Maureen Johnson is the author of the new young adult novel The Hand on the Wall, the third in her Truly Devious mystery trilogy, which includes Truly Devious and The Vanishing Stair. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including The New York Times and Buzzfeed. She lives in New York.
Q:
In a recent interview with Publishers Weekly, you said of writing a mystery
trilogy, "I will never do this again. All my future mysteries will be
contained in one book. That’s the correct way to do it." Why is that?
A:
In the traditional rules of mystery writing, it’s only fair to solve the
mystery in one book. It’s sort of the assumed compact. I wanted to abide by
that as much as I could while still doing a three-book mystery—I just had a lot
to cover!
That
being said, I want to go back to the old rule because…well, I just do. I am a
real mystery traditionalist.
Q:
Do you think this third volume emerged more or less how you'd planned it from
the beginning, or did some things change along the way?
A:
Things always change, but the solutions and the framework had to stay the same.
Because it was critical to know where everyone had to be, to have a grasp of
all the details, things stayed a lot more according to plan than most of my
books. Mysteries are more rigid. They are all about the details!
Q:
You've created a fascinating world in Ellingham Academy, particularly when a
blizzard hits the school. How important is setting to you in your writing?
A:
Hugely. I am a map-loving writer. I use them. I draw them. I consult them constantly.
This is a book about structures and tunnels and blind ends. The architecture of
the school plays a massive role. I even used it as a weapon. I draw things out.
I take measurements. Secretly, I must want to be a cartographer.
But
a lot of classic mysteries are like that. You have the mansion, the island, the
English village. They would frequently include hand-drawn maps of the murder
locations. I love that.
A:
It feels impossible to write a book that takes place in anything resembling the
actual world right now and not acknowledge the political atmosphere. Politics
aren’t something over there. Politics are about environment, and identity.
And
mysteries are ultimately about justice—catching the evildoer. So not having
something of this in the book would ring false to me. Edward King will be
easily recognizable. I can’t discuss much of his ultimate role in the story
because that is a massive spoiler, but suffice it to say, he plays a part.
Q:
What are you working on now? Will you ever bring your protagonist Stevie Bell back in another
book?
A:
I would say watch this space! *winks knowingly*
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Maureen Johnson.
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