Review: Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson (No Spoilers)

 Hey people! This summer, I read the Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson and loved it. The book had a well-written mystery, unusual yet exciting plot twists, and wonderful characters. I thought," This series can't get much better." I was wrong. I learned that the author had written a book about Stevie's life after she solved all those mysteries. She finds herself involved in another mystery that was mediocre at best. (But honestly, I loved that Nate sass in this book, though). Although I wanted to see more of my beloved Stevie and Nate, we didn't need this book. It dragged the series into something that ended well. After finishing the book this time, I really thought that the series was over. I was wrong again, with Johnson here coming up with another spin-off book called Nine Liars. 

Nine Liars follows nine very close friends who go to a house together to hang out. For some odd reason, the nine friends play hide and seek in the pouring rain very late at night. And incidentally, two friends get killed. Years pass, and the seven left of this group divide into their own lives, still in contact with each other. One of the members of this friend group, Angela, disappears, and her niece, Izzy, asks Stevie to help find her and maybe solve a long-forgotten mystery. Stevie accepts and travels to London where this takes place. Actually, her own friend group is on a trip to London, and Stevie isn't supposed to be solving a mystery, but here we are. 

Frankly, this book focused on Stevie's drama rather than the mystery. The mystery could have been better planned and wasn't enjoyable. The author spent so much time trying to perfect the drama between the characters that the whole plot of mysterious murders got forgotten.  The real reason we read this book was for the mystery and thrill, not the random tension between the characters. 

Other stuff happens, but I'm here to talk about one thing. David Eastman. I've never been a fan of him. Stevie deserves better than him, but we have to deal with him. In this book, he is such an annoying character. I felt that he redeemed himself in The Box in the Woods but no. My opinion of David in this book was so bad that let's just say I hope David is murdered in the next book because he deserves it. Also, I guess I forgot to mention that this book ends on a cliffhanger. But a lousy cliffhanger that made me clap my forehead and chick the book across the room. 

Although the book wasn't as good as I thought, you should read it. Only because Nate is in it and Stevie as well. That's it. Happy Reading.