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Nightingale Trilogy #1
The Savage Kind
Two lonely teenage girls in 1940s Washington, DC, discover they have a penchant for solving crimes—and an even greater desire to commit them—in the new mystery novel by Macavity Award-winning novelist John Copenhaver.
Philippa Watson, a good-natured yet troubled seventeen-year-old, has just moved to Washington, DC. She’s lonely until she meets Judy Peabody, a brilliant and tempestuous classmate. The girls become unlikely friends and fashion themselves as intellectuals, drawing the notice of Christine Martins, their dazzling English teacher, who enthralls them with her passion for literature and her love of noirish detective fiction.
When Philippa returns a novel Miss Martins has lent her, she interrupts a man grappling with her in the shadows. Frightened, Philippa flees, unsure who the man is or what she’s seen. Days later, her teacher returns to school a dark shell of herself. On the heels of her teacher’s transformation, a classmate is found dead in the Anacostia River—murdered—the body stripped and defiled with a mysterious inscription.
As the girls follow the clues and wrestle with newfound feelings toward each other, they suspect that the killer is closer to their circle than they imagined—and that the greatest threat they face may not be lurking in the halls at school, or in the city streets, but creeping out from a murderous impulse of their own.
Philippa Watson, a good-natured yet troubled seventeen-year-old, has just moved to Washington, DC. She’s lonely until she meets Judy Peabody, a brilliant and tempestuous classmate. The girls become unlikely friends and fashion themselves as intellectuals, drawing the notice of Christine Martins, their dazzling English teacher, who enthralls them with her passion for literature and her love of noirish detective fiction.
When Philippa returns a novel Miss Martins has lent her, she interrupts a man grappling with her in the shadows. Frightened, Philippa flees, unsure who the man is or what she’s seen. Days later, her teacher returns to school a dark shell of herself. On the heels of her teacher’s transformation, a classmate is found dead in the Anacostia River—murdered—the body stripped and defiled with a mysterious inscription.
As the girls follow the clues and wrestle with newfound feelings toward each other, they suspect that the killer is closer to their circle than they imagined—and that the greatest threat they face may not be lurking in the halls at school, or in the city streets, but creeping out from a murderous impulse of their own.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2021
53 people are currently reading
2034 people want to read
About the author
John Copenhaver
10 books118 followersJohn Copenhaver’s historical crime novel, Dodging and Burning, won the 2019 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and garnered Anthony, Strand Critics, Barry, and Lambda Literary Award nominations. Copenhaver writes a crime fiction review column for Lambda Literary called “Blacklight,” cohosts on the House of Mystery Radio Show, and is the six-time recipient of Artist Fellowships from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. He grew up in the mountains of southwestern Virginia and currently lives in Richmond, VA, with his husband, artist Jeffery Paul (Herrity).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
March 12, 2025
The Savage Kind tells the story of two teenage girls, schoolmates, in late-40s Washington D.C. who start a friendship and go on to become increasingly embroiled in a mysterious situation involving their charismatic English teacher, a brooding classmate, and all of their parents - society elites in the D.C. scene.
The story was intriguing, at least to start, but the glaring pacing issues and lack of variety in the girls investigative toolbelts started to wear on me and did not let up for hundreds more pages. How many more times could I read that the young ladies showed up unwelcome on someone's doorstep or that their family members tried to warn them against being friends? It grew so tiresome, even as the melodrama was cranked up to soap opera levels.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
The story was intriguing, at least to start, but the glaring pacing issues and lack of variety in the girls investigative toolbelts started to wear on me and did not let up for hundreds more pages. How many more times could I read that the young ladies showed up unwelcome on someone's doorstep or that their family members tried to warn them against being friends? It grew so tiresome, even as the melodrama was cranked up to soap opera levels.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
October 2, 2021
Well, I wrote it, so I'm pretty biased. : ) I just hope readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. XO
October 3, 2021
A murder mystery in the 1940's with 2 teenage girls on the trail of a killer.
This book was dark and twisty and really well done. It did feel a bit long and drawn out in places but it was an enjoyable read. It was an historical version of a Nancy Drew mystery with the girls trying to find out what happened to their classmate and what it has to do with their English teacher. The girls learn alot about themselves and each other in the process.
With alot of references to classic poetry and novels, this is a the dream novel for a crime loving bibliophile.
Thank you to Pegasus Books and Edelweiss for my advanced copy of this book to read. Released on October 5th.
This book was dark and twisty and really well done. It did feel a bit long and drawn out in places but it was an enjoyable read. It was an historical version of a Nancy Drew mystery with the girls trying to find out what happened to their classmate and what it has to do with their English teacher. The girls learn alot about themselves and each other in the process.
With alot of references to classic poetry and novels, this is a the dream novel for a crime loving bibliophile.
Thank you to Pegasus Books and Edelweiss for my advanced copy of this book to read. Released on October 5th.
June 18, 2022
!!! Spoiler and content warnings for this entire review. Plot details are discussed/revealed, and there is talk of sexual assault/rape, racial slurs, and violence.
There are 3 main things I really want to say about this book, the first bulletpoint being a general critique and the following two specific problems with the content.
*First and most simply: the plot of "The Savage Kind" ultimately becomes so thoroughly and utterly convoluted that you will either want a corkboard with red string to pin together all the ridiculous layers, or, like me, you'll just gape at the wild selections that Copenhaver decides to whip out and toss into this novel like a contrived-plot-point stew, wondering how on earth it all keeps getting messier. The thought of writing down all the ridiculousness that happens makes my head spin, but essentially every single characters gets woven together in the most outlandish ways, and Copenhaver tries to stuff EVERYTHING into the plot. By everything I mean that he tries to either include or offer a commentary on everything including but not limited to:
a convoluted adoption plot; cheating spouses; filicide; spies; communism; the FBI including J. Edgar Hoover at a Halloween party; unknown parentage; multiple murders in the same family in the space of a couple months; blackmail; the political landscape of 1950s America; poison (lots); a convenient hidden diary that Has All The Answers; a dead mother; teenage girls exploring their queer and racial identities; a traumatic backstory of a girl being locked in a cellar filled with cats that gave her permanent scars all over her body (that last one still is unclear to me).
Listen, I was sucked in by the first third of this book. The prologue alone is beautiful and had me so hooked I knew I was going to binge the book in a matter of days. The first bit is honestly wonderful, and I was convinced I was reading a new favorite book. But around page 120 things start to spiral and never get back on track. What starts as a dark academia-style murder mystery turns into a hodgepodge of disconnected ideas and unbelievable coincidences. Ultimately there is so little room left for suspension of disbelief.
*Second: there is an extremely disturbing scene where Philippa reflects on a rape she witnessed. This event has weighed on her for most of the book, believing the woman being raped was a beloved teacher and friend of hers. She then learns it was someone else, but then has a "realization" that is described as such:
"Suddenly, I understood. I didn't try to stop Halo because I didn't WANT to stop him. I wanted Miss Martins to be reaching out, to be groping for me, to need me. I wanted her to be wounded by him, to hate him, and to turn to me."
Personally, I found this not only to be highly offensive but also so SO concerning. Philippa is a young woman who is in the process of exploring and coming to terms with her queerness. Throughout the book, she and Judy are both learning what it means to be WLW, and what this means for them both as individuals as well as to each other. To have this ongoing exploration of being a queer woman so tightly woven to this traumatic scene where Phillipa wishes this continued sexual assault on another woman in order to drive her closer to her feels like a gross, manipulative, and voyeuristic portrayal of the WLW experience. It couples queerness with violence in a way that is absolutely heartbreaking to read.
*Third and final concerning point: the use of the n-word. I understand that this is historical fiction and during the era this book takes place (1940s Washington, DC) that word was more broadly used; however, when reading this I kept thinking of an article I read by Delta McKenzie where she writes, "Historical fiction can be accurate without using words that dredge up years of trauma and suffering. Historical Fiction can be accurate without the shock and drama that will come from an author supposedly pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable." McKenzie then addresses authors using these slurs and asks,"Is your historical accuracy worth my degradation?" (link to article: https://aninjusticemag.com/racism-and...)
It feels especially troublesome encountering this word when it's written in 2022 by a White author. The other part of this is that one of the characters discovers that she is half-Black (and is even referred to by a different slur) and this whole discovery is written, as best as I can tell, for shock value purposes only. It's saved until near the end of the book, revealed in a shady meeting, and used as a threat of blackmail.
Copenhaver then takes this a step further and writes several various chunks where he has this character contemplate on what this means for her, how she feels her identity has changed, etc. Again, it seems VERY uncomfortable and unnecessary to have a White author to write the experience of a teenager who is coming to terms with the Black half of her identity. Coupled with the shock value aspect, I truly don't believe it adds anything to the narrative, and it takes the space away from actual biracial authors writing with authentic experiences on the matter (here's an article from ElectricLit with 8 books exploring biracial identity https://electricliterature.com/8-book... ).
All in all, just massively and completely disappointed in this book. There is no way I would recommend it to anyone else. "The Savage Kind" leaves a foul taste in its wake, and I wish it didn't exist.
There are 3 main things I really want to say about this book, the first bulletpoint being a general critique and the following two specific problems with the content.
*First and most simply: the plot of "The Savage Kind" ultimately becomes so thoroughly and utterly convoluted that you will either want a corkboard with red string to pin together all the ridiculous layers, or, like me, you'll just gape at the wild selections that Copenhaver decides to whip out and toss into this novel like a contrived-plot-point stew, wondering how on earth it all keeps getting messier. The thought of writing down all the ridiculousness that happens makes my head spin, but essentially every single characters gets woven together in the most outlandish ways, and Copenhaver tries to stuff EVERYTHING into the plot. By everything I mean that he tries to either include or offer a commentary on everything including but not limited to:
a convoluted adoption plot; cheating spouses; filicide; spies; communism; the FBI including J. Edgar Hoover at a Halloween party; unknown parentage; multiple murders in the same family in the space of a couple months; blackmail; the political landscape of 1950s America; poison (lots); a convenient hidden diary that Has All The Answers; a dead mother; teenage girls exploring their queer and racial identities; a traumatic backstory of a girl being locked in a cellar filled with cats that gave her permanent scars all over her body (that last one still is unclear to me).
Listen, I was sucked in by the first third of this book. The prologue alone is beautiful and had me so hooked I knew I was going to binge the book in a matter of days. The first bit is honestly wonderful, and I was convinced I was reading a new favorite book. But around page 120 things start to spiral and never get back on track. What starts as a dark academia-style murder mystery turns into a hodgepodge of disconnected ideas and unbelievable coincidences. Ultimately there is so little room left for suspension of disbelief.
*Second: there is an extremely disturbing scene where Philippa reflects on a rape she witnessed. This event has weighed on her for most of the book, believing the woman being raped was a beloved teacher and friend of hers. She then learns it was someone else, but then has a "realization" that is described as such:
"Suddenly, I understood. I didn't try to stop Halo because I didn't WANT to stop him. I wanted Miss Martins to be reaching out, to be groping for me, to need me. I wanted her to be wounded by him, to hate him, and to turn to me."
Personally, I found this not only to be highly offensive but also so SO concerning. Philippa is a young woman who is in the process of exploring and coming to terms with her queerness. Throughout the book, she and Judy are both learning what it means to be WLW, and what this means for them both as individuals as well as to each other. To have this ongoing exploration of being a queer woman so tightly woven to this traumatic scene where Phillipa wishes this continued sexual assault on another woman in order to drive her closer to her feels like a gross, manipulative, and voyeuristic portrayal of the WLW experience. It couples queerness with violence in a way that is absolutely heartbreaking to read.
*Third and final concerning point: the use of the n-word. I understand that this is historical fiction and during the era this book takes place (1940s Washington, DC) that word was more broadly used; however, when reading this I kept thinking of an article I read by Delta McKenzie where she writes, "Historical fiction can be accurate without using words that dredge up years of trauma and suffering. Historical Fiction can be accurate without the shock and drama that will come from an author supposedly pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable." McKenzie then addresses authors using these slurs and asks,"Is your historical accuracy worth my degradation?" (link to article: https://aninjusticemag.com/racism-and...)
It feels especially troublesome encountering this word when it's written in 2022 by a White author. The other part of this is that one of the characters discovers that she is half-Black (and is even referred to by a different slur) and this whole discovery is written, as best as I can tell, for shock value purposes only. It's saved until near the end of the book, revealed in a shady meeting, and used as a threat of blackmail.
Copenhaver then takes this a step further and writes several various chunks where he has this character contemplate on what this means for her, how she feels her identity has changed, etc. Again, it seems VERY uncomfortable and unnecessary to have a White author to write the experience of a teenager who is coming to terms with the Black half of her identity. Coupled with the shock value aspect, I truly don't believe it adds anything to the narrative, and it takes the space away from actual biracial authors writing with authentic experiences on the matter (here's an article from ElectricLit with 8 books exploring biracial identity https://electricliterature.com/8-book... ).
All in all, just massively and completely disappointed in this book. There is no way I would recommend it to anyone else. "The Savage Kind" leaves a foul taste in its wake, and I wish it didn't exist.
June 13, 2024
I actually really liked this book up until the end. The last couple of chapters just veered away from how good the rest of the book was and the epilogue was completely weird and unnecessary.
October 18, 2021
Femme fatale noir that's twisty and covers a variety of subjects and genres... two girls who meet, become sleuths, grapple with their own attraction to each other (in so many ways), cater to their darker side and EVERYTHING is unrealiable. SIGN ME UP. Oh hi.
I've found that while I used to be a more plot driven reader, lately character driven reads have really started to speak to me. Enter THE SAVAGE KIND. Yes there's a mystery that's intriguing but the stars are most definitely Philippa and Judy. It's true, opposites do attract.
I related to Philippa a lot - always moving around from being in a military family and not always fitting into the popular/mainstream group. And having that dark side that made me a magnet for those who may have seemed peculiar and/or dangerous. Which got me in trouble a lot but I sure did have a lot of fun. Being a military brat, you tend to change your personality to those around you to constantly fit in - a chameleon in human form. With Judy being the kind of girl I always wanted to impress and be around. Yep, RELATABLE.
Set in the 1940s, the author brings such atmosphere to this read. While some might find this slow paced, and at times it can be, it's necessary to see the transitions these girls (and some of the characters around them) go through. I mean, who hasn't wanted to try and solve a mystery and then see if they could probably get away with a crime of their own. Am I right? *wink*
I also thoroughly enjoyed my chat with the author (which you can find on my IG Live tab) which enhanced my reading experience and really made me see this story through a new lens. There are more books coming that will span the 50s and the 60s so we get to see these characters grow immensely and I am here for it!
I've found that while I used to be a more plot driven reader, lately character driven reads have really started to speak to me. Enter THE SAVAGE KIND. Yes there's a mystery that's intriguing but the stars are most definitely Philippa and Judy. It's true, opposites do attract.
I related to Philippa a lot - always moving around from being in a military family and not always fitting into the popular/mainstream group. And having that dark side that made me a magnet for those who may have seemed peculiar and/or dangerous. Which got me in trouble a lot but I sure did have a lot of fun. Being a military brat, you tend to change your personality to those around you to constantly fit in - a chameleon in human form. With Judy being the kind of girl I always wanted to impress and be around. Yep, RELATABLE.
Set in the 1940s, the author brings such atmosphere to this read. While some might find this slow paced, and at times it can be, it's necessary to see the transitions these girls (and some of the characters around them) go through. I mean, who hasn't wanted to try and solve a mystery and then see if they could probably get away with a crime of their own. Am I right? *wink*
I also thoroughly enjoyed my chat with the author (which you can find on my IG Live tab) which enhanced my reading experience and really made me see this story through a new lens. There are more books coming that will span the 50s and the 60s so we get to see these characters grow immensely and I am here for it!
December 15, 2024
Wow.....wow.....WOW!
Thatt has to be the most twisted...
Is it a love story? .... yes
A murder mystery? .... uh huh
A bit of a political thriller? .... yep
A brilliant piece of misdirected writing? A tale of two girls? A tale of families?
Soooo much more.
Thatt has to be the most twisted...
Is it a love story? .... yes
A murder mystery? .... uh huh
A bit of a political thriller? .... yep
A brilliant piece of misdirected writing? A tale of two girls? A tale of families?
Soooo much more.
June 29, 2024
This is a mystery thriller with many well-developed characters that will keep you turning the pages. It feels like you're running through a corn maze hand-in-hand with a best friend... in the dark. I'm looking forward to reading the recently-released sequel!
December 3, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this one because up until the last few minutes, it was very much an average 3-star, but the last few minutes made it significantly more intriguing...buuuut the entire thing was still a bit boring, so I think it's too little too late to try and up the ante. The narration of the audiobook was okay, I'd have preferred a single narrator (there were three).
Overall, I found it to be a mildly interesting murder mystery (which felt surprisingly devoid of tension, considering). It was told from the perspectives of two teenage girls (and a narrator who is writing the story as a book from their perspectives and who is one of the two girls, though the reader doesn't know which one) trying to solve the murder of a teenage boy at their school.
Sapphic, coming-of-age, murder mystery.
Overall, I found it to be a mildly interesting murder mystery (which felt surprisingly devoid of tension, considering). It was told from the perspectives of two teenage girls (and a narrator who is writing the story as a book from their perspectives and who is one of the two girls, though the reader doesn't know which one) trying to solve the murder of a teenage boy at their school.
Sapphic, coming-of-age, murder mystery.
October 14, 2021
... autobiographers are self-serving, aggrandizing. Memoirists embellish. It’s unavoidable. To write down your memories is an act of invention, to arrange them in the best, most compelling order, a bold gesture. Some of the diary entries that follow are verbatim, lifted directly from the source, but others are enhanced and reshaped. I reserve my right to shade in the empty spaces, to color between the lines, to lie.
September 21, 2021
A beautiful, haunting, and gripping noir mystery. Two teenage girls with a tendency to love dark things trying to solve a murder? SIGN. ME. UP. I loved the psychological twists and complexity in this one, and the writing is gorgeous.
January 22, 2022
Starting to really dig historical fiction crime books 😍 This book was excellent. Such great writing and so many layers to the characters and the plot.
I fell in love with the two teenage girls—Philippa and Judy. Their bond and individual characters were very well written and I was rooting for them the whole time.
I also loved Miss Martins’s character and how she interacted with the two girls. What a mysterious human!
This novel is full of secrets, coverups, and different themes including murder, mystery, LGBTQ+, race, and more.
Highly recommend checking out this book if you enjoy historical crime fiction. This is John Copenhaver’s second novel and THE SAVAGE KIND is the first of a trilogy, which I’m excited about because—without giving anything away—I can’t wait to learn what happens to some of the characters!
I fell in love with the two teenage girls—Philippa and Judy. Their bond and individual characters were very well written and I was rooting for them the whole time.
I also loved Miss Martins’s character and how she interacted with the two girls. What a mysterious human!
This novel is full of secrets, coverups, and different themes including murder, mystery, LGBTQ+, race, and more.
Highly recommend checking out this book if you enjoy historical crime fiction. This is John Copenhaver’s second novel and THE SAVAGE KIND is the first of a trilogy, which I’m excited about because—without giving anything away—I can’t wait to learn what happens to some of the characters!
February 1, 2024
Picked this up in anticipation of reading the next in the three part series. In 1948, Philippa has moved to Washington, DC and started a new high school as a Junior. Her father is a JAG with the Navy and she has moved a lot. The 'nice' girls befriend her, but she decides to befriend Judy, a loner with dark eyes and hair. They both enjoy their English class and really like their teacher, but a murder of a classmate sets the girls on a path of not only trying to ascertain who the killer really is, but if and how their teacher is involved. They also begin to learn more about themselves and where they think they will fit in to the post war United States. John Copenhaver writes intricately plotted mysteries, with complicated characters who are not tropes. Ready for book 2 in the trilogy.
June 3, 2021
The tales of these teens was so well interlaced that there were times it was hard to remember who's part of the story I was reading. This homage to the classic femme fatale mysteries of the early 1900s was done well. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Just when I thought I figured something out, wham I was hit from a new direction. Definitely a great read. Looking forward to more in this series.
Read
November 21, 2021Copenhaver's second book is a masterclass in literary mystery. The intricacy of the plot coupled with the dynamic characters makes this book a deeply rich, rewarding experience. Every relationship contains layers and complexities that suffuse this riveting mystery with the deeper mysteries of the human heart. At turns dark and tender, this book kept me riveted throughout, just like Copenhaver's first book, Dodging and Burning! Love this talented writer!
December 27, 2021
A cool literary combo of film noir and historical mystery, John Copenhaver’s The Savage Kind is a delicious murder story told through the eyes of two young women in the 1940s. While I’m not normally a mystery book enthusiast, Copenhaver’s book was riveting and reminded me of the femme fatale stories and movies of the golden era of Hollywood. I can easily see this being adapted to the big screen. Highly recommended.
December 13, 2023
Naturally I finally found a book club I wanted to join…only to really dislike the first book I read for it. If not for that, this would’ve been a DNF from me in the first 150 pages.
The Savage Kind is described, and opens, very differently than how it ends. It starts out feeling like a The Secret History kind of story, with morally gray characters who commit a murder together or something. There’s a teacher with a seductive thrall over our leads, a fight with a boy classmate, simmering tension between the main characters…
And then it all dissolves into a weird, disjointed “mystery.”
I did nearly DNF it at 75%, deciding I’d skim to see if I could find a few of the answers. As a mystery novel, I really wasn’t expecting much, because I was sure it would be so sprinkled throughout the last 25%. Only to find out…the last “chapter” lays out EVERYTHING in THREE PAGES. When I did go back and properly finish it, I was flabbergasted that every baddie gets a monologue, no stone is left unturned, everything that actually matters to the story is totally spelled out. What kind of noir is that?!
There’s some ambiguity the reader is left with, but that ambiguity only matters if the reader cares, and I was so beyond caring. This book is so slow with a painfully dragging middle. Copenhaven sets up a lot in his first act only to let so much of it fall away. There’s a VERY bizarre thread of how one of our mains, Judy, is mysterious and dangerous and distrusted by someone our other main character loves and trusts, but this never goes anywhere or is explained why so many people hate Judy to begin with. To dip into spoiler territory, Judy is revealed at the very end to be mixed race (in a very poorly done section) and I guess we’re supposed to assume everyone who dislikes Judy…picked up on that and was just racist? Which is silly and narratively dissatisfying.
The last five pages try to act as our final twist, where we’re meant to once again question what is truth and what is manipulation of what we’ve just read, but by that point I was beyond checked out and none of it had any emotional impact. By the end I had stopped caring about who had actually been a murderer and who hadn’t; that didn’t seem important enough to change the story for me.
And finally, this novel feels pretty weak as a sapphic or LGBTQ+ story. Yes, the girls are unhealthily obsessed with each other and their teacher. Yes, they kiss and have a single, ineffectual moment of saying they love each other. To me it was all pretty unsatisfying! There isn’t much to them, and their exploration of their identities takes very little room on the page. I wanted more from their longing!
I am not a noir or mystery reader and I really don’t think I ever will be. This book dragged, a lot of details were set up to be left unexplored (and not in a way that felt purposeful to being part of a series), and the writing had a lot of moments of heavy-handedness. Really hoping the book club’s next pick is better for me!
The Savage Kind is described, and opens, very differently than how it ends. It starts out feeling like a The Secret History kind of story, with morally gray characters who commit a murder together or something. There’s a teacher with a seductive thrall over our leads, a fight with a boy classmate, simmering tension between the main characters…
And then it all dissolves into a weird, disjointed “mystery.”
I did nearly DNF it at 75%, deciding I’d skim to see if I could find a few of the answers. As a mystery novel, I really wasn’t expecting much, because I was sure it would be so sprinkled throughout the last 25%. Only to find out…the last “chapter” lays out EVERYTHING in THREE PAGES. When I did go back and properly finish it, I was flabbergasted that every baddie gets a monologue, no stone is left unturned, everything that actually matters to the story is totally spelled out. What kind of noir is that?!
There’s some ambiguity the reader is left with, but that ambiguity only matters if the reader cares, and I was so beyond caring. This book is so slow with a painfully dragging middle. Copenhaven sets up a lot in his first act only to let so much of it fall away. There’s a VERY bizarre thread of how one of our mains, Judy, is mysterious and dangerous and distrusted by someone our other main character loves and trusts, but this never goes anywhere or is explained why so many people hate Judy to begin with. To dip into spoiler territory, Judy is revealed at the very end to be mixed race (in a very poorly done section) and I guess we’re supposed to assume everyone who dislikes Judy…picked up on that and was just racist? Which is silly and narratively dissatisfying.
The last five pages try to act as our final twist, where we’re meant to once again question what is truth and what is manipulation of what we’ve just read, but by that point I was beyond checked out and none of it had any emotional impact. By the end I had stopped caring about who had actually been a murderer and who hadn’t; that didn’t seem important enough to change the story for me.
And finally, this novel feels pretty weak as a sapphic or LGBTQ+ story. Yes, the girls are unhealthily obsessed with each other and their teacher. Yes, they kiss and have a single, ineffectual moment of saying they love each other. To me it was all pretty unsatisfying! There isn’t much to them, and their exploration of their identities takes very little room on the page. I wanted more from their longing!
I am not a noir or mystery reader and I really don’t think I ever will be. This book dragged, a lot of details were set up to be left unexplored (and not in a way that felt purposeful to being part of a series), and the writing had a lot of moments of heavy-handedness. Really hoping the book club’s next pick is better for me!
March 2, 2022
So many twists and dark turns in this noir crime set in Washington D.C. in the 1940s! The novel follows two teenage girls who are investigating a string of murders and attacks in their social circle. Between the psychological inconsistencies, dark attraction and romance between the girls, dubious moral judgment, crime after crime, racial undertones, false accusations, flashbacks, and literary references, there is A LOT to unpack here. For me, a bit too much. I felt like the jam-packed narrative lost touch with reality in a way that was just cliché. Also I kept rolling my eyes every time yet another character referenced their life to a Greek mythological god or various legend or poem. Seriously, these teens are the most annoyingly well-read and ethereal characters in a way that just made them hard to follow, let alone like. That said, I still think it’s cool to read a fiction set so close to home!
April 4, 2022
This book got me out of a reading slump. Though it was a little longer than it needed to be, it was the right mix of funny, dark, sweet, and a little scary to keep my attention.
November 20, 2023
I was interested in this book’s promise of darkness and murther most foul but it was taking too long to get anywhere interesting. I don’t know if I’m just too old and impatient now but usually excessive scene setting at the beginning of a novel means the whole thing will be boring. DNF.
November 18, 2024
Rep: lesbian mcs
CWs: rape
CWs: rape
April 28, 2025
Way too many plot twists and some weird pacing -- slow, then fast, then very fast. I liked it despite all this...
November 19, 2021
I don't generally gravitate toward mysteries, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It never felt predictable. I love the author's way with a phrase and his powers of description. I love the structure of the book with the two -- or three -- distinct voices. The characters really drew me in, and there were moments when I had to fight the urge to skip ahead to find out what happened next. I will definitely be looking for the next installment. I'm dying to find out how things went for these characters after the end of this book!
November 20, 2021
This beautifully written book is dark, complex, and unpredictable...just like the budding relationship between its two teenage characters. John has a wonderful ability to set a mood and transport the reader directly into the story, as if we are invisible observers hiding around the corner, privy to every action and thought of the characters. I can not wait to read what's next for Philippa and Judy in their journey of self-discovery, as teenage angst gives way to the curious future that lies ahead for both of them!!!
January 6, 2022
John Copenhaver writes a mesmerizing, twisted tale of love, lies, murder, and betrayal. Told by a mysterious narrator and through alternating diary entries of two girls in the late 40s, the story pulls you deeper into the not-so-innocent minds of two unlikely friends with a knack for solving crimes. And, potentially, committing them. Philippa and Judy, opposites in many ways, complement each other perfectly, and Copenhaver weaves an intricate, captivating tale with an ending you won't see coming.
December 4, 2021
Novelist John Copenhaver is the real deal. He's a wordsmith who takes his time before murder ensues, and then fully invests you into lives of these two very different narrators, both smart teens who start snooping into the death of their annoying classmate. This is a top-shelf literary mystery that delivers a social commentary message about the racist, sexist and homophobic era of the '50s and also cleverly reworks the femme fatale trope. Bravo. I loved it, and how it utterly fooled me.
November 27, 2021
rep: sapphic mcs
We’re the same person, two sides of the same coin, folie a duex. But it wasn’t madness; it was love.
THIS WAS INSANE. i love unreliable narrators. and this was FULL of that. the ending!!! that last letter!!! holy shit i honestly wasn’t expecting a lot of this. a wonderfully crafted mystery thriller
We’re the same person, two sides of the same coin, folie a duex. But it wasn’t madness; it was love.
THIS WAS INSANE. i love unreliable narrators. and this was FULL of that. the ending!!! that last letter!!! holy shit i honestly wasn’t expecting a lot of this. a wonderfully crafted mystery thriller
January 7, 2022
The Savage Kind was a fantastic read! A slow burn literary noir, I fell in love with Copenhaver’s characters from the opening chapter. The Savage kind is well crafted and paced with precision. I really hope there’s more to come from these characters!
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