Stevie is determined to both find out where Ellie went and solve the crime of the century, the kidnapping of Iris and Alice Ellingham. The stakes are high, with her spot in the school precarious and her parent's itching to have her return home to safety. This book was a great second helping. It was fast paced, quickly picking up where Truly Devious left off. We meet a new student from the past, Frankie, and her chapters interchange with Stevie. We begin to discern the events of the kidnapping, the mistakes and assumptions that were made. We realize how quickly one misjudgment can lead a case completely in the wrong direction. Both the past and the present cases assume something that is later proven inaccurate (both times at the expense of those who are missing). I liked the added drama of Stevie's deal with Edward King, how it impacts her relationship with her friends and David. It also spikes her anxiety and social awkwardness and messes with her sense of justice. Again, like Truly Devious, this novel approaches anxiety so realistically. Stevie's suffering is so palpable; her fears, her uncertainty about her abilities, the truth about the 'facts' she has found out about, and her doubts about the very detective skills that gained her a spot at the prestigious school. She is a beautifully developed, loveable, fallible character. There is also now a treasure hunt of sorts that has been added to the narrative, along with new characters (Fenton, Hunter, Mudge). Fenton is another adult figure that fails Stevie in many ways, from her inappropriate drinking and smoking, to her secrecy and paranoia. She fails to show proper authority, she is more the child than Stevie. Stevie shows more maturity, appears to be the better sleuth, and is more productive in finding true evidence for the Ellingham case. The relationship between Stevie and David is very raw and emotional. Stevie has never had a relationship like this before, in which she loathes but also very much likes the person. David is unpredictable, but he seems to genuinely care for Stevie. Why does he act the way he does? She is so inept at understanding people, that she can never truly understand David or what he might need from her. She also is unable to be fully open with him, due to her own anxiety, and now her deal with his father. All of this adds to the drama of the novel, and I love their little back and forth. The twists in this one were well pulled off, somewhat predictable, but still a little surprising. I was often thinking I suppose this could happen, but when it did I would think "I cannot believe that actually happened". I highly recommend this series all around, and right now I am listening avidly to the third and final novel in this trilogy. TW: kidnapping, murder, anxiety, accidental death, alcohol abuse, immurement
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