The Box in the Woods is a solid addition to the Stevie Bell universe that any reader will adore regardless of it you have read the Truly Devious series or not. The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson relies on the same characters as the trilogy but is a standalone novel and can be enjoyed on its own. If you have read the Truly Devious series, this novel will transport you back into Stevie's eclectic mind as she tries to solve another historic murder.

If you have never heard of the Truly Devious series (go read it, now!), The Box in the Woods is a young adult novel based off the characters in that series with similar vibes too One of Us Is Lying which if you enjoyed that novel, you will enjoy this too. The Box in the Woods is a teenage angst filled novel with loads of determination and a mystery to solve, it is a fun read worth your time.

To reiterate, how the plot is written makes The Box in the Woods a solid standalone. The plot is about Stevie Bell and her friends attempting to solve another murder. Well, Stevie solving the murder with her friends around her for support and occasional insight into unravelling the mystery.

The novel has a different atmopshere compared to Ellingham with muggy weather and curious children but follows similarly the outline of the Truly Devious series with murder, confusion, discovery, and explanation but seriously condensed. Also, to be fair that is how all murder mysteries go and if you want a young adult murder mystery, this plot fits that bill. The Box in the Woods has a solid plot, not one I feel is better than the trilogy but a good and worthy plot regardless.

Welcome back Stevie Bell and company! Under the assumption you have read the Truly Devious trilogy, these are the same characters you adored but instead of at school, they are on summer break. The novel mainly focuses on Stevie followed by Nate and Janelle with just a touch of David throughout. The core crew has returned and they are exactly the same. If you liked the characters before, you will like them in The Box in the Woods.

The ending may leave you confused. If you like explosive reveals, this is an ending you will enjoy but potentially not one you would expect. In all though, The Box in the Woods is a valuable addition to the Truly Devious series and can be read by all ages and really is a novel worth an hour of your time.

Maureen Johnson has done it again. I was transported back into the world of crime addict Stevie Bell and her extremely intelligent friends. I personally do not feel The Box in the Woods was as intense as the Truly Devious trilogy but I still found the writing to be superb with, apart from the ending, a fun-filled plot. I am going to chalk my disappointment of this novel, and when I say disappointment I really just mean disappointment in comparison to the Truly Devious series as this novel itself is still really good - but, not as good as the trilogy and I expected it to be up to par with it.

I did not like the ending. I never suspected Patty and I do not think she was a worthy culprit. She killed her closest friends because her dad was a Nazi criminal, what? Upon reflection, there were multiple allusions to Patty's dad, Mr. Horne having a relationship with German warfare but I never anticipated that would be the cause of the murders. I did like how Patty was the murderer but I wanted something a bit more plausible personally. Also, I was so frustrated by how Stevie hid the diary. She had time to put it in a bag and throw it into the woods whilst being chased and shot at? AND both her and Nate survived the drop when so many others didn't? Too convenient, it was all tooo convenient.

Overall, The Box in the Woods was a delight to read and if the murderer was a little bit more predictable, or at least understandable, then this would have been a phenomenal read. Right now, it is a decent read and one I enjoyed especially as I do adore Stevie Bell and her universe. Do I want another standalone? Yes, please.