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  • The Vanishing Stair

  • Truly Devious Series, Book 2
  • Written by: Maureen Johnson
  • Narrated by: Kate Rudd
  • Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (39 ratings)

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The Vanishing Stair cover art

The Vanishing Stair

Written by: Maureen Johnson
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
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Publisher's Summary

New York Times and Publishers Weekly best seller!

In New York Times best-selling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel in the Truly Devious series, there are more twists and turns than Stevie Bell can imagine. No answer is given freely, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

The Truly Devious case - an unsolved kidnapping and triple murder that rocked Ellingham Academy in 1936 - has consumed Stevie for years. It’s the very reason she came to the academy. But then her classmate was murdered, and her parents quickly pull her out of school. For her safety, they say. She must move past this obsession with crime.

Stevie’s willing to do anything to get back to Ellingham, be back with her friends, and solve the Truly Devious case. Even if it means making a deal with the despicable Senator Edward King. And when Stevie finally returns, she also returns to David: the guy she kissed, and the guy who lied about his identity - Edward King’s son.

But larger issues are at play. Where did the murderer hide? What’s the meaning of the riddle Albert Ellingham left behind? And what, exactly, is at stake in the Truly Devious affair? The Ellingham case isn’t just a piece of history - it’s a live wire into the present.

* Junior Library Guild Selection * Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of 2019 * Hypable's Best Books of 2019 *

©2019 HarperCollins Publishers (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers

What the critics say

“The Agatha Christie-like ecosystem pairs with lacerating contemporary wit, and alternating past and present scenes makes for a multilayered, modern detective story.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Remember the first time reading Harry Potter and knowing it was special? There’s that same sense of magic in the introduction of teen Sherlock-in-training Stevie Bell.” (USA Today, four stars)

“Be still, my Agatha-Christie-loving beating heart.” (Bustle)

What listeners say about The Vanishing Stair

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Oh wow!

So good!
Another cliffhanger ending, but such a great book! Jumping into book number three right now!
Highly recommend this series!

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great story

The narration was well read,I likes all the different characters voices and personalities. what was not good ....the constant interruptions and replay of the recording!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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not for me

Nope. Second listen just reminded me of everything that's wrong with this.
Ok, yes, I'm an adult and therefore not the target audience, but 1: I found the first book in the Mystery, Thriller and Suspence section of Audible, and I stupidly didn't twig to the fact that this is straight up YA, 2: I actually do like to check out mysteries for younger audiences in order to find new books for the young folks in my life so I figured, ok, maybe this could be a fun gift, but 3: this was actually garbage.
Here's the thing. I would seriously hesitate to recommend this to any actual young adult. The mystery, the historical one, at least, is surprisingly compelling. But the present day stuff... oy. The characters are flat and impossible to connect with Another reviewer, gives a great synopsis:
"these " tumblr aesthetic characters " were soo boring like I was expecting to get deeper in their shallow quirkiness but it never happened, they were same like in the first book" She also called them robotic, with zero emotional depth, and wow, she nails it.
This installment is when the romance subplot gets really, really problematic. and it ruined any enjoyment I may have had.
Yeah, no. As much as I like the concept, and as curious as I was about the outcome of the Ellingham case... this one just made me angry.

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