What do you think?
Rate this book
The Head's Tale: A Novel
This secret could swamp her.
Miranda Crandell, the Head of Strutthorn Academy, has a brilliant idea to one-up the other elite New England prep schools with their piddling plots of organic veggies for experiential learning: She’ll buy a swamp. Yes, a bog, a quagmire, an oozy acre, where she intends to build a special science center. What she doesn’t account for is Paul Dickersen—her newly hired freshwater biologist who is strikingly handsome (even in cargo pants) and turns out to be an irresistible lover.
Miranda’s days are fraught with student and personnel issues, but soon she becomes her own big problem. The Head of School is supposed to be a steadfast and principled role model for impetuous teenage students. Instead, Miranda becomes crazed with lust, spiraling into a wild and messy journey of self-discovery. Funny, sexy, and irreverent, The Head’s Tale is a delightful tromp through the muck of prep school drama—and a reminder that the process of growing up never truly ends.
Miranda Crandell, the Head of Strutthorn Academy, has a brilliant idea to one-up the other elite New England prep schools with their piddling plots of organic veggies for experiential learning: She’ll buy a swamp. Yes, a bog, a quagmire, an oozy acre, where she intends to build a special science center. What she doesn’t account for is Paul Dickersen—her newly hired freshwater biologist who is strikingly handsome (even in cargo pants) and turns out to be an irresistible lover.
Miranda’s days are fraught with student and personnel issues, but soon she becomes her own big problem. The Head of School is supposed to be a steadfast and principled role model for impetuous teenage students. Instead, Miranda becomes crazed with lust, spiraling into a wild and messy journey of self-discovery. Funny, sexy, and irreverent, The Head’s Tale is a delightful tromp through the muck of prep school drama—and a reminder that the process of growing up never truly ends.
273 pages, Paperback
Published April 29, 2025
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 26, 2025
“Maybe it was just some freedom you wanted to try. Freedom you never had as an adolescent?” - Justine, The Head’s Tale
Head of School Miranda Crandell is determined to maintain control of herself and the elite private school she oversees. She is someone who prides herself on epitomizing the cool, calm and collected persona as is befitting her role as leader of this exclusive school. That is until she hires a biologist to help develop her passion project - one she hopes will cement her reputation as one of the finest educational leaders in this academic environment. What she did not plan for was his ability to make her lose control of herself in ways that mirror the trials and tribulations she must deal with when working with privileged students and off-beat educators.
THE HEAD’S TALE is a humorous and biting commentary on life in an upper echelon New England prep school. At first, I was a little bit off by the story as I found it very cliche and shallow but as the plot developed I started to see the parallels and hypocrisy that Miranda found herself living in and my thinking shifted as I started to appreciate the messaging. The pacing is fast and engaging and the unique personalities of the characters add flavor.
The one area for improvement is the repetitive information about characters and/or their thinking. For example, Miranda’s thoughts on Evelyn and her own internal dialogue about herself and her predicament.
Thank you to NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for the advanced copy to read. All opinions here are my own.
Head of School Miranda Crandell is determined to maintain control of herself and the elite private school she oversees. She is someone who prides herself on epitomizing the cool, calm and collected persona as is befitting her role as leader of this exclusive school. That is until she hires a biologist to help develop her passion project - one she hopes will cement her reputation as one of the finest educational leaders in this academic environment. What she did not plan for was his ability to make her lose control of herself in ways that mirror the trials and tribulations she must deal with when working with privileged students and off-beat educators.
THE HEAD’S TALE is a humorous and biting commentary on life in an upper echelon New England prep school. At first, I was a little bit off by the story as I found it very cliche and shallow but as the plot developed I started to see the parallels and hypocrisy that Miranda found herself living in and my thinking shifted as I started to appreciate the messaging. The pacing is fast and engaging and the unique personalities of the characters add flavor.
The one area for improvement is the repetitive information about characters and/or their thinking. For example, Miranda’s thoughts on Evelyn and her own internal dialogue about herself and her predicament.
Thank you to NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for the advanced copy to read. All opinions here are my own.
January 22, 2025
This was a delight — a sly, sharply observed social commentary set at an exclusive New England prep school. As a bonus, it taught me a new word, muskeg: "BOG, esp. a sphagnum bog of northern North America often with tussocks."
Miranda Crandall, the young(ish), stylish, and ambitious Head of Strutthorn, is constantly trying to manage the damage wrought by the all-too-human frailties of her colleagues and students, but discovers that her own frailties might be more dangerous than anyone's. The Head's Tale pokes at academic bureaucracies and midlife crises, but never falls into caricature. Both Miranda and the reader are better at the end of the book than we were when we started. The world Kinsolving creates is so vivid that I'd gladly read future books focusing on any one of Miranda's colleagues, and the book feels tailor-made for screen adaptation.
Miranda Crandall, the young(ish), stylish, and ambitious Head of Strutthorn, is constantly trying to manage the damage wrought by the all-too-human frailties of her colleagues and students, but discovers that her own frailties might be more dangerous than anyone's. The Head's Tale pokes at academic bureaucracies and midlife crises, but never falls into caricature. Both Miranda and the reader are better at the end of the book than we were when we started. The world Kinsolving creates is so vivid that I'd gladly read future books focusing on any one of Miranda's colleagues, and the book feels tailor-made for screen adaptation.
June 11, 2025
Miranda Crandell has a hard road to walk being the first female head at the elite New England private school. She feels like she has a good handle on the students, their little schemes or trouble making pranks are fairly easy to handle until things begin to get messy with other teachers in the school. While holding onto her own personal secret, the book takes us through a weaving journey of truth or lie, life isn't always fair AND we reap what we sow vibes.
I am going to say there are several instances of infidelity in marriage in this book. That's not something I find makes me want to continue reading. Even if there was a happy ending...it's just not my reading space. But I did give 3* because the book is also full of funny excerpts, the characters are well written, and the setting was told in beautiful detail.
Thank you for Susan Kinsolving, NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for allowing me this arc version in exchange for my honest review.
I am going to say there are several instances of infidelity in marriage in this book. That's not something I find makes me want to continue reading. Even if there was a happy ending...it's just not my reading space. But I did give 3* because the book is also full of funny excerpts, the characters are well written, and the setting was told in beautiful detail.
Thank you for Susan Kinsolving, NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for allowing me this arc version in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews