Janelle Franklin in Nine Liars: Character Analysis

Overview of Janelle Franklin in Nine Liars: Character Analysis of Stevie's Pragmatic Friend in the Truly Devious Series by Maureen Johnson (2022, Book 5). Janelle Franklin is one of Stevie Bell's closest friends at Ellingham Academy and a recurring presence in the Truly Devious series. In Nine Liars, she serves as the group's pragmatic anchor—the friend who tracks college applications in a spreadsheet while Stevie avoids the future, and the one who calls out Stevie's deception when it threatens the trust at the heart of their friendship. Janelle is defined less by dramatic action than by steady, consistent presence: she does the organizational work others avoid, asks the hard questions others won't, and holds the group to its commitments even when doing so is uncomfortable. The novel establishes Janelle's role early. In the opening chapter, she and Vi Harper-Tomo work on college applications together, tracking their progress in a spreadsheet while Stevie avoids her own. This image—Janelle methodically planning her future while Stevie drifts—captures the dynamic that runs through the entire book. Janelle is the person who does the work, and Stevie is the person who chases the mystery. For a broader view of the novel's structure, see the book hub.