Solving that which no one else was able to solve should be the biggest high a true crime geek will ever experience. And it is. It just doesn't last. The return to reality was a little harsher than Stevie expected. Spending the summer working at a grocery store at the deli counter isn't exactly the glamorous career she had planned for herself. I mean, the apron doesn't even go with her crime solving red vinyl raincoat! Thankfully she is about to be saved from a summer of drudgery by the new owner of a kid's summer camp in the Berkshires. Carson Buchwald is the owner of Box Box, a subscription box company, as in literal boxes, with delusions of becoming a true crime podcaster. Which is why he bought Shady Pines, the new moniker of a camp all true crime enthusiasts know by it's original name, Camp Wonder Falls. In 1978 four local teens who had just graduated high school in nearby Barlow Corners, Massachusetts, all counselors at the camp, were murdered. There was an old hunting blind about four miles from camp where the counselors were known to party. On that fateful July night the revelers, Todd Cooper, Diane McClure, and Sabrina Abbott were stabbed and stacked like cordwood in the hunting blind while Eric Wilde, the local drug dealer, almost made it back to camp. His body was found first. The most disturbing facts about the case were the brutality and the message painted inside the blind; SURPRISE. And yet the case was never solved. It wasn't a drug deal gone bad or the work of local serial killer "The Woodsman" as DNA ruled him out, and a revenge killing just didn't make sense. The case was badly handled and entered the lore of famous unsolved crimes. Which is why Carson wants to hire Stevie. She'd come and work at the camp and solve the case for his podcast. The chance to get away from deli meats means she'll even brave the wilderness. She is so not the outdoorsy type. Which means a support network is needed and Nate and Janelle agree to come with. They are on the case. Unfortunately the town is rather hostile once they realize Carson's intentions. It looks like he was trying to buy them off with a shiny new library. And in a way he was. Because the answer has to be among the townsfolk. It's the only thing that makes sense. Why else was it never solved? Because someone didn't want it solved. That someone isn't Sabrina's sister Allison. She's willing to help Stevie. But that help might cost her her life. Because more than four people have died and the killing will continue unless Stevie connects the dots.

The Box in the Woods is a bit of a reset for this series. The first three books were dealing with one case and all it's connecting repercussions at Ellingham Academy. Here Stevie is removed from that academic setting and into that most classic of teen horror tropes, a summer camp. And as everyone knows the best parts of a summer slasher are technology breaking down and there being nowhere to run. Which makes the seventies the perfect era for the "historical" crime to be set. And thankfully we are all about the historical in this installment and veer away from the hysteria that Stevie's boyfriend David brings in his wake. Seriously, I agree with so many reviewers who are just fed up with him. He brings nothing to the conversation and this book was all the better for his being almost entirely omitted. What really drew me in though was that this small little town and it's summer camp is Gilmore Girls meets Twin Peaks that just happens to shoehorn in a slasher flick and some Nazis. So yes, you might think that sounds all over the place, but if you're the right kind of person, AKA someone who I'd be friends with, you will totally get that all these disparate elements can fit together perfectly if you have the right mindset and sense of humor. Dark humor. But for me this isn't just a series reset it's also a turning point for Stevie. When she was investigating the Ellingham case all the principal characters were dead. She was legitimately investigating a true cold case, as in all the participates were cold in their graves. Here the crime happened in 1978 so, while not recent history weeps the reviewer who was born in that year, it's still a recent enough crime that those people directly affected, like Sabrina's sister Allison, are still alive. This is new and interesting. Stevie has had to deal with the fallout of a case and it's present day repercussions but she hasn't had to deal with the trauma of real people. She's so focused and inward when she's on a case she sometimes doesn't think of the bigger picture. Which is all well and good when it's a true cold case. When the obsession and the drive aren't running over victims. But here she could easily steamroller over someone to whom this case is an open wound. She has to tread carefully. Not just because the actual killer could still be alive but because the family of the victims are in need of support. They can help but there has to be respect and assurances. When dealing with Allison Stevie is growing. She's learning that there's more to solving crime than just the crime. There's the survivors. That aspect is one she needs to work on. But this is a good start.

A fun continuation of Stevie's crime solving skills! I love a summer camp setting. I also enjoyed getting to see a bit more of her fiends with this installment.

Stevie Bell is back and sharper than ever! Maureen Johnson delivers a thrilling new mystery set against the atmospheric backdrop of a summer camp with a dark past. This story is packed with twists, turns, and laugh-out-loud moments that will keep you guessing until the very end. Fans of Johnson's signature blend of humor and suspense won't be disappointed.

If you haven't read the Truly Devious series yet, please read it and start with Truly Devious. Book two is The Vanishing Stair. Book three is The Hand on the Wall. The Box in the Woods is book four. Nine Liars is book five. This is the perfect book series for fans of the murder mystery genre whether you normally read young adult books or not.

The Truly Devious series ended to well in three books. I didn't need a fourth book, but I'm thankful to have one. The gang heads to a summer camp, but Stevie has a cold case solve and an unwilling community trying to forget. Another excellent adventure of Stevie and crew.

4.25 stars

maureen johnson is insane. like properly crazy and i’m having a blast. the new story was intriguing and the plot twist?! YUP

I love Stevie. She can be foolish and flawed but then she always solves the case. I loved this book and enjoyed the new setting.

While I don't read much YA these days, this series completely does it for me and I hope it never ends, tbh. These are such lovely, low-stakes cozy mysteries in a well-built world at an elite boarding school (well, this one's at a summer camp, but they can't be in school *all* the time). I loved it!

I really enjoyed this one. While it isn't in the same plot arc as the previous three, it stands on it's on well. I like seeing the characters from the series, visit a new location and try their hand at different crime.

This novel has all the mystery and drama that I loved about Truly Devious and so much more. I can’t wait to continue reading in this world.

Definitely my favorite in the series. Grabbed you from the beginning. I look forward to every book published by this author. Will add to the classroom library.

Loving that Stevie’s mystery solving didn’t end with Truly Devious. Maureen’s writing as always is fantastic and sucks you right in! Stevie, Nate, Janelle, Vi and Nate are all back together again in this summer camp mystery. Box in the Woods is another 5 star read that you will want to pick up right away. Can’t wait for more Stevie Bell mysteries to come in the future!

Even though this wasn’t my favorite of the Truly Devious series, I still really enjoyed it. I liked that they were off campus and Stevie is still solving crimes! These mysteries are always a little far fetched but always so much fun.

I adore this YA series. While The Box in the Woods can be a standalone, I feel it would be appreciated more if you have first read the three prior books in the Truly Devious series. Stevie Bell is now out of Ellingham Academy, but she is still solving mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic! Such a great continuation of the series even if it was written as a stand alone. I can’t wait for the next installment!

I loved the first three truly devious books, so honestly this one was a little bit of a let down. I loved hanging with the characters again but the actual mystery in this one was subpar. Don't get me wrong, I will immediately read any upcoming Maureen books because they are quick and entertaining reads. Just definitely my least favorite of the series.

Review published on Goodreads, 11 January 2022:

I've enjoyed all the books in the Truly Devious series and this one, the last (I think), is no exception. The thing that sets it apart from the other installments is that it's set away from Ellingham Academy. Even though I like the school setting, I think this change in scenery helps to breathe new life into Stevie's story. The characters—some familiar, some not—are likable, as always. Nate is my favorite, so I'm glad he co-stars in THE BOX IN THE WOODS. The plot of this one is compelling and twisty. I didn't see the killer coming, mostly because the mystery takes an interesting turn that surprised me. The murderer's motive did seem a little thin to me, especially their need to kill SO many people. Nevertheless, I sped through this book, finishing it in one day. It's a satisfying read. I don't know if Johnson is going to continue this series or not. If she does? I'm definitely up for another book. Or two. Or three. The novels are clever, the characters are appealing, the plots are compelling. What else can I say? It's a great series for mystery lovers.

Another Truly Devious book!? ANOTHER ONE? I was so excited, but also hesitant when I found out that the series was continuing. I loved the Truly Devious trilogy and thought that that was the end of the story. This is a new mystery with the same characters that we know and love. Overall, it worked really well and I am so glad that they left the specifics vague about the original trilogy so anyone could, theoretically, pick this up and not be spoiled. I saw that there is going to be another book with another mystery to solve and I am so on board to continue reading these. It is almost going the route of a modern, slightly darker, Nancy Drew series and I hope that more and more books are added to the series.

This was a super fun stand-alone entry into the Truly Devious series. While it’s hard to follow up a 3-book arc with a standalone, this was still a satisfying amount of fun! The summer camp setting got to bring in a lot of fun tropes, and it was a great excuse to have the gang back together in a setting other than Ellingham. The mystery resolution wasn’t a complete surprise, but the devil’s always in the details, and it was fun to get the Poirot-like reveal at the end.

Looking forward to the next one!

A great addition to the adventures of detective Stevie. I was a little nervous about this continuation but I enjoyed the mystery and change in setting. This series is engaging, and fun and I can't wait until the next one.