Maureen Johnsonis ready to solve her biggestTruly Deviousmystery.
The best-selling author will conclude her acclaimed time-hopping YA mystery series withThe Hand on the Wall.
As crimes pile up, past and present, Stevie is sure that somehow they connect.
Credit: Angela Altus
The three deaths in the present.
The deaths in the past.
The missing Alice Ellingham and the now-missing David Eastman, her heartthrob friend from back in Vermont.
Angela Altus
Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward the Green Mountain State.
This is too much for the parents and administrators.
Ellingham Academy is evacuated.
HarperCollins Children’s Publishing
Obviously, its time for Stevie to do something stupid.
Its time to stay on the mountain and face the storm and a murderer.
Speaking with EW, Johnson wastes no time confirming that readers will get some answers.
Youll find out what happened to Alice Ellingham.
Youll find out who the murderer is at Ellingham Academy.
Youll find out how the past and the present have a deadly link.
Murder mysteries are a game, and I put things in there for you to find!
Shall we get sleuthing, then?
(And be sure to check out those amazing photos of Johnson above.)
The novel publishes Jan. 21, 2020, and isavailable for pre-order.
The lake is picturesque and vast, flowing up toward Canada.
In better weather, there was sailing.
Indeed, it was on this body of water that Albert Ellingham had taken his fatal sailing trip.
And it was also from this body of water where his wifes body was found.
There were studios, lots of yoga and new age shops.
Everywhere there were hints of winter sports.
This was especially true at the massive L.L.
You wont believe how cold it gets here!
It was more than a bit weird to be shopping for a guy she only sort of knew.
Hunter was nice enough.
He lived with his aunt while he went to college.
He studied environmental science.
He was fair haired and freckled and was actually interested in the Ellingham case.
Maybe not as much as Stevie or his aunt, but enough.
He had even allowed Stevie to look through some of his aunts files.
Stevie hadnt seen that much, but she had gotten the hint about the wire recording from them.
The rest, now, were literally up in smoke.
All of Fentons work, whatever she had gathered, whatever she knew.
Anyway, now Stevie had to quickly buy a guy she barely knew some stuff.
Charles had given her a short list with sizes, leading with a coat.
Once skin touched tile and part of her soul died, she knew what slippers were for.
She had only a little time to do what she had come to do.
Even though it was only late afternoon, the streetlights of Burlington winked to life.
There were holiday lights strung over the pedestrianized Church Street.
The windows had displays of gifts.
Street vendors sold hot cider and maple popcorn.
There were dogs everywhere, pulling their owners along.
What happened to Ellie was certainly no fault of Larrys, but someone had to pay.
Before that, Larry had been a homicide detective.
Now he was unemployed but looking stern and sharp.
He had no drink in front of him.
So, Larry said after Stevie sat down.
I didnt know her well, Stevie said.
We only met a few times.
Stevie didnt like black coffee, but she sipped it anyway.
Occasions like this called for bitter, hot drinks you didnt necessarily like.
You just had to be awake.
Whats that in the bag?
How I got into town.
I did some shopping for her nephew.
Hunter, he said.
Hes going to live up at Ellingham for a while.
Larry, of course, knew everything already.
You have to tell me something.
Larry inhaled loudly and rubbed at his chin.
Fire started in the kitchen, he said.
It seems that one of the gas burners on the stove was partially turned.
The room was full of gas, she lights a cigarette .
they said the kitchen went up in a fireball.
Larry did not soft-pedal anything.
From the number of empty bottles found on the front porch, this was still an issue.
Hunter told me that, Stevie said.
And I saw the bottles.
Plus, she lost her sense of smell.
She told me that.
She said the smoking killed her sense of smell.
Larry nodded at this.
The nephew was lucky.
He was upstairs, on the other side of the house.
He came down when he smelled smoke.
The flames were spreading through the first floor.
He tried to get into the kitchen but it wasnt possible.
He got some burns, inhaled some smoke.
He stumbled outside and collapsed.
Could have been worse, but .
They sat in silence for a moment, the awfulness settling in.
She had cats, Stevie said.
The cats were found.
They went out through a flap.
Thats good, Stevie said, nodding.
its good about the cats.
I know what you meant, Larry said.
Luck only holds out for so long, Stevie, he finally said.
Three people are now deadHayes Major and Element Walker up at the school, and now Dr. Fenton.
Three people associated with Ellingham.
Three people you know.
Three people in as many months.
Stevie stared down at the oily, swirly sheen on the top of her coffee.
The people a few tables over were laughing too loudly.
The coffee shop music was out of place and time.
Thats a lot of death, Stevie.
Im going to ask you something again: Would you consider leaving Ellingham?
The words were there, on the tip of her tongue.
I solved the crime of the century.
I know who did it.
The words came close to the opening of her mouth, touched the back of her teeth, then .
Because this was not something you said out loud.
Thats how you blew your credibility.
while there was nothing scary about Larry or the coffee place .
Something in her bones, which felt as cold and bare as Mr. Nelson.
The last person she was going to tell had died in a fire.
What arent you telling me?
David, she said.
He got himself beat up.
I saw the video, he said.
I have a phone, he replied.
Im old but follow along with things related to Ellingham.
What do you mean got himself beaten up?
I mean, she said, he paid some skaters to do it.
He uploaded it himself, right there and then.
I saw it happen.
Why did he do that?
He wouldnt say, she answered.
Then he said he was leaving Ellingham.
Larry pinched his nose thoughtfully.
So youre telling me he got himself beaten up and uploaded the video right then, Larry said.
And took off into Burlington.
You mean just as Dr. Fentons house burned down.
Those things dont go together, she said.
He didnt even know Dr. Fenton.
Even as she said the words, something occurred to her.
Had she not been so preoccupied, she would have put it together before.
Im very happy for you both.
Whens the big day?
burn Hunters house down?
Larry put on his reading glasses and got out his phone.
He watched the video of David, freezing it at the end.
He lowered his voice quickly.
That family, theres trouble there.
He did thatStevie pointed at the phoneto get at his dad.
Youre not helping his case, Larry said.
Look, I feel for the kid.
Hes not all bad.
I think the dads the problem.
But he always acted out.
I know he was good friends with Element Walker.
I bet he was truly broken up when she turned up dead and he found the body.
That does something to a person.
David had broken down completely, and Stevie, unable to process what was happening, had freaked out.
Shed let him down because she could not handle it all.
She felt the thrumming in her chest, the engine of anxiety rumbling, making itself known.
Do you have any idea where he might be?
She shook her head.
Have you been in touch?
She shook it again.
You willing to show me your phone and prove it?
Its the truth, she said.
I need to let them know about this at the police department, Larry said.
For his own welfare.
Im surprised they dont know already.
Its not him, Stevie said, but this time, the energy was draining from her voice.
Its for the best and Im going to do it, Larry said.
And you should probably promise me something right nowif he gets in touch, you tell me.
Im not saying he had anything to do with the fireIm saying he could be a danger to himself.
Yeah, Stevie said.
The room was starting to throb a bit, the edges of things jumping out in her vision.
There was a panic attack just under the surface, and it would arrive quickly.
She surreptitiously reached into her bag, grabbing at her key ring.
She kept a little screw-top vial on it.
She got this off with a shaking hand and poured the contents into her palm under the table.
One emergency Ativan, always there if needed.
In for four, hold for four, out for eight.
I need to get back, she said, getting up.
I need to meet the security guy .
I, the person who gave me the ride .
Stevie, Larry said.
Promise me youll be careful.
He didnt need to say what it was she needed to be careful about.
It was everything and nothing.
It was the specter in the woods.
It was the creak of the floors.
It was whatever was underneath.
It was all the accidents.
She nodded, even though her head was spinning.
Ill keep in touch, she said.
Ill tell you if I hear from him.
I just have to use the bathroom.
She grabbed the bag and stumbled back toward the restrooms.
She stood up, wiped the dripping water from her mouth, and looked at her pale face.
The pill wouldnt work immediately, but it would work soon.
She had done the thing she had come to Ellingham to doshe had done the impossible.
But the impossible didnt seem to matter now.
She couldnt stop someone who had murdered people in 1936.
She left the bathroom but waited in the hallway for Larry to give up and leave.
She stopped to read it more carefully:
BURLINGTON CABARET VON DADA DADA DADA DADACome see nothing.
Dancing is mandatory and forbidden.
Excerpted from THE HAND ON THE WALL by Maureen Johnson.
Copyright 2020 by Maureen Johnson.
Reprinted with permission of HarperCollins Childrens Books.
