Review: The Box In The Woods

 

So I have finally come to accept the fact that I do have commitment issues when it comes to series, so I decided to come with a system. The system is, that I'd be reading a standalone and a series novel [if I happen to have a series in the month] on alternate days, which would eventually lead up to me finishing the series and keep the blog updated at the same time! Yay!!

Murder obsessed sleuth Stevie Bell is famous for solving the cold case of Ellingham Academy. But the problem is, people move on to new stuff. Camp Wonder Falls has had a bad history. In 1978, four camp counselors had been found dead but the murderer was never found due to lousy investigation methods. Now, the new owner of Camp Wonder Falls has invited Stevie to solve this decades old "Box  in The Woods" mystery and Stevie can even invite her friends too. What could be better than a murderous summer camp with friends and  a whole new mystery to solve?

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 3.6/5, IT DOES HAVE A MYSTERY VIBE BUT LACKS THE CHARM THE TRILOGY HAD.

  

WHAT DID I FEEL ABOUT THE  BOOK'S: 

1. Writing Quality: I really do enjoy Maureen Johnson's writing style, the method of forewarning and foreshadowing is really excellent and enjoyable. It did remind me of my own writing style back when I was actually invested in TSC [do not ask what it is, it is a past I would not like to dwell upon] and I think I'm stupid because I really never  get to understand that Eureka moment Stevie gets every time at the end of the book, not a plot twist like McManus does, but Johnson sure as heck has some magic right there.

2. Character Development: Character development was disappointing. But I guess it's because that we know so much about them from the trilogy, it didn't feel like there was more to explore about them in this book. It did seem like that this novel was focused solely upon Stevie and not the other side characters that were growing around her because they literally have so little appearance. This time, I was glad to see more of Nate but I don't really learn anything interesting about him or Janelle, or even David for once, which is just as disappointing considering I loved them so much. I know I shouldn't compare this book with the trilogy but it simply just pisses me off so much. 

3. Couldn't put it down- Ness: 6/10, I will not lie I was completely disappointed when I finished reading it because it really had none of the attributes I loved about the trilogy back when I read it in 2020. Maybe it's my fault that I set the bar too high so I was disappointed, but I felt like, after a bombastic trilogy, maybe this book could have a similar effect on me too.

4. Plot Twists: There aren't plot twists in the book, I'll give you that. But there is something else entirely. That "eureka" moment in detective books that is really rare nowadays because I haven't seen a single detective novel in the recent days that is actually popular among children. Harriet Blue is a good one but it's not that popular (y'all should go read that series though). And it's actually even better because I myself couldn't figure out what the moment of realization was even though I breathe detective books from my physical tbr like it's crack and that's amazing. And it sure as hell is a very "Maureen Johnson" thing like it's a "Karen M. McManus" thing to add a fricking plot twist at the ending 30 pages of the novel.

5. Plot: The plot is really interesting, and after the Ellingham murders, I was quite interested to see what this book had to offer. And to be honest, I will blame Hollywood for my obsession with "murders at summer camp" movies because that shit do be interesting as eff. You know what, once we reach a good amount of followers, I'll make a discord server for my blogs so that we can all have a movie marathon in the summer, so y'all better go follow my Instagram real quick [ @whenliareads ]. Also this is the first time I have done a shameless plug in. Anyways, I am in love with the plot solely because murder + summer camp = my entire love for movies. And it did draw me in because "Ellingham" trilogy and wanted to see what Maureen Johnson had to offer.

OVERALL, AN OKAY READ, there's a fifth book coming out later this year, hope that doesn't disappoint too.