last year, and did so with a sense of disappointment. Maureen Johnson manages to wrap up an interesting, winding mystery into to the lives of funny, diverse and complex young adults. The Box In The Woods was not only a brilliant read because it allowed me to dive back into the lives of Stevie, David, Janelle and Nate but also or because it is genuinely an interesting mystery, but also because it’s wide array of LGBTQ+ characters is rare in any book, especially when their sexuality or gender orientation don’t become their overriding personality trait. Johnson has created an array of complex, well rounded well adults who are a pleasure to read about, regardless of what mysteries they’re solving. 

But perhaps the best part of finishing this book is that

Nate finally finishes his

Enjoyed being back with the characters but missed Ellingham and the reveal really came out of nowhere. So much love for Nate!

I loved this book! I don’t think it’s possible for me to dislike anything from Maureen Johnson. It was so good to be back with my favourite characters once more, especially when I thought the third book was the end. More comfortable in themselves and their friendship, the dynamic between Stevie, Janelle and Nate was just everything to me. I love Johnson’s characterisation and writing style and I just love how all of her mysteries unfold. The different nature of this 1970s mystery, with people still alive from that time, meant that this book was similar and different in all the perfect ways. It kept what was at the core of the first three books but gave it to us in a new way. I think this book was also good to refine all the nuances of the main characters and add little details to them. I also liked to reference to old fashioned mystery novels with the big reveal at the very end with everyone present. This book just made me so happy.