Stevie Bell is back! After solving the mystery at Ellingham Academy, Stevie needs a good mystery to solve! In The Box in the woods, she is invited to a summer camp to solve some murders from 1978 . . . and she can invite friends! So, those of us who know Stevie and Janelle and Nate and David are excited to see "the band" back together. But, dear reader, if you haven't yet met Stevie, never fear! You can pick up The Box in the Woods, meet the gang, and then go back to read about their previous escapades. Johnson does a great job of making this stand-alone novel accessible to fans of Truly Devious and to new readers. I liken it to picking up an Agatha Christie novel or a Sherlock Holmes story. Yes, there are some throughlines that you pick up on if you read in sequence, but you can really enjoy them in any order. (Well, read the Truly Devious trilogy in order!) This actually makes me excited that we could see more of Stevie in other stand-alones!
Johnson's wit and attention to detail shine as Stevie and friends work to discover whodunit. When I say Stevie is my modern Nancy Drew, I say that as a high compliment! Grab a copy and enjoy!