Truly Devious: Chapters 20–30

by Maureen Johnson
When Stevie Bell is admitted to the exclusive Ellingham Academy, she hopes to solve the mystery of the famous crimes that took place at the school years ago. But then another murder takes place, and Stevie realizes that her life and the lives of her friends may depend on her sleuthing skills.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–4, Chapters 5–8, Chapters 9–19, Chapters 20–30
35 words 13 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vigil
    the rite of staying awake for devotional purposes
    It seemed only natural that the vigil would take place in the yurt.
  2. averse
    strongly opposed
    Knowing that Ellie was not averse to bathing fully clothed, they put her in just as she was.
  3. archival
    of a depository containing historical records and documents
    He took her down several aisles and turned down one full of archival storage boxes and three shelves of identical long, green leather books with dates on them.
  4. effects
    property of a personal character that is portable
    “This row contains a lot of the records and personal effects from Albert Ellingham’s office and the household management,” he said.
  5. ledger
    a record in which commercial accounts are recorded
    She returned to the first row he had taken her to and looked at the long green ledgers.
  6. precognition
    knowledge of an event before it occurs
    Stevie did not believe in psychics, in precognition.
  7. conducive
    tending to bring about; being partly responsible for
    GM: His words, “It's not conducive to playful learning.”
  8. taper
    diminish gradually
    He had on a crisp blue fitted dress shirt, one that tapered elegantly down to a pair of well-cut black pants.
  9. proselytize
    convert or try to convert someone to another religion
    Though the volume was turned low, Stevie could hear the familiar mumble of her parents’ favorite talk radio show—the one that always talked about how “those people” were trouble, the one that proselytized about Edward King.
  10. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    She watched it, as she was surely supposed to, and it crept closer to her leg...
    ...then backed off.
    ...then it approached again, with one tentative spider-leg finger hanging over hers but not touching, not touching...
    ...just the very tip touched; was it even touching?
  11. anticipatory
    in expectation
    Her entire body was static, anticipatory.
  12. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    She took the few, nervous steps to the bed and sat gingerly on the edge.
  13. transgress
    pass beyond, as a limit or boundary
    The idea is that the first time is the hardest, but once you transgress that barrier, once you take a life and get away with it, it becomes progressively easier each time.
  14. haphazardly
    in a random manner
    His books were haphazardly piled. Subjects: philosophy, game theory, lots of literature, books on how to write (interesting), graphic novels.
  15. inebriate
    a chronic drinker
    RM: Mr. Nair is a brilliant artist and an inebriate.
  16. resolutely
    with firmness
    The weather turned resolutely gray.
  17. menagerie
    a collection of live animals for study or display
    First, he asked for a little help with his paper on Jonathan Swift. He asked me to read it, maybe make some edits. So I did that. Then he was doing a production of The Glass Menagerie and he was busy, and he said he didn’t have time to write an essay on Dryden, and would I help him out by just finishing a little of it?
  18. burlesque
    relating to a broadly humorous theatrical entertainment
    One night, we were all sneaking off campus to go to some party in Burlington. Ellie Walker had a few of her burlesque friends drive up along the back road with their lights off.
  19. patina
    a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal
    The top had a thick patina of stickers—again, mostly for Hayes’s show, but a few for online channels and skiing.
  20. absolve
    excuse or free from blame
    Did they know that Arthur Conan Doyle went on to investigate mysteries in his real life and even absolved a man of a crime for which he had been convicted?
  21. antiquated
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
    And now she watched from row 39 of the Great House attic, which contained small household items, antiquated light fittings, boxes of hammers, cans of screws.
  22. offal
    viscera and trimmings of a butchered animal
    He usually bought remnants and offal—whatever was going cheap—and not much of it.
  23. vie
    compete for something
    All of Burlington reported a man who, if not vying with the Rockefellers for wealth, was more flush than he previously had been.
  24. stifling
    characterized by oppressive heat and humidity
    Every day during that brutal month, Robert Mackenzie sat in the stifling courtroom next to Albert Ellingham and watched the presentation of evidence.
  25. imposing
    impressive in appearance
    A cell had been built in the basement of the imposing custom house and post office next to the court, in a space usually reserved for storage.
  26. vestibule
    a large entrance or reception room or area
    George Marsh grabbed Albert Ellingham and pulled him into the vestibule of the courthouse.
  27. gyrate
    wind or move in a spiral course
    Around her, the rest of Ellingham was gyrating with glowing pink-and-green headsets on their heads, to music Stevie could not hear.
  28. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    Stevie bounced along for a moment in a show of solidarity.
  29. jilt
    cast aside capriciously or unfeelingly
    There was Gretchen, the jilted ex, discreetly in a corner with some other second years.
  30. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
    There was Gretchen, the jilted ex, discreetly in a corner with some other second years.
  31. artful
    marked by skill or cunning in achieving a desired end
    Ellie, on the other hand, might have liked the idea of the artful cloud of fog.
  32. pinafore
    a sleeveless dress resembling an apron
    Piles of dresses and pinafores, tiny sweaters and stockings in every color, pajamas, coats, hats, gloves, fur mufflers, patent leather shoes...all of it would be unboxed by Iris’s personal maid, who was still on staff, and arranged in Alice’s closets.
  33. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
    Despite the fact that this was unlikely, Ellingham ordered the lake to be drained. Robert felt that this was almost an act of revenge against the lake for its unwitting role on that horrible night.
  34. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
    He would remember later that Albert Ellingham didn’t look morose as he said these words.
  35. genial
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
    The moose had a more genial expression, and even the red wallpaper looked a bit less aggressive.
Created on Wed Apr 29 11:33:51 EDT 2020 (updated Wed Apr 29 11:52:41 EDT 2020)

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