50 pages • 1 hour read
Truly Devious
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Published in 2018, Truly Devious is the first novel in the titular series by New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson. In an interview with Hypable, Johnson explains that she wanted to write a “locked room” mystery set against the dramatic backdrop of a rural boarding school in Vermont. While most of the story takes place in the modern day, Johnson includes a series of flashbacks to the years 1936-1938, and this split timeline allows the reader to explore two different crimes that may or may not be connected. Johnson, a lover of classic mysteries, wanted to replicate the intrigue and appeal of a Golden Age mystery novel for modern readers. However, this murder mystery comes hand-in-hand with topics of friendship, self-doubt, identity, manipulation, deceit, pride, and embracing one’s identity. Since its publication, Truly Devious has won several awards and recognitions, including the Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books Award for 2018 and 2019, the 2018 Nerdy Book Club Young Adult Award, and Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2018. The version used for this guide is the paperback of the Katherine Tegen Books imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Plot Summary
In 1936, 14-year-old Dottie Epstein is invited to Unlock all 50 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Maureen Johnson
