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When We Were Killers
Five friends. One deadly obsession.
The salt-scented quadrangles of St Andrews University greet misfit first-year student Finn Nethercott with indifference. It is a place where privilege counts, and those from the right backgrounds can get away with murder.
Finn is quickly seduced into a new circle of friends – four history scholars obsessed with the deepest roots of ancient Scotland – who sweep him away on wild adventures to forgotten castles and faerie lochs.
But he soon discovers the darker sides of his new deadly rivalries, midnight rituals, and a desperate search for a long-lost hallucinogen. And as Finn sinks into a world where he can't always trust what he's seen each night, the group will learn just how deadly obsession can be…
A shocking fever-dream of a thriller perfect for fans M.L. Rio's If We Were Villains, Ashley Winstead's In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Ellie Keel's The Four.
The salt-scented quadrangles of St Andrews University greet misfit first-year student Finn Nethercott with indifference. It is a place where privilege counts, and those from the right backgrounds can get away with murder.
Finn is quickly seduced into a new circle of friends – four history scholars obsessed with the deepest roots of ancient Scotland – who sweep him away on wild adventures to forgotten castles and faerie lochs.
But he soon discovers the darker sides of his new deadly rivalries, midnight rituals, and a desperate search for a long-lost hallucinogen. And as Finn sinks into a world where he can't always trust what he's seen each night, the group will learn just how deadly obsession can be…
A shocking fever-dream of a thriller perfect for fans M.L. Rio's If We Were Villains, Ashley Winstead's In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Ellie Keel's The Four.
432 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2025
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833 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
October 26, 2024
ARC for review. To be published May 27, 2025.
4 stars for this one, and I wasn’t sure I would like it at all, at first.
Finn Nethercott (because, yeah, people are named that) arrives at St. Andrews University (isn’t that actually a real place and possibly where Prince William and Kate Middleton went to school or am I creating that in my head?) and is immediately absorbed into a new group of friends, Madri, Laurie, Magnus and Hope, four history student obsessed with ancient Scotland. But it’s not all fun and beer pong. There are rivalries within the group, plus odd rituals and the search for an ancient drug. Because I guess our current drugs are simply not good enough. Finn, my friend, please meet heroin.
If you think this sounds like a poor man’s SECRET HISTORY I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong. Oh, and no one does heroin.
I see the author uses initials to disguise whether they are a male or female, but the fact that the male characters are described consistently as “men” while the female characters are almost always called “girls” gives me a pretty good idea. Do better, people!
Despite the fact that this is not THE SECRET HISTORY the book isn’t bad at all and I enjoyed it…page turner for those who enjoy dark academia (me.).
4 stars for this one, and I wasn’t sure I would like it at all, at first.
Finn Nethercott (because, yeah, people are named that) arrives at St. Andrews University (isn’t that actually a real place and possibly where Prince William and Kate Middleton went to school or am I creating that in my head?) and is immediately absorbed into a new group of friends, Madri, Laurie, Magnus and Hope, four history student obsessed with ancient Scotland. But it’s not all fun and beer pong. There are rivalries within the group, plus odd rituals and the search for an ancient drug. Because I guess our current drugs are simply not good enough. Finn, my friend, please meet heroin.
If you think this sounds like a poor man’s SECRET HISTORY I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong. Oh, and no one does heroin.
I see the author uses initials to disguise whether they are a male or female, but the fact that the male characters are described consistently as “men” while the female characters are almost always called “girls” gives me a pretty good idea. Do better, people!
Despite the fact that this is not THE SECRET HISTORY the book isn’t bad at all and I enjoyed it…page turner for those who enjoy dark academia (me.).
June 10, 2025
Where to begin with this one. This book felt like if Colleen Hoover had a go at the dark academia genre, and the energy that made gave off 2015 Wattpad angst.
Now, I can perfectly acknowledge I am 1000% a literary snob, and I do hold a rather high bar, but this book repeatedly nagged at me so much that I truly could not justify giving it a higher rating.
First things first— for a 'dark academia' piece, this book is severely lacking the 'academia'. Our protagonist, Finn Nethercott, is an agnostic (kind of) Divinity major at St Andrews University in Scotland. Amidst his two Divinity course peers, he labels himself as a misfit (because he's not a stereotypical good God-fearing Christian) and instead becomes friends with a new cohort of students, all of whom hold an intense interest in Nordic history and their Scottish roots. (Side note to mention that he's not really a misfit anyways, he develops a good friendship with both of his course mates, never actually has much contention with them, and they treat him incredibly kindly, so this 'misfit' label is entirely self-ascribed.)
Now, originally reading this, I was quite interested in the plot potential here. This set up an avenue to explore the difference in religious doctrine & practice between historical Christendom and its clash with Paganism. For a Divinity major who doesn't conform to traditional Christian beliefs, this would have set up an excellent point of tension between our protagonist and the other characters.
Sadly, this never gets developed. Instead, what the audience is given is random blurbs of information (where one character essentially just recounts one or two historical facts that sounds like they are reciting from a drilling manual), and mentions of the fact that Finn is maintaining his studies. The relevance of his major and his field of study plays pretty much no role into the plot remotely, and the most we hear about this is various topics he's supposed to be writing essays about throughout his coursework. There is no further elaboration on this either, we don't hear any arguments or even opinions on where characters stand on these ideas, so why this is mentioned remains irrelevant throughout the novel.
This brings me to my next point, which is the regarding the academia that IS mentioned— is not always right, or pretty poorly explained. The way the information is pitched to the audience has led me to believe Barrington had very clearly not done enough research to be speaking about various theological points, which leads me to ask why this was the specific niche he's chosen to sequester his novel to, particularly when much of the theology is not even relevant to the plot? While I cannot speak for the information of Nordic history in this novel, if it is anything like the flakes of theology the audience is fed, I would be hesitant to learn anything from it.
For example, one of the Christian characters in this novel explicitly states that they are Baptist. However, later when discussing alcohol, there's a mention of believing Christ's flesh and blood have become the bread and wine during the Eucharist— which Baptists do not affirm. Maybe I am being nitpicky because I am very interested in doctrinal differences within the Church, but contention of transubstantiation is not only a significant point across many Protestant denominations, but one which separates Protestant churches from the Catholic Church— and a simple Google is all it takes to reveal as much.
This happening once or maybe even twice throughout a novel is something irksome but understandable, but when this repeatedly occurs in a novel which is literally marketed as having an academic focus as one of its selling points is very disappointing. And while I certainly was very disappointed at the lack of depth or exploration relating to theology, this is not just a complaint in that area. Finn's friends who are apparently 'obsessed' with Nordic history aren't really— they use events in the Nordic calendar as an excuse to go into the woods and get high.
Next, let's mention the fact that none of these characters have depth in this novel. Not a single one. Finn's new circle of friends (referred to as 'the clan') remain unbelievably one-dimensional throughout the novel. Some of these characters genuinely have no backstory (looking at Laurie and Madri) and no real motivation for anything they are doing throughout the novel (looking at Laurie again, Hope, and honestly even Finn. Why is he even interested in this group?) Finn's two course mates are ridiculously stereotypical Christian tropes— characters who are always dressed incredibly formally, socially awkward from having never experienced staying out later than their 9pm bedtime, and have never blinked in the direction of an alcoholic beverage save for communion.
In my final points of things to mention— the climax of the plot. Recall how plot climax rises to an intensity point, bridging together the bubbling points of contention throughout the novel? Well, what if instead of that we get a narration of a drug trip and then after the apparent intensity of everything that we don't get to see blows over, we get a summary of what happened told to us? Because that's what happens. Rewarding.
The last point I would like to mention, and the most significant factor of why I went from thinking this book was just not great to actively disliking this book— is the unjustified romanticisation of self-harm. Finn (who narrates this story in first person) is incredibly angsty throughout this novel and repeatedly mentioning that he's had a difficult life that sets him apart from everyone else. Multiple times, he mentions having scars on his arms— seemingly just for the sake of mentioning it— and for a character who repeatedly says multiple times that he doesn't want to talk about his past or his pain, he sure likes to mention how much he doesn't want to talk about it. Moreover, when Madri first realises this about Finn, her active response is "Oh, so you've got stories," (WHO ON EARTH WOULD EVER SAY THIS TO SOMEONE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS?!) and then later asks Finn to explain this backstory in front of everyone in the Clan.
My word, talk about damaging. The entirety of self-harm throughout this novel carries an unwritten message that self-harm equates to getting attention and being special, which is an unbelievably ridiculous message to carry in a novel.
This review has gone on long enough, and while I certainly have more things that left me incredibly frustrated and disappointed with this read, I've already written enough at this point. No, I would not recommend this novel for folks interested in the dark academia genre, or interested in many other genres for that matter. It really carried a feel that the author was hopping onto a growing trend of popular literature, without putting any much thought or nuance into how they would or should go about doing so.
Overall Rating: 1.5/5
Would I Recommend? No
Now, I can perfectly acknowledge I am 1000% a literary snob, and I do hold a rather high bar, but this book repeatedly nagged at me so much that I truly could not justify giving it a higher rating.
First things first— for a 'dark academia' piece, this book is severely lacking the 'academia'. Our protagonist, Finn Nethercott, is an agnostic (kind of) Divinity major at St Andrews University in Scotland. Amidst his two Divinity course peers, he labels himself as a misfit (because he's not a stereotypical good God-fearing Christian) and instead becomes friends with a new cohort of students, all of whom hold an intense interest in Nordic history and their Scottish roots. (Side note to mention that he's not really a misfit anyways, he develops a good friendship with both of his course mates, never actually has much contention with them, and they treat him incredibly kindly, so this 'misfit' label is entirely self-ascribed.)
Now, originally reading this, I was quite interested in the plot potential here. This set up an avenue to explore the difference in religious doctrine & practice between historical Christendom and its clash with Paganism. For a Divinity major who doesn't conform to traditional Christian beliefs, this would have set up an excellent point of tension between our protagonist and the other characters.
Sadly, this never gets developed. Instead, what the audience is given is random blurbs of information (where one character essentially just recounts one or two historical facts that sounds like they are reciting from a drilling manual), and mentions of the fact that Finn is maintaining his studies. The relevance of his major and his field of study plays pretty much no role into the plot remotely, and the most we hear about this is various topics he's supposed to be writing essays about throughout his coursework. There is no further elaboration on this either, we don't hear any arguments or even opinions on where characters stand on these ideas, so why this is mentioned remains irrelevant throughout the novel.
This brings me to my next point, which is the regarding the academia that IS mentioned— is not always right, or pretty poorly explained. The way the information is pitched to the audience has led me to believe Barrington had very clearly not done enough research to be speaking about various theological points, which leads me to ask why this was the specific niche he's chosen to sequester his novel to, particularly when much of the theology is not even relevant to the plot? While I cannot speak for the information of Nordic history in this novel, if it is anything like the flakes of theology the audience is fed, I would be hesitant to learn anything from it.
For example, one of the Christian characters in this novel explicitly states that they are Baptist. However, later when discussing alcohol, there's a mention of believing Christ's flesh and blood have become the bread and wine during the Eucharist— which Baptists do not affirm. Maybe I am being nitpicky because I am very interested in doctrinal differences within the Church, but contention of transubstantiation is not only a significant point across many Protestant denominations, but one which separates Protestant churches from the Catholic Church— and a simple Google is all it takes to reveal as much.
This happening once or maybe even twice throughout a novel is something irksome but understandable, but when this repeatedly occurs in a novel which is literally marketed as having an academic focus as one of its selling points is very disappointing. And while I certainly was very disappointed at the lack of depth or exploration relating to theology, this is not just a complaint in that area. Finn's friends who are apparently 'obsessed' with Nordic history aren't really— they use events in the Nordic calendar as an excuse to go into the woods and get high.
Next, let's mention the fact that none of these characters have depth in this novel. Not a single one. Finn's new circle of friends (referred to as 'the clan') remain unbelievably one-dimensional throughout the novel. Some of these characters genuinely have no backstory (looking at Laurie and Madri) and no real motivation for anything they are doing throughout the novel (looking at Laurie again, Hope, and honestly even Finn. Why is he even interested in this group?) Finn's two course mates are ridiculously stereotypical Christian tropes— characters who are always dressed incredibly formally, socially awkward from having never experienced staying out later than their 9pm bedtime, and have never blinked in the direction of an alcoholic beverage save for communion.
In my final points of things to mention— the climax of the plot. Recall how plot climax rises to an intensity point, bridging together the bubbling points of contention throughout the novel? Well, what if instead of that we get a narration of a drug trip and then after the apparent intensity of everything that we don't get to see blows over, we get a summary of what happened told to us? Because that's what happens. Rewarding.
The last point I would like to mention, and the most significant factor of why I went from thinking this book was just not great to actively disliking this book— is the unjustified romanticisation of self-harm. Finn (who narrates this story in first person) is incredibly angsty throughout this novel and repeatedly mentioning that he's had a difficult life that sets him apart from everyone else. Multiple times, he mentions having scars on his arms— seemingly just for the sake of mentioning it— and for a character who repeatedly says multiple times that he doesn't want to talk about his past or his pain, he sure likes to mention how much he doesn't want to talk about it. Moreover, when Madri first realises this about Finn, her active response is "Oh, so you've got stories," (WHO ON EARTH WOULD EVER SAY THIS TO SOMEONE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS?!) and then later asks Finn to explain this backstory in front of everyone in the Clan.
My word, talk about damaging. The entirety of self-harm throughout this novel carries an unwritten message that self-harm equates to getting attention and being special, which is an unbelievably ridiculous message to carry in a novel.
This review has gone on long enough, and while I certainly have more things that left me incredibly frustrated and disappointed with this read, I've already written enough at this point. No, I would not recommend this novel for folks interested in the dark academia genre, or interested in many other genres for that matter. It really carried a feel that the author was hopping onto a growing trend of popular literature, without putting any much thought or nuance into how they would or should go about doing so.
Overall Rating: 1.5/5
Would I Recommend? No
July 20, 2025
i'm starting grad school in scotland in the fall so i guess this book will help me prepare lol
December 16, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the Arc
So, if you'd like to read a story about a good person who gets sucked up into a toxic group of people and their research, and watch as everything spirals into obsession and murder... this story is for you. I, for one, enjoyed it.
It's a dark academia set in a prestigious academy in Scotland in the '90s, and our protagonist, Finn, is an outsider. However, he soon meets this odd group of people who are just obsessed with finding what kind of drug the Berserkers took to go berserk. How, you might wonder? Well, by trying out every allucinogen on earth in every possible way. Soon, however, things get darker and relationship are tested, as well as the safety of the group and our MC.
It was a wild ride, it started slow but soon picked up, and I could not put it down, especially in the second half. I really enjoyed the research elements and, most of all, I loved the juxstaposition of the darkness of the friend group and the brightness and hope brought by Anna, Finn's classmate. The darker tones were just perfect and the spiraling was horrifying to witness - but in a fun (ish) way.
So, if you'd like to read a story about a good person who gets sucked up into a toxic group of people and their research, and watch as everything spirals into obsession and murder... this story is for you. I, for one, enjoyed it.
It's a dark academia set in a prestigious academy in Scotland in the '90s, and our protagonist, Finn, is an outsider. However, he soon meets this odd group of people who are just obsessed with finding what kind of drug the Berserkers took to go berserk. How, you might wonder? Well, by trying out every allucinogen on earth in every possible way. Soon, however, things get darker and relationship are tested, as well as the safety of the group and our MC.
It was a wild ride, it started slow but soon picked up, and I could not put it down, especially in the second half. I really enjoyed the research elements and, most of all, I loved the juxstaposition of the darkness of the friend group and the brightness and hope brought by Anna, Finn's classmate. The darker tones were just perfect and the spiraling was horrifying to witness - but in a fun (ish) way.
August 22, 2025
I’m very glad my experience at St Andrews does not mirror that of Finn’s.
So as to not influence my other Book Club’rs - will refrain from further review atm.
So as to not influence my other Book Club’rs - will refrain from further review atm.
October 3, 2025
i was really excited for this one. but i want to start by saying it does not hold a candle to the secret history. it sits around the 3.5 star mark and i tell you why - the setting is delicious. the academic subject matter even more so. but what you really need to make a novel like this work is to absolutely nail the characters down from the get go. and he just… didn’t. i don’t care about any of them. the main 5 are completely forgettable and the others are too boring to even be mentioned. finn lacks depth, laurie is literally irrelevant and the author has tried way too hard to make magnus appear to be deep and mysterious. little to no development or anything of note to make them special at all. as for the girls… they’re just so quirky and unique. they’re not like other girls. this was so obviously written by a man that it made me cringe.
that being said, i absolutely sped through this. the pacing was superb and there were parts of it that i really enjoyed. until the ending. unsatisfactory as hell! i liked the element of mystery woven throughout but the entire resolution was so lame that i just sat there going… what? really?
the poor man’s secret history. just read donna tartt instead you’ll have a way better time.
that being said, i absolutely sped through this. the pacing was superb and there were parts of it that i really enjoyed. until the ending. unsatisfactory as hell! i liked the element of mystery woven throughout but the entire resolution was so lame that i just sat there going… what? really?
the poor man’s secret history. just read donna tartt instead you’ll have a way better time.
December 2, 2024
I love dark academia so I knew I'd probably love this and it delivered.
I loved the setting of 'Sallies' at St Andrew's University and the surrounding Scottish area, I really felt transported and I got a clear picture of where Finn and the clan were. So on that note, the clan, I found them to be an interesting group and they each had their own personalities and role to play. Hope and Finn were my favourites and I grew to dislike Madri. I found her to be quite shallow and single track minded.
History and mythology are also some of my favourite subjects so to have the two intertwined really added to the plot.
The writing was incredible and I found myself really immersed in this book.
Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the arc.
Pub date- 6th March 2025.
I loved the setting of 'Sallies' at St Andrew's University and the surrounding Scottish area, I really felt transported and I got a clear picture of where Finn and the clan were. So on that note, the clan, I found them to be an interesting group and they each had their own personalities and role to play. Hope and Finn were my favourites and I grew to dislike Madri. I found her to be quite shallow and single track minded.
History and mythology are also some of my favourite subjects so to have the two intertwined really added to the plot.
The writing was incredible and I found myself really immersed in this book.
Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the arc.
Pub date- 6th March 2025.
May 23, 2025
For my full review: https://girlwithherheadinabook.co.uk/...
I was ridiculously excited when I saw this advertised as a book set in St Andrews. Even though I'd missed out on the Netgalley version, I dashed to get myself a copy. And when I say dashed, I mean I spotted the Kindle edition was on discount. As an alumni of University of St Andrews, I have always felt that the town is unfairly under-represented in the world of fiction. It's been fifteen years since I left but I still have such affection for that grey little town. Not only is it beautiful l it also has a fair amount of dark corners for an author to make use of in crime and mystery fiction. It has a ruined cathedral and a massive graveyard that it is very easy to sneak into at night. It has no less than three beaches one of which has an abandoned swimming pool. More than anything, I came to this book in search of a return trip to somewhere that still has a feeling of home because I doubt I will make it to Scotland this year. And ... it did not transport me.
Lead character is Finn, a 'care-experienced' first year Divinity student living in Sallies, a.k.a. St Salvators Hall, one of the halls of residence. I lived in Sallies for my first two years at university. C.F. Barrington's depiction of the hall felt ... off. I reminded myself that the book is set in 1992 which is thirteen years before I lived there. It was widely believed that Sallies had had some serious renovations around the turn of the millennium because of 'Him' - this tended to be how people referred to my fellow alumni Prince William, who was in Sallies about four years before my cohort. There was a room on B floor which had an ensuite because it had once been allocated to his bodyguard. It irritated me that Barrington has Finn's room as 115. Everyone lived on either A, B, C or D. The way Finn describes the eaves sounded a bit like D but that was the annexe and that would surely have been mentioned. So was it C?
Finn's version of Sallies sounded posher and there seemed to have been some expectation of dressing for Hall dinner. Other than Christmas time, this never really happened. Barrington seems to have been imagining a Sallies more like in the 1940s and 1950s where legend has it that one could put one's shoes outside one's room overnight and in the morning, the fairies (the servants) would have come round to polish them. The photos I have seen of Sallies back in the 1990s though seem more like when I went there. I saw one picture of some undergrads who managed to get a Mini stuck in the front door. This does not feel like where Finn was living.
To be honest, I was like this for most of the book. When Finn mentioned going to a cafe 'near the Union', I was immediately annoyed that he had failed to specify the name because going for a coffee at the old cafe around Greyfriars that had all the novelty teapots was a very different experience to heading towards Bell Street for Beanscene or the Old Vic. Later on, Finn goes to 'a wine bar' shortly after a carol concert in Sallies chapel. Again, I was mentally jumping up and down shouting 'Which one? Which one?'. After all, this is St Andrews. There are only three streets. And if you're saying it's near the chapel, that might mean the bar right by the cinema or is it down as far as where the Lizard used to be? I tried to remind myself that places changed hands and names even while I was at St Andrews and that they definitely were not the same all the way back to 1992 but still. There has not been a huge amount of change of use. I have been going to St Andrews since I was a little girl and it has always been more or less the same.
I think what this indicates is that I was not being carried along by the plot. But I think it also shows that Barrington failed to conjure a St Andrews that I really recognised. Even the Freshers experience where Finn goes down to the common room in Sallies was strange. I was at the equivalent of that event and it just included a talk from the Warden. None of that weird being herded into your subject groups and having dinner with your tutor. There were also a fair few points where Barrington seemed to have got the wrong end of the stick, such as when we see Madri going in to Sallies at meals or she and Hope apparently having pigeonholes there even though neither of them were residents. Barrington also has Finn list off the societies at St Andrews and includes the Lumsden club which was not founded until 2001. It might not annoy the average reader but for me, it jolted me out of the narrative.
Barrington's antagonists did not really hold water for a similar reason. Barrington acknowledges the existence of the Kate Kennedy club which in my day was a posh boys club but which started letting girls in about ten years ago. But the baddies in the book are the 1746 club, a completely fictional club for even posher boys. And it's not that secret because they have their Christmas do at the Old Course Hotel and one of the houses on the Scores is reserved for their 'most promising student' similar to how the 'most promising' Kate Kennedy club member has to dress up as Kate Kennedy for the Spring Procession. I failed to suspend my disbelief. It seemed more as though Barrington had intended to make the Kate Kennedy club the villains but then chickened out.
The central mystery sees Finn and his four new friends becoming interested in the history of Viking berserkers and namely what chemical or herb compound might have caused the berserker behaviour. I noticed on the cover that Ian Rankin compared this novel to The Secret History but I think at this point I would have got there on my own. It just felt a bit derivative. Also, it has been twenty years since I read The Secret History and I still remember the characters. Barrington's crew are a far more pallid bunch and not just because they were living next to the North Sea. For a book like this to work, you need to believe in the bond between the characters. It was hard to believe that the Clan were even friends since they barely seemed to hang out.
It was a shame because there were moments that did feel like they could have turned into something more compelling. Finn's vision of himself as a Viking at the oars seemed like it had potential. There were also some suggestions of interesting conversations about theology. Similarly, the one character that I really liked was Anna. It was the dialogue though that really did it. Hope's robotic recounting of how her lost relationship had changed to 'deep companionship' had me rolling my eyes. Not even pretentious students talk like that.
I remember when I was actually at university, someone had written a book set in St Andrews and my housemate read it and sneered at all of the inaccuracies. They said that the Divinity faculty was on the Scores, that kind of thing. I also remember when Lifetime made a film about when Wills married Kate and it felt as though everyone I had ever known at university rose up as one to decry the howling errors and mistakes. We Were Killers is not on that scale. It is a middling piece of crime fiction that could probably entertain someone easily enough if they are less picky. But if you are looking to revisit St Andrews, then I think it makes more sense to go to the real thing. It is a very special place but this book failed to quite bring it to life.
I was ridiculously excited when I saw this advertised as a book set in St Andrews. Even though I'd missed out on the Netgalley version, I dashed to get myself a copy. And when I say dashed, I mean I spotted the Kindle edition was on discount. As an alumni of University of St Andrews, I have always felt that the town is unfairly under-represented in the world of fiction. It's been fifteen years since I left but I still have such affection for that grey little town. Not only is it beautiful l it also has a fair amount of dark corners for an author to make use of in crime and mystery fiction. It has a ruined cathedral and a massive graveyard that it is very easy to sneak into at night. It has no less than three beaches one of which has an abandoned swimming pool. More than anything, I came to this book in search of a return trip to somewhere that still has a feeling of home because I doubt I will make it to Scotland this year. And ... it did not transport me.
Lead character is Finn, a 'care-experienced' first year Divinity student living in Sallies, a.k.a. St Salvators Hall, one of the halls of residence. I lived in Sallies for my first two years at university. C.F. Barrington's depiction of the hall felt ... off. I reminded myself that the book is set in 1992 which is thirteen years before I lived there. It was widely believed that Sallies had had some serious renovations around the turn of the millennium because of 'Him' - this tended to be how people referred to my fellow alumni Prince William, who was in Sallies about four years before my cohort. There was a room on B floor which had an ensuite because it had once been allocated to his bodyguard. It irritated me that Barrington has Finn's room as 115. Everyone lived on either A, B, C or D. The way Finn describes the eaves sounded a bit like D but that was the annexe and that would surely have been mentioned. So was it C?
Finn's version of Sallies sounded posher and there seemed to have been some expectation of dressing for Hall dinner. Other than Christmas time, this never really happened. Barrington seems to have been imagining a Sallies more like in the 1940s and 1950s where legend has it that one could put one's shoes outside one's room overnight and in the morning, the fairies (the servants) would have come round to polish them. The photos I have seen of Sallies back in the 1990s though seem more like when I went there. I saw one picture of some undergrads who managed to get a Mini stuck in the front door. This does not feel like where Finn was living.
To be honest, I was like this for most of the book. When Finn mentioned going to a cafe 'near the Union', I was immediately annoyed that he had failed to specify the name because going for a coffee at the old cafe around Greyfriars that had all the novelty teapots was a very different experience to heading towards Bell Street for Beanscene or the Old Vic. Later on, Finn goes to 'a wine bar' shortly after a carol concert in Sallies chapel. Again, I was mentally jumping up and down shouting 'Which one? Which one?'. After all, this is St Andrews. There are only three streets. And if you're saying it's near the chapel, that might mean the bar right by the cinema or is it down as far as where the Lizard used to be? I tried to remind myself that places changed hands and names even while I was at St Andrews and that they definitely were not the same all the way back to 1992 but still. There has not been a huge amount of change of use. I have been going to St Andrews since I was a little girl and it has always been more or less the same.
I think what this indicates is that I was not being carried along by the plot. But I think it also shows that Barrington failed to conjure a St Andrews that I really recognised. Even the Freshers experience where Finn goes down to the common room in Sallies was strange. I was at the equivalent of that event and it just included a talk from the Warden. None of that weird being herded into your subject groups and having dinner with your tutor. There were also a fair few points where Barrington seemed to have got the wrong end of the stick, such as when we see Madri going in to Sallies at meals or she and Hope apparently having pigeonholes there even though neither of them were residents. Barrington also has Finn list off the societies at St Andrews and includes the Lumsden club which was not founded until 2001. It might not annoy the average reader but for me, it jolted me out of the narrative.
Barrington's antagonists did not really hold water for a similar reason. Barrington acknowledges the existence of the Kate Kennedy club which in my day was a posh boys club but which started letting girls in about ten years ago. But the baddies in the book are the 1746 club, a completely fictional club for even posher boys. And it's not that secret because they have their Christmas do at the Old Course Hotel and one of the houses on the Scores is reserved for their 'most promising student' similar to how the 'most promising' Kate Kennedy club member has to dress up as Kate Kennedy for the Spring Procession. I failed to suspend my disbelief. It seemed more as though Barrington had intended to make the Kate Kennedy club the villains but then chickened out.
The central mystery sees Finn and his four new friends becoming interested in the history of Viking berserkers and namely what chemical or herb compound might have caused the berserker behaviour. I noticed on the cover that Ian Rankin compared this novel to The Secret History but I think at this point I would have got there on my own. It just felt a bit derivative. Also, it has been twenty years since I read The Secret History and I still remember the characters. Barrington's crew are a far more pallid bunch and not just because they were living next to the North Sea. For a book like this to work, you need to believe in the bond between the characters. It was hard to believe that the Clan were even friends since they barely seemed to hang out.
It was a shame because there were moments that did feel like they could have turned into something more compelling. Finn's vision of himself as a Viking at the oars seemed like it had potential. There were also some suggestions of interesting conversations about theology. Similarly, the one character that I really liked was Anna. It was the dialogue though that really did it. Hope's robotic recounting of how her lost relationship had changed to 'deep companionship' had me rolling my eyes. Not even pretentious students talk like that.
I remember when I was actually at university, someone had written a book set in St Andrews and my housemate read it and sneered at all of the inaccuracies. They said that the Divinity faculty was on the Scores, that kind of thing. I also remember when Lifetime made a film about when Wills married Kate and it felt as though everyone I had ever known at university rose up as one to decry the howling errors and mistakes. We Were Killers is not on that scale. It is a middling piece of crime fiction that could probably entertain someone easily enough if they are less picky. But if you are looking to revisit St Andrews, then I think it makes more sense to go to the real thing. It is a very special place but this book failed to quite bring it to life.
June 14, 2025
An odd read, in my opinion. In some ways, it felt like the book struggled to find its footing.
Have you ever read the Warrior Cats series or played that game where you pretend you're a warrior cat doing warrior cat things? This book felt like that - except it was Viking berserker roleplay instead of cats. And instead of being set in a fantasy world, it's all happening among 19- to 21-year-olds at St Andrews University. Which is... fine, I guess. Until you remember they're supposed to be actual university students, not characters from a LARP session that got out of hand.
Genre-wise, it didn’t seem to know what it wanted to be. It wasn’t dark academia, nor was it a psychological thriller. The main character studied religion but was a staunch agnostic who mocked the very idea of it. Which could’ve been an interesting juxtaposition but it didn’t quite land.
Overall, it felt like a BTEC version of If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. And given the suspiciously similar title, I don't think that’s a coincidence. Maybe I was expecting too much going in, but it just didn’t deliver for me.
Have you ever read the Warrior Cats series or played that game where you pretend you're a warrior cat doing warrior cat things? This book felt like that - except it was Viking berserker roleplay instead of cats. And instead of being set in a fantasy world, it's all happening among 19- to 21-year-olds at St Andrews University. Which is... fine, I guess. Until you remember they're supposed to be actual university students, not characters from a LARP session that got out of hand.
Genre-wise, it didn’t seem to know what it wanted to be. It wasn’t dark academia, nor was it a psychological thriller. The main character studied religion but was a staunch agnostic who mocked the very idea of it. Which could’ve been an interesting juxtaposition but it didn’t quite land.
Overall, it felt like a BTEC version of If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. And given the suspiciously similar title, I don't think that’s a coincidence. Maybe I was expecting too much going in, but it just didn’t deliver for me.
October 13, 2024
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this unbelievable arc!
After reading If We Were Villains and absolutely falling in love with it I have been searching for similar books and I am so grateful I came across this one. It is exactly what I was looking for. Fast paced, easy to read, twisty, intriguing and a brilliant thriller! It is also my first C.F.Barrington read and definitely won’t be my last.
The suspense & psychological aspects, mixed in with the clever plot line made me want to keep reading long after the story had ended. It was so detailed and captivating without going over the top and being confusing or boring. The characters and setting were expertly crafted and I could not get enough of it! C.F.Barrington really knows how to grip an audience and keep you at the edge of your seat. The twists were so perfectly planned and thought out, it really kept me guessing through out which I loved.
Would highly recommend to anyone who loves Dark Academia, twisty on the edge of your seat thrillers or anyone looking for that perfect autumn thriller read. Can’t wait to read more by this author
After reading If We Were Villains and absolutely falling in love with it I have been searching for similar books and I am so grateful I came across this one. It is exactly what I was looking for. Fast paced, easy to read, twisty, intriguing and a brilliant thriller! It is also my first C.F.Barrington read and definitely won’t be my last.
The suspense & psychological aspects, mixed in with the clever plot line made me want to keep reading long after the story had ended. It was so detailed and captivating without going over the top and being confusing or boring. The characters and setting were expertly crafted and I could not get enough of it! C.F.Barrington really knows how to grip an audience and keep you at the edge of your seat. The twists were so perfectly planned and thought out, it really kept me guessing through out which I loved.
Would highly recommend to anyone who loves Dark Academia, twisty on the edge of your seat thrillers or anyone looking for that perfect autumn thriller read. Can’t wait to read more by this author
August 1, 2025
As a big fan of the secret history, at first I started reading this and I was like hmm is this going to be a copycat version but it definitely wasn’t. There was a similar vibe but the story itself and the characters really held their own and I found myself constantly wanting to reach to read this book. The ending was so tragic but also was to be expected but I liked the unknown of the final pages too which let you create your own ending to the book.
The only thing that niggled at me was, as someone who views St Andrews as a second home, why did the author have to be so vague about what coffee shop they were sitting in or the choice of house for the 46ers was just a no no, it’s a beautiful house and definitely would not have housed those people. But anyways… overall a good read!
The only thing that niggled at me was, as someone who views St Andrews as a second home, why did the author have to be so vague about what coffee shop they were sitting in or the choice of house for the 46ers was just a no no, it’s a beautiful house and definitely would not have housed those people. But anyways… overall a good read!
October 1, 2025
‘How many braincells did you lose while reading this book?’
‘Aye.’
‘Aye.’
October 14, 2025
The Famous Five do psychotropic experiments. Some interesting stuff in the background historical detail, some outlandish nonsense in the plot.
August 20, 2025
“but what’s a little poison between friends”
doesn’t hold a candle to if we were villains or the secret history but did keep me enthralled all the same
but as ailis said i am very glad this was not representative of my st andrews experience
doesn’t hold a candle to if we were villains or the secret history but did keep me enthralled all the same
but as ailis said i am very glad this was not representative of my st andrews experience
June 11, 2025
St Andrews was a poor reproduction of what it is in real life. The characters were mostly one-dimensional and had no reasoning behind their actions. 2.5/5
September 16, 2025
What a delicious, and quite shocking, dark academia thriller!
'Can I tell you a story?'
'Is it a good one?'
I stared at the dying candle. 'No, it's a terrible one.'
Set at a slightly ominous St Andrews University in Scotland, this story was built around such an amazing dark academia setting. Everything about this lured me in from the very first page — an agnostic with a tragic past studying religion that somehow gets entangled with an interesting, if not a little creepy, friend group. A perfect recipe to give you some chills on a rainy night! There was a lot of drug experimentation happening throughout the story, and I can't say that I would want to be friends with these people in real life, but it was definitely interesting to see them interact and plummet into madness together. I never felt bored, as there were quite a lot of mad things happening. Although, some of Finn's descriptions of his trips were just a bit too insane. However, the author did a good job at balancing the normal everyday life of a student with eerie, cult-like gatherings at picturesque places. I absolutely loved that this group of friends was focused on the Vikings! I do not see enough of them in fiction, but they are an extremely interesting topic to me, and I loved how it was done here.
A little side note: I've seen a lot of reviews saying that this University and the surrounding area were poorly described. I, unfortunately, cannot comment on that aspect since I've never been there, but it's something to keep in mind nevertheless.
If you're searching for a slightly different dark academia story that is perfect for the fall time, this is the one! It's recommended to fans of If We Were Villains, and I'm excited to finally read that one as well and compare the two!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!
'Can I tell you a story?'
'Is it a good one?'
I stared at the dying candle. 'No, it's a terrible one.'
Set at a slightly ominous St Andrews University in Scotland, this story was built around such an amazing dark academia setting. Everything about this lured me in from the very first page — an agnostic with a tragic past studying religion that somehow gets entangled with an interesting, if not a little creepy, friend group. A perfect recipe to give you some chills on a rainy night! There was a lot of drug experimentation happening throughout the story, and I can't say that I would want to be friends with these people in real life, but it was definitely interesting to see them interact and plummet into madness together. I never felt bored, as there were quite a lot of mad things happening. Although, some of Finn's descriptions of his trips were just a bit too insane. However, the author did a good job at balancing the normal everyday life of a student with eerie, cult-like gatherings at picturesque places. I absolutely loved that this group of friends was focused on the Vikings! I do not see enough of them in fiction, but they are an extremely interesting topic to me, and I loved how it was done here.
A little side note: I've seen a lot of reviews saying that this University and the surrounding area were poorly described. I, unfortunately, cannot comment on that aspect since I've never been there, but it's something to keep in mind nevertheless.
If you're searching for a slightly different dark academia story that is perfect for the fall time, this is the one! It's recommended to fans of If We Were Villains, and I'm excited to finally read that one as well and compare the two!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Head of Zeus and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!
May 31, 2025
Finn Nethercott feels like an outsider. When he arrives to study Divinity at St Andrews he feels out of place, certain he does not belong. We follow Finn as he finds himself befriended by an enigmatic group of older students.
The book follows Finn as he finds himself caught up in what can best be described as an obsessive friendship. The tight-knit group he has joined have their own share of secrets, and as Finn works out some of these secrets he finds himself in increasingly dangerous territory.
There is little about this group that appeals. Entitled and willing to pursue their own interests even when it places others at risk, it’s hard to understand why Finn doesn’t walk away. It’s even harder to comprehend his actions once we learn more about the group and their actions.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication. Finn has his own history, and when we learn about his past it seems increasingly obvious that this is a person living with trauma and desperate to cling to anything that creates a sense of belonging no matter how dangerous. The characters offer little appeal, and the only character who elicits any sympathy is the character who ends up the victim of this self-absorbed group.
The book follows Finn as he finds himself caught up in what can best be described as an obsessive friendship. The tight-knit group he has joined have their own share of secrets, and as Finn works out some of these secrets he finds himself in increasingly dangerous territory.
There is little about this group that appeals. Entitled and willing to pursue their own interests even when it places others at risk, it’s hard to understand why Finn doesn’t walk away. It’s even harder to comprehend his actions once we learn more about the group and their actions.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication. Finn has his own history, and when we learn about his past it seems increasingly obvious that this is a person living with trauma and desperate to cling to anything that creates a sense of belonging no matter how dangerous. The characters offer little appeal, and the only character who elicits any sympathy is the character who ends up the victim of this self-absorbed group.
February 9, 2025
This was a hard book to get into. It was definitely a slow burn. It was the first book I read that focused on Scotland, which I thought was cool. I used to watch outlander and some of the history that was told in this book I had known from watching that show, so I loved that aspect.
The entire story made me feel like I was in a fever dream. The characters in the book didn’t have much of a story line that was understood, and they did a lot of mushrooms that made them hallucinate and at times confused me on what was going on.
I will say once we hit the 70% mark of the book, it picked up and really kept my interest. The story itself wasn’t badly written, it’s just going to attract a certain audience, and I’m not sure that that audience would include me.
If you like to learn about history in certain countries and religions, you’d enjoy this book. Also heavy in dark academia with a not so secret society within a college. If that interests you, you’d should definitely add this one to your tbr.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook arc in exchange for my honest review. Always appreciated!
The entire story made me feel like I was in a fever dream. The characters in the book didn’t have much of a story line that was understood, and they did a lot of mushrooms that made them hallucinate and at times confused me on what was going on.
I will say once we hit the 70% mark of the book, it picked up and really kept my interest. The story itself wasn’t badly written, it’s just going to attract a certain audience, and I’m not sure that that audience would include me.
If you like to learn about history in certain countries and religions, you’d enjoy this book. Also heavy in dark academia with a not so secret society within a college. If that interests you, you’d should definitely add this one to your tbr.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook arc in exchange for my honest review. Always appreciated!
June 6, 2025
“What’s a little poison between friends?”
A psychological thriller, set in St Andrews University, Scotland, in the 1990's, with dark academia vibes.
Obsessions, betrayals, toxic friendships: do I have to say more?
It’s impossibile not to compare When We Were Killers with The Secret History and If We Were Villains: Donna Tart’s novel is unmatchable, but I think that C. F. Barrington is not too far from M. L. Rio.
Maybe When We Were Killers is a little bit too chaotic, and not as gripping as If We Were Villains, but I enjoyed it very much.
We don’t have classical studies or Shakespeare, but the vibes below are quite similar.
Secret meetings at night around a fire, with wine, some drugs, surrounded by ancient ruins: all is quite magical, and whatever contributes to Scottish lore, Vikings, Celtic folklore and so on, seems to be called back to life.
However, you can’t go too deep without losing something…
Not a five stars reading because something is missing (something is too predictable and other things are too simple) but still a good work.
Thank you to C. F. Barrington, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A psychological thriller, set in St Andrews University, Scotland, in the 1990's, with dark academia vibes.
Obsessions, betrayals, toxic friendships: do I have to say more?
It’s impossibile not to compare When We Were Killers with The Secret History and If We Were Villains: Donna Tart’s novel is unmatchable, but I think that C. F. Barrington is not too far from M. L. Rio.
Maybe When We Were Killers is a little bit too chaotic, and not as gripping as If We Were Villains, but I enjoyed it very much.
We don’t have classical studies or Shakespeare, but the vibes below are quite similar.
Secret meetings at night around a fire, with wine, some drugs, surrounded by ancient ruins: all is quite magical, and whatever contributes to Scottish lore, Vikings, Celtic folklore and so on, seems to be called back to life.
However, you can’t go too deep without losing something…
Not a five stars reading because something is missing (something is too predictable and other things are too simple) but still a good work.
Thank you to C. F. Barrington, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
this had the novelty of reading a book set in the town you live in (well, near) without it ever going too overboard with the location name-dropping. funnily, i saw one reviewer complaining that it wasn't explicit enough about some of the cafes/bars the main character goes to, but i personally think some things are better left unsaid.
i really enjoyed reading this. the suspense definitely drew me in and i found the historical and philosophical discussions entrancing. i don't think the characterisation was amazing (madri in particular seemed quite contradictory in her behaviour and was a confusing character) and, to be honest, the events leading up to the novel's climax and what followed was kind of nonsensical – it was like the characters lost all of their logical thinking in the last 100 pages.
surprisingly these factors didn't have that big an impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel. the vibes were there and i had a great time reading this in an unnamed st andrews cafe (just kidding. it was black sheep coffee. and no i don't go there for the coffee.)
this had the novelty of reading a book set in the town you live in (well, near) without it ever going too overboard with the location name-dropping. funnily, i saw one reviewer complaining that it wasn't explicit enough about some of the cafes/bars the main character goes to, but i personally think some things are better left unsaid.
i really enjoyed reading this. the suspense definitely drew me in and i found the historical and philosophical discussions entrancing. i don't think the characterisation was amazing (madri in particular seemed quite contradictory in her behaviour and was a confusing character) and, to be honest, the events leading up to the novel's climax and what followed was kind of nonsensical – it was like the characters lost all of their logical thinking in the last 100 pages.
surprisingly these factors didn't have that big an impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel. the vibes were there and i had a great time reading this in an unnamed st andrews cafe (just kidding. it was black sheep coffee. and no i don't go there for the coffee.)
November 7, 2024
DNF @ 30%
This book is suggested for those who are fans of “If we were villains” by ML Rio. That’s what initially pulled me this book.
Unfortunately, at 30%, and I can finally say that I am bored beyond measure. Though most of the Shakespeare in ML Rio flew over my head, I was at least interested in the characters and what was happening to them. This book seemed to be “if we were villains” in an alternate universe. Not only does the plot resemble each other. But so do the character dynamics.
I read in another review that they believed only people who were a fan of religion would be a fan of this and as a religious person I’m here to say that isn’t true. 😂 The book does discuss history and Christianity in detail. There was definitely a lot of research done for this book which I can appreciate but even so it still wasn’t enough to keep my interest.
Though this book wasn’t for me, I’m excited to see what this author will be releasing in the future and will definitely give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
This book is suggested for those who are fans of “If we were villains” by ML Rio. That’s what initially pulled me this book.
Unfortunately, at 30%, and I can finally say that I am bored beyond measure. Though most of the Shakespeare in ML Rio flew over my head, I was at least interested in the characters and what was happening to them. This book seemed to be “if we were villains” in an alternate universe. Not only does the plot resemble each other. But so do the character dynamics.
I read in another review that they believed only people who were a fan of religion would be a fan of this and as a religious person I’m here to say that isn’t true. 😂 The book does discuss history and Christianity in detail. There was definitely a lot of research done for this book which I can appreciate but even so it still wasn’t enough to keep my interest.
Though this book wasn’t for me, I’m excited to see what this author will be releasing in the future and will definitely give it a try.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
October 5, 2024
2.75 rounded up.
This felt like a weird trip or something. I don't even know how to explain it because I don't even know what's going on. Maybe because there are magic mushrooms in this book so it's supposed to be like that? Maybe...I don't know, I'm grasping at straws here.
I was so confused the entire time reading this. I felt like I was thrown right into the middle of the story but usually when that happens, you get answers along the way to explain who the characters are and what's happening/has happened in the story. But no. None of that happens. Even after finishing the book, I did not know the point, what happened, who anybody was or why anything was happening.
Weirdly reminds me of a comic run I really like though, Home Sick Pilots. Same sort of tone and color palette in my mind.
I can see why people recommend it for fans of M. L. Rio.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This felt like a weird trip or something. I don't even know how to explain it because I don't even know what's going on. Maybe because there are magic mushrooms in this book so it's supposed to be like that? Maybe...I don't know, I'm grasping at straws here.
I was so confused the entire time reading this. I felt like I was thrown right into the middle of the story but usually when that happens, you get answers along the way to explain who the characters are and what's happening/has happened in the story. But no. None of that happens. Even after finishing the book, I did not know the point, what happened, who anybody was or why anything was happening.
Weirdly reminds me of a comic run I really like though, Home Sick Pilots. Same sort of tone and color palette in my mind.
I can see why people recommend it for fans of M. L. Rio.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
October 29, 2025
This is a novel piggybacking off of the success of Donna Tart’s The Secret History, a staple in the dark academia lover’s bookshelf. Apart from the fact it clearly rips off If We Were Liars’ title (which is also a copycat of TSH, but not to the same extent, and it is at least more substantial), it seems C.F Barrington expects the novel’s setting in St Andrews to do most of the heavy lifting.
The protagonist is a working class student with a chip on his shoulder - how groundbreaking. Honestly, the plot is almost exactly the same as TSH and IWWL and the writing is juvenile. I was interested at the beginning of the book but as it progressed and none of the characters developed past surface-level, I was just racing to finish it. The twist at the end was nice, but then the rest of the ending was just flat.
If you’re looking for something dark academia-y to read after loving TSH and IWWL, then you’ll probably be disappointed by this low budget recreation.
The protagonist is a working class student with a chip on his shoulder - how groundbreaking. Honestly, the plot is almost exactly the same as TSH and IWWL and the writing is juvenile. I was interested at the beginning of the book but as it progressed and none of the characters developed past surface-level, I was just racing to finish it. The twist at the end was nice, but then the rest of the ending was just flat.
If you’re looking for something dark academia-y to read after loving TSH and IWWL, then you’ll probably be disappointed by this low budget recreation.
July 10, 2025
I have some familiarity with the University of St Andrews and it's always fun to read a book from your county. This book has also been heavily marketed by Waterstones so I was excited for this one!
Now... did it deliver? Not really. It was fast paced which made for an enjoyable read but my main thought throughout was we have 'played these games before'. It was pretty predictable from the start and the plot was sometimes convoluting.
I appreciate the information the author has included in the book, such as Raisin Monday. However, I don't think I have ever heard a student say that they are studying a 'MA (Hons) Medieval History'. That seemed like it was taken straight from the St Andrews website.
The Pantheon series by C.F. Barrington looks quite interesting though so at least this book did help me to discover new books!
Now... did it deliver? Not really. It was fast paced which made for an enjoyable read but my main thought throughout was we have 'played these games before'. It was pretty predictable from the start and the plot was sometimes convoluting.
I appreciate the information the author has included in the book, such as Raisin Monday. However, I don't think I have ever heard a student say that they are studying a 'MA (Hons) Medieval History'. That seemed like it was taken straight from the St Andrews website.
The Pantheon series by C.F. Barrington looks quite interesting though so at least this book did help me to discover new books!
January 29, 2025
When We Were Killers is an excellent Dark Academia novel.
We begin our journey in 1992 when freshman student Finn Nethercott arrives at St. Andrews University in Scotland to begin his studies in Christian Theology. I have mentioned before about titles that are similar to The Secret History because although in the marketing perspective there is a lot of comparisons like that, few titles actually manage to make good on delivering a story that is by any means even remotely comparable to the original Dark Academia novel. When We We Killers is one of them. And it in fact sits alongside the echelons of what I like to call the holy trinity of religious studies of DA which includes the other two fantastic novels, The Gospel of Eve and The Orchard, which I both thoroughly recommend.
One of the best aspects of When We Were Killers is the fact that it is set in Scotland which allows for the author to explore the many traditions and legends related to spiritual beliefs of the place. So for one we have Finn studying about Christian Theology, discussing about the gospels and having to write essays that sometimes even get borderline philosophical, and for another we have him joining up a group, or better yet a Clan as they like to call themselves, where they observe pagan traditions of several kinds, making their own little rituals and searching for communion with nature, beauty, transcendence and more. Sounds familiar? I bet it does. I love how the author inserted these various traditions, going from Celtic, Gaelic, Druidic, pagan, Roman and Vikings as well, which does take the center stage quite alongside with the Christian Theology part more than any other. The members of the Clan are searching for a drug, more specifically a type of mushroom, that they believe is responsible to cause the frenzies that drove the Viking warriors, known as Berserkers, to battle; giving them superhuman strength and endurance as well as an insatiable desire for violence. I was so so excited about all of these themes and concepts! Not only it managed to bring originality to the concept we are familiar from TSH, and at the same time pay homage to that, but also the author was able to incorporate these concepts so skilfully in the story it created a fulfilling reading experience.
The pacing of the story was great, weaving a different mix of arcs that it kept me interested and on the edge of my seat at the same time. I particularly loved how despite the fact that Finn wants to belong in the select group of the Clan, he still has other friends outside of this circle, and I found that to work wonders for the story, not merely because it allowed for more interactions for the main character to have, but also because it made for a believable character arc and allowed for him to have growth; plus because of that he has two different perspectives in terms of religious studies, but also in friends who pursue vastly different lifestyles than he does, allowing for his worldview to expand. There is also the aspect that the members of the Clan are all older than him, therefore pursuing different scopes of study, but with his friends from Divinity, he is closer to the academic life more narrowly speaking; we have several scenes of him partaking in the annual traditions of St. Andrews such as the foam party and the drinking game on the stairs where he is only accompanied by his Divinity friends. All of that made the novel have so much more grandeur in my eyes, seeing as it was able to add several of the characteristics of a good DA novel, in such a dynamic and authentic way. Trust me when I say, I was positively giddy while reading this one, it was exactly my cup of tea.
Finn is of course, the perfect unreliable narrator, constantly disrupting the text with ominous foreshadowing’s from the future, which only made my curiosity peak higher. I started to have a theory about how things would go down at the climax of the story, which ended up correct in the end and it only made me happy to know I was right.
This story was immersive and propulsive, filled with beautiful descriptions of settings in Scotland, and the perfect gothic atmosphere of the St. Andrews University. The gothic aspects are also exhaustively present in the construction of the mental state of its protagonist inasmuch as he descends over the course of the novel to become paranoid, insecure, and completely shattered due to the progressions of events he is unable to take control of, or escape from.
This novel is coming out on May 27th and I can confidently declare that it will be the best Dark Academia of 2025! If you’re looking for a fine Dark Academia story that features discussions of religious aspects; secret societies; mushroom tripping gone wrong; the desire to belong; the deadly consequences of pursuing your academic interests to the extreme, look no further because When We Were Killers is the book for you!
★★★★★
Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest opinion!
We begin our journey in 1992 when freshman student Finn Nethercott arrives at St. Andrews University in Scotland to begin his studies in Christian Theology. I have mentioned before about titles that are similar to The Secret History because although in the marketing perspective there is a lot of comparisons like that, few titles actually manage to make good on delivering a story that is by any means even remotely comparable to the original Dark Academia novel. When We We Killers is one of them. And it in fact sits alongside the echelons of what I like to call the holy trinity of religious studies of DA which includes the other two fantastic novels, The Gospel of Eve and The Orchard, which I both thoroughly recommend.
‘Testing our faith is vital. It’s exactly why we study Divinity at St Andrews. And if the answers to your questions leave you with no faith, then so be it. Divinity is a practical academic discipline.’
One of the best aspects of When We Were Killers is the fact that it is set in Scotland which allows for the author to explore the many traditions and legends related to spiritual beliefs of the place. So for one we have Finn studying about Christian Theology, discussing about the gospels and having to write essays that sometimes even get borderline philosophical, and for another we have him joining up a group, or better yet a Clan as they like to call themselves, where they observe pagan traditions of several kinds, making their own little rituals and searching for communion with nature, beauty, transcendence and more. Sounds familiar? I bet it does. I love how the author inserted these various traditions, going from Celtic, Gaelic, Druidic, pagan, Roman and Vikings as well, which does take the center stage quite alongside with the Christian Theology part more than any other. The members of the Clan are searching for a drug, more specifically a type of mushroom, that they believe is responsible to cause the frenzies that drove the Viking warriors, known as Berserkers, to battle; giving them superhuman strength and endurance as well as an insatiable desire for violence. I was so so excited about all of these themes and concepts! Not only it managed to bring originality to the concept we are familiar from TSH, and at the same time pay homage to that, but also the author was able to incorporate these concepts so skilfully in the story it created a fulfilling reading experience.
If there is a God, what persuaded him to make the world so damn beautiful?
The pacing of the story was great, weaving a different mix of arcs that it kept me interested and on the edge of my seat at the same time. I particularly loved how despite the fact that Finn wants to belong in the select group of the Clan, he still has other friends outside of this circle, and I found that to work wonders for the story, not merely because it allowed for more interactions for the main character to have, but also because it made for a believable character arc and allowed for him to have growth; plus because of that he has two different perspectives in terms of religious studies, but also in friends who pursue vastly different lifestyles than he does, allowing for his worldview to expand. There is also the aspect that the members of the Clan are all older than him, therefore pursuing different scopes of study, but with his friends from Divinity, he is closer to the academic life more narrowly speaking; we have several scenes of him partaking in the annual traditions of St. Andrews such as the foam party and the drinking game on the stairs where he is only accompanied by his Divinity friends. All of that made the novel have so much more grandeur in my eyes, seeing as it was able to add several of the characteristics of a good DA novel, in such a dynamic and authentic way. Trust me when I say, I was positively giddy while reading this one, it was exactly my cup of tea.
Finn is of course, the perfect unreliable narrator, constantly disrupting the text with ominous foreshadowing’s from the future, which only made my curiosity peak higher. I started to have a theory about how things would go down at the climax of the story, which ended up correct in the end and it only made me happy to know I was right.
I shook my head. ‘Whatever was in that thing helped me grasp feelings I can’t usually put into words. For a few precious moments, I thought I could decipher the sacred.’
This story was immersive and propulsive, filled with beautiful descriptions of settings in Scotland, and the perfect gothic atmosphere of the St. Andrews University. The gothic aspects are also exhaustively present in the construction of the mental state of its protagonist inasmuch as he descends over the course of the novel to become paranoid, insecure, and completely shattered due to the progressions of events he is unable to take control of, or escape from.
This novel is coming out on May 27th and I can confidently declare that it will be the best Dark Academia of 2025! If you’re looking for a fine Dark Academia story that features discussions of religious aspects; secret societies; mushroom tripping gone wrong; the desire to belong; the deadly consequences of pursuing your academic interests to the extreme, look no further because When We Were Killers is the book for you!
★★★★★
Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest opinion!
February 25, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced reading copy. I leave this review voluntarily.
This is a story of a poor orphaned boy who gets to St. Andrew’s University despite his circumstances. He makes friends with the 2 other students in his “program” but he also becomes enmeshed in the dark undercurrents of secret societies.
The reader never knows what will happen next and how they will resolve the conflict. While some of the story is a bit unbelievable, it did not distract me from the storytelling so I suspended my disbelief and embraced the tale.
The story begins and ends with the main character, Finn Nethercott, thinking about “life lingered in her” and his role in what happened at St.Andrews.
As you can tell, I highly recommend.
This is a story of a poor orphaned boy who gets to St. Andrew’s University despite his circumstances. He makes friends with the 2 other students in his “program” but he also becomes enmeshed in the dark undercurrents of secret societies.
The reader never knows what will happen next and how they will resolve the conflict. While some of the story is a bit unbelievable, it did not distract me from the storytelling so I suspended my disbelief and embraced the tale.
The story begins and ends with the main character, Finn Nethercott, thinking about “life lingered in her” and his role in what happened at St.Andrews.
As you can tell, I highly recommend.
July 3, 2025
When We Were Killers? More like When We Were Confused. I went in expecting a gripping thriller, but what I got felt like the literary equivalent of walking into a room and forgetting why you’re there. Characters popped in and out like confused actors in a school play, and the plot twisted so many times it gave me narrative whiplash.
At one point I thought I’d missed a chapter… turns out I didn’t — the book just likes to play hide-and-seek with logic. If confusion were a genre, this would be a masterpiece. Sadly, it’s not. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness and the faint hope it would all make sense at the end. Spoiler: it didn’t.
Would I recommend it? Only to someone I secretly dislike.
June 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Although this was a slow paced thriller, it was haunting, atmospheric and had beautifully dark academia vibes.
Mainly set in St Andrews University in the 1990's, the author has managed to create a dark, unsettling atmosphere amongst a group of students exposing their obsessions and toxic friendships.
This story is steeped in history and folklore, an hallucinogenic adventure, traditional university life, friendships, dark secrets and murder.
I loved the setting and the characters and the storyline, however it was a little slow for me, but I did still enjoy the read.
Although this was a slow paced thriller, it was haunting, atmospheric and had beautifully dark academia vibes.
Mainly set in St Andrews University in the 1990's, the author has managed to create a dark, unsettling atmosphere amongst a group of students exposing their obsessions and toxic friendships.
This story is steeped in history and folklore, an hallucinogenic adventure, traditional university life, friendships, dark secrets and murder.
I loved the setting and the characters and the storyline, however it was a little slow for me, but I did still enjoy the read.
October 14, 2024
Maybe I needed to be in a better headspace to enjoy this fully. I found the characters pretentious but not in a good or fun way. There was so many parts that felt like it dragged, overloaded with too much information.
If you're a fan of dark academia with some weird vibes you might like this. This is another one I'll have to give another chance to another time. It wasn't bad but it wasn't...my favorite.
If you're a fan of dark academia with some weird vibes you might like this. This is another one I'll have to give another chance to another time. It wasn't bad but it wasn't...my favorite.
November 19, 2024
I read this book and I am not someone who puts a book down unless they really don't enjoy it. This book was slightly different from my normal genre but the synopsis was interesting. It sounds strange but it's written as the main character being a man and just his side normally it's a mixture but that might have had something to do with it. The book I had to make myself read until halfway then I really got into it. The viking and faeries elements were interesting but some of it took some brain power. Not something I have before bed. I then finished this book whilst away and really got into it.
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