Murder at University Park

by Cheryl Dellasega

For fans of My Dark Vanessa and The Secret History, a gripping campus thriller about a determined young professor who challenges a corrupt academic system, confronts a predator in power, and refuses to stay silent—even when her quest turns deadly.

A brilliant young professor. A powerful advisor with everything to lose. A university campus hiding deadly secrets.

It’s 1998, and Dr. Lacey Redd is on the verge of tenure—and under the thumb of her department chair, the arrogant and celebrated Dr. Geoffrey Hart. When Lacey begins to suspect Hart of falsifying his research, she quietly teams up with a tech-savvy colleague to uncover the truth. But before they can break the case, her partner turns up dead in the campus library.

As Lacey digs deeper, she uncovers something even Hart has been preying on female graduate students for years. When he attacks her at a department party, Lacey fights back—leaving him injured and exposed. A new department head steps in, and with Hart out of the picture, it seems justice has finally been served.

But someone on campus is still watching. And they’ve decided Lacey knows too much.

Genres: Mystery, Dark Academia, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Paperback

Published August 4, 2026

About the author

Drawing on decades of firsthand experience navigating the complexities of academic life, Cheryl Dellasega, NP, PhD, brings an insider’s perspective to her fiction debut – illuminating both the ambition and the darker undercurrents of university culture. Her extensive academic background includes a PhD in Health Education & Counseling from Temple University and an MFA from Rosemont College.

She is an award-winning author of ten books and a professor with more than thirty years of experience teaching in higher education. She spent the majority of her career at Pennsylvania State University, where she taught humanities and research in the College of Medicine, before retiring in 2024. In addition to her work in the United States, she has served as a Visiting Professor in Jönköping, Sweden.

A relational aggression expert, Dr. Dellasega is the author of numerous books on issues affecting women, including When Nurses Hurt Nurses, Forced to be Family, Mean Girls Grown Up, The Starving Family, Girl Wars, and Surviving Ophelia. A sought-after expert on the everyday challenges facing women today, she has appeared in such outlets as The Today Show, Good Morning America and E! Investigates: Bullying. Learn more at www.cheryldellasega.com.

Reviews

[Jess Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Get Red PR for the advanced reader copy of this debut mystery novel.

Unfortunately this was not for me. The character work was lacking any depth. All of the characters were pretty one deminsional and unlikable. It felt like a full cast of scooby doo villains just waiting for their masks to be removed.

The plot progression was steady and predictable. The evil character monologues were definitely long winded and over explained.

While I could appreciate the commentary about the struggles women face in academia, both while students and from the career side of things, it was not enough to carry this novel.

2.5 ⭐️

[Heidi Tiedemann Darroch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at University Park is the first mystery novel by American writer (and emerita professor at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine) Cheryl Miller Dellasega. Due out in August, it's an engaging look at killer campus politics that bogs down occasionally under the weight of the narrator's domestic and professional ordeals. Many thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for the preview.

Set in 1998, when higher ed hadn't yet taken a comprehensive and survivor-focused approach to sexual harassment and academic bullying (okay, I can dream), Miller Dellasega's novel features a likeable protagonist, Dr. Lacey Redd, who will soon be up for tenure in her nutritional studies department.

She's already contending with a department chair who's a sexist bully when her closest friend, Sandy, a lab employee, dies suddenly in the campus library from an overdose. Lacey is convinced it's murder, not suicide or an accident: Sandy had been helping her look into irregularities in the chair's acclaimed and lucrative research.

At home, her two pre-teens are a handful. Lacey isn't getting much support from her husband, who's reverted to the heavy drinking that marked earlier years of their relationship, when he was grieving his parents. His own experience hasn't made him empathetic to Lacey's recent loss, and their marriage is teetering on the brink.

Teaching's not always a haven, either. While Lacey enjoys friendly relationships with her graduate TA and other women on campus, as well as with a select number of her male colleagues, she's often isolated and powerless. Students who are well connected pressure her for grades they don't deserve. Colleagues denigrate her work.

The turning point is a post-New Year's party with required attendance at her chair's house, where the stakes ratchet up significantly for both Lacey's personal and professional survival.

Reading about late 1990s higher ed life is a bit grim: this may be a better pick for people outside of academia who aren't dealing with our current institutional contractions and budgetary crises.

But this is a thoughtful and carefully plotted novel, with the caveat that Lacey's umpteen responsibilities mean that her amateur detecting is squeezed into an already-overfull schedule. Figuring out who killed Sandy often has to recede into the background as Lacey tackles other crises.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so fun to read! The story takes place in 1998, takes you into the life of a regular family and the struggles of career and parenthood. The world of academia is described very well and boy will you feel for Lacey. It will make you wonder if things are better today as women work their way up the ladder at our universities. The murder hits very close to Lacey and her children. She shows what a true friend is as she works to find the killer of her best friend. Looking forward to the next book at University Park!

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Cheryl Miller Dellasega, and She Writes Press | Get Red PR for providing me with a copy of Murder at University Park in exchange for an honest review.

There are two things that should never go together: fighting for tenure... and finding dead bodies. Yet somehow poor Dr. Lacey Redd has to juggle both, because apparently academia wasn't stressful enough already.

Set in 1998, Murder at University Park follows Dr. Lacey Redd as she's working toward earning tenure at her university—a goal that's already competitive enough without murder crashing the faculty meeting. When a colleague turns up dead, and tragedy continues to follow those around her, it becomes painfully obvious that someone has Lacey squarely in their sights. Instead of focusing on lesson plans and committee meetings, she's left trying to figure out who's playing a deadly game before she becomes the next victim.

The premise immediately grabbed my attention. A murder mystery set against the backdrop of university politics sounded like it had all the ingredients for a page-turner. Cheryl Miller Dellasega does a nice job capturing the atmosphere of academia, where egos, rivalries, and career ambitions can become just as dangerous as the killer lurking in the shadows. The pacing kept me engaged, and I never found myself wanting to put the book down.

That said... I kept waiting for the moment.

You know the one.

The jaw-drop.
The "Wait... WHAT?!" moment.
The chapter that makes you sit up, reread the page, and accuse the author of personally attacking your detective skills.

Unfortunately... it never came.

The mystery unfolded in a fairly straightforward way, and I found it pretty easy to predict where things were headed. While that's not necessarily a dealbreaker, I was hoping for a twist that would completely pull the rug out from under me. Instead, the story stayed comfortably on course. It was entertaining, but it never quite reached the level of suspense or shock that I look for in a memorable thriller.

I did enjoy spending time with Lacey, and the blend of campus politics with murder investigation gave the story its own personality. The writing flowed well, and despite the predictability, I was invested enough to see how everything would come together. Sometimes a mystery doesn't have to reinvent the genre to be enjoyable—it just has to tell a solid story, and this one does exactly that.

Final Verdict

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars)

Murder at University Park is a steady, enjoyable mystery with an interesting academic setting and a likable protagonist. While it kept me entertained from beginning to end, it never delivered the shocking twists or edge-of-your-seat suspense I was hoping for. If you enjoy cozy-ish mysteries with university intrigue, a touch of danger, and a straightforward whodunit, this is worth adding to your TBR. For me, it was a good read... I just wish it had given me one of those "I did NOT see that coming!" moments that thriller lovers live for.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and She Writes Press for the ARC.

Murder at University Park was a solid 3 stars. The year is Fall 1998. Lacey Redd is an assistant professor at Mountain State University seeking tenure. She is the first tenure track woman hired in the nutrition department and feels she can be the one to break the glass ceiling. Her normal routine is shattered when her best friend, Sandy Kaye is murdered in the university library. Lacey then embarks on a quest to find her best friend’s killer. Is it one of her colleagues? A current student?

This was a solid 3 stars for me. I found the concept intriguing and had to keep reminding myself it was 1998 and that the world was in different from a technology prospective. I found that the story moved along well enough. However, I found the overall story a little lack and that the climax was very quickly glossed over (who the killer is). It was a quick read, but didn’t leave me wanting more.

[Belinda (Belle) Witzenhausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Murder at University Park by Cheryl Miller Dellasega from Net Galley and Get Red PR in order to read and give an honest review.

… I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys well-written page-turners with driven, authentic characters and plots that truly make a statement…

Set back in 1998, this one introduces us to Dr. Lacey Redd, an academic desperately close to getting tenure but completely at the mercy of Dr. Geoffrey Hart. Hart is your classic misogynistic department head, a stellar reputation on the outside, hiding some seriously dark secrets on the inside. When Lacey gets the chance to work on his research, she starts catching on that he might be falsifying the data.

Luckily, her best friend and tech-whiz colleague, Sandy, steps in to help her dig deeper. But when Sandy suddenly dies under highly suspicious circumstances, Lacey knows it wasn’t an accident. Convinced Sandy was murdered for what she uncovered, Lacey is dead-set on finding justice and bringing Hart and his cronies down.

As she keeps digging, Lacey uncovers an even uglier truth: Hart has been preying on female grad students for years. Things come to a head when he attacks her at a department party, but Lacey isn’t having it, she fights back, leaving him injured and completely exposed. With a new department head stepping in and Hart finally out of the picture, it feels like justice has been served but Lacey still feels something is wrong.

Honestly, what kept me hooked on this academic thriller wasn’t a complex, mind-bending puzzle, but rather its raw, unflinching look at the sad reality of navigating a male-dominated career. Dellasega absolutely nails the toxic side of academic life: the petty politics, the untouchable “old boys” network, and the insidious ways authority is weaponized to silence women.

Dr. Lacey Redd is such a relatable lead, she’s smart, overwhelmed by the stagnant system, and just stubborn enough to push back when everyone else wants her to stay quiet. The true power of this novel is how it tackles institutional dynamics and gendered credibility. The quiet alliances between the women and the almost combative maneuvering feel so authentic and lived in.

Fair warning, though: if you’re looking for a tightly plotted whodunit packed with elaborate misdirection, you might find this one a bit frustrating. The mystery definitely takes a backseat to the characters and the heavy atmosphere, and the final reveal moves a little too quickly. Seasoned thriller readers will probably spot the culprit from a mile away. Even so, the pacing works, and the emotional stakes are incredibly high. Dellasega delivers a sharp, unsettling look at what it actually takes to challenge the power in a system built to protect its own. If you appreciate character-driven suspense and the darker, grittier side of academia, there is a lot to admire here.

I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys well-written page-turners with driven, authentic characters and plots that truly make a statement.

[Elodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book grabbed me right from the beginning! I love academic thrillers, and as someone who considered doing a PhD, but decided not to after being told by female professors how bad academia really is, this book especially appealed to me.

While a death occurs right at the beginning of this story, which is suspected to be a murder, this book isn't really focused on saving that crime. This book is more of a character driven domestic thriller that focuses on power, specifically within institutions and male dominated fields. It looks at who has credibility, who is believed, and whose voices are shut down. In this case, the author specifically looks at power as it relates to women vs men, which was a very prominent issue in academia for a long time (and I would argue still very much is).

With this story being more focused on the above aspects, instead of the death, it felt very much like a drama compared to a thriller. There is a lot going on for Lacey in her personal and professional life, where it seems as if Lacey's life continues to fall apart more and more as the story goes on. While there is nothing wrong with this overall, I personally would have preferred a little more focus on the mystery.

When the mystery finally was solved and the killer reveled, it felt very rushed and glanced over, as opposed to actually feeling like a reveal. I was also a little disappointed that the killer felt very obvious. Perhaps this is because I read a lot of thrillers, but I felt like the killer was obvious from the very beginning, without many red herrings thrown in to make the reader question themselves.

Additionally, the killer doesn't have to face any repercussions or take accountability for their actions in the end. I found this incredibly frustrating, but that's more of a personal preference.

Overall though, this book had really good pacing and I did stay engaged throughout most of the story. I also really appreciated how strong and brave the various female characters are, as well as the importance of women supporting and protecting other women. This was a great glimpse into the world of academia and the struggles many women faced in terms of equality and safety, which is not something often highlighted in fiction.

So, if academic thrillers, especially those that are character driven and filled with drama, I highly recommend you check this out! It releases August 4th!

As a final note, BOOOO to Lacey's husband. He sucked👎🏻 *cues that Tiktok sound that sings "leave your husband, leave, leave your husband*

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at University Park is one of those campus thrillers that slips under your skin from the first page — all humming tension, institutional rot, and that particular late‑90s atmosphere where ambition and danger seem to share the same oxygen. It’s sharp, unsettling, and painfully believable.

Dr Lacey Redd is the kind of protagonist I gravitate toward: brilliant, determined, and quietly exhausted by the compromises academia demands. Tremain‑like in its emotional precision, the novel captures the claustrophobia of a department ruled by a man who has been allowed to believe he is untouchable. Geoffrey Hart is the perfect academic predator — charming when it suits him, vicious when it doesn’t, and protected by a system that rewards his brilliance while ignoring the bodies he leaves in his wake.

The early chapters have a slow, simmering dread as Lacey begins to suspect Hart’s research isn’t just sloppy but deliberately falsified. Her alliance with a tech‑savvy colleague brings a flicker of hope, a sense that truth might actually win — which makes his death in the campus library feel like a blow to the chest. From that moment, the novel shifts into something darker, more urgent, as Lacey realises she’s not just fighting corruption but surviving it.

What struck me most is how the book handles power: the way institutions close ranks, the way women are expected to endure, the way silence becomes a currency. When Hart finally attacks Lacey, the scene is written with such raw clarity that her act of self‑defence feels both terrifying and triumphant. But even with him removed, the danger doesn’t dissipate. Someone else is watching. Someone else has decided she’s a threat.

The result is a thriller that feels grounded, furious, and deeply human. It’s less about the mechanics of a murder and more about the cost of telling the truth in a place built to bury it. Fans of My Dark Vanessa and The Secret History will find plenty to savour here — the moral murkiness, the intellectual intensity, the sense that brilliance can curdle into something monstrous.

Atmospheric, gripping, and quietly devastating, Murder at University Park lingers like the echo of footsteps in an empty corridor long after you’ve turned the final page.

With thanks to Cheryl Miller Dellasega, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Resh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounding up to 3 ⭐️. There were several things I enjoyed about this but there were also some parts that weren’t well articulated. Overall an average read.

Dr. Lacey Redd is struggling with her tenure (tenure is when an assistant professor is evaluated whether they are qualified enough to be promoted to an associate professor providing them with job security - this is a very tedious process). She’s also struggling with a privileged male student who keeps misbehaving in demeaning ways. Things get even more complicated when the renowned Dr. Geoffrey Hart who doesn’t like women to have a place in academia provides Lacey with one of his datasets to work on publications. Lacey discovers that there’s an error in the dataset and tries to work with her friend Sandy to figure things out. Was the data tampered with?

In a devastating turn of events, Sandy is found dead one day which takes a deep toll on Lacey both academically and personally. What actually happened to her? Is Geoffrey behind all of this?

There were several things in this story that I very much appreciated. The story shares blatant sexism in academic spaces and how women are pulled down despite them having better qualifications. It also shares how families with ties use their upper hand to push their privilege when their children actually need to be chucked out for their nasty behavior. Another thing I really appreciated was the storyline of foreign students who are undergoing very heavy situations while struggling to maintain their academic and visa status.

In some parts I did struggle with the characters because of how they react to situations (some were mild compared to the seriousness) and I do think TWs should have been provided especially since there’s SA around the FMC and side characters.

Overall, slightly predictable but I appreciate the author bringing so many deep rooted issues in academia into the story.

Thank you Get red PR books for my ARC. All thoughts my own.

[Deja price · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

Murder at University Park by Cheryl Miller Dellasega
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5

Okayyy so this one was interesting! We follow Lacey, a professor trying to earn tenure while already having to deal with a boss who got on my LAST nerve 😭. Then her friend and coworker is found dead and now Lacey is trying to figure out what actually happened while getting herself wrapped up in even more mess.

One thing I really liked was the university setting. I don’t read a ton of mysteries with this type of setting, so that helped make it different for me. And the fact that we’re in 1998 added to it too. But baby these people were MESSY 😂 Between everything happening at work, Lacey’s personal life, people keeping secrets, and certain people having way too much power, I didn’t know who I wanted to trust. Everybody was getting a little side eye from me 👀.

Now y’all know I like my thrillers to have me STRESSED 😭 and this one wasn’t really that type of read for me. It takes its time getting where it’s going, and there were definitely moments where I was ready for something else to pop off. I also caught onto a few things before Lacey did, so I wasn’t completely shocked by everything. But there were still enough little moments that made me go WAIT A MINUTE 👀 and kept me wanting to see how everything was going to play out.

If you like mysteries with campus drama, messy people, secrets on top of secrets, and a story that slowly starts putting all the pieces together, this one is for you! 📚👀
⭐️ 3.5/5

[Zarah Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at University Park by Cheryl Miller Dellasega was an enjoyable and engaging read, and I appreciated the chance to read an advanced readers copy. The story had a strong academic setting, which gave the mystery a layered and interesting backdrop. I liked the way the author built tension through campus dynamics, personal relationships, and the lingering question of who could be trusted.

For me, this was a solid 3.75-star read. The mystery kept me interested, and there were enough twists to make me want to keep turning the pages. I also appreciated the character-driven elements, especially the way the story explored professional spaces, hidden motives, and the complications that can exist beneath polished academic environments.

That said, there were moments where I wanted the pacing to be a little tighter, and a few parts felt like they could have used more development or sharper transitions. Still, the overall story was compelling, and the atmosphere worked well for a university-set mystery.

Overall, Murder at University Park is a thoughtful and entertaining mystery with a strong setting, intriguing tension, and enough suspense to keep readers invested. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy academic mysteries, character-focused suspense, and murder mysteries with a slower, more layered build.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy mysteries in a university setting I recommend this story. Dr Lacey Redd is trying to balance it all, family, career, friendship, while on the tenure track setting in the late 1990’s. It is a struggle to succeed and be accepted in the old boys network of a university for a woman. Lacey discovers a problem in the data of a prominent study by her department chair Dr Geoffrey Hart. When Sandy, Lacey’s best friend and computer expert, turns up dead after looking at the data, Lacey is determined to discover just what is going on. The more she digs, the more she discovers the University is hiding to protect those with money and power. Will she figure it out before it is too late?

The situations, especially in regards to women struggling to succeed and be believed, are all too realistic. The burying of situations to protect wealthy alumni, donors, and the men involved felt like it was from a headline scandal. It was frustrating that not even Lacey’s husband believed her. The dynamics between the characters was my favorite part, it was identifiable and made the story realistic. The mystery was part of a bigger story and there were enough twists to keep me engaged.

Thanks to GetRed PR for the free, gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[lauren dedinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What To Expect:
- set in 1998
- cat and mouse investigations
- corrupt academic system
- dark academia vibes
- murder mystery

3.75 ⭐️ so i rounded up

i started this book on a stormy day and it was such a vibe! i am kinda mad that it wasnt still storming when i finished because it just added that perfect reading ambiance 😂

murder at university park is such a great quick read and i really enjoyed every minute of it!

it is a slower paced book which i appreciated a lot compared to the quick paced books i have been reading lately. it was the perfect book for a break in that aspect.

the mystery part of the book is what really kept me hooked and intrigued. i think the author did a great job with that. it made me want to read more by the author as well. plus twists didnt make you feel like you were on a jerky roller coaster (if that makes sense😅). they felt natural and i really liked that.

thank you so much getredpr for gifting me a copy of this book and giving me the chance to read and review it! 🫶🏼

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A murder mystery that unveils a disturbing yet often overlook truth in the dark corners of academia. This college town feminist fiction put me right in the crosshairs of a toxic workplace dilemma in addition to marital dissonance. Murder at University Park is an emotionally charged and reflective read with heavy emphasis on gender disparities that resonates well beyond campus grounds.

I immediately felt distraught from all the burden and blow of Lacey Redd. The book succeeded in stirring a cocktail of emotions from angst, hopelessness, to empathy as the FMC copes with loss, family issues, relentless career challenges. At midway, I did struggle with pacing and repetition but the storyline did yield a satisfying twist towards the end.

If you’re in the market for deep relatable themes that prioritize female voices while solving a murder or two, I would recommend this book. Be sure to check the triggers if you don’t mind possible spoilers.

Thank you Get Red PR and She Writes Press for a review copy.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast, easy-to-read murder mystery set on a university campus in the 1990s. I love academic thrillers, so I was immediately intrigued by the fact that most of the characters were professors, administrators, or students.

I think the edge this book has is that the author’s years in the trenches of higher academia make the narrative feel authentic, as if you are walking alongside these characters. She takes a plausible scenario of both corruption, sexual predators, and misogyny, all within the academic system.

There were some twists and turns as Dr. Lacey Redd, an assistant professor, was determined to find an answer to who killed her friend and who might be trying to ruin her career. While the characters, some despicable and others, like Lacey, likable, were more the focal point than even the mystery at times, it worked well for me.

𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 is a quick, suspenseful read, with a strong message, that I think will resonate with many readers.

3.5 🌟 rounded up

Thank you @getredprbooks and @cdellasega_author for this gifted book.

[Julie Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Dr. Lacey Redd is a university professor who is up for tenure at the end of this school year. However, her department head, Geoffery Hart, doesn't believe women should be in academia and privately treats her as such. He gives her a disk drive with the data from his most successful research, encouraging her to try to find her own take on it. All Lacey finds is data that doesn't match the original findings. She enlists her best friend/tech genius, Sandy. When neither woman can figure it out, they plan to meet to look it over together, but Sandy never shows. The next day, when Lacey finds out Sandy was found dead in the library, she knows it was murder, and since the police seem of little help, tries to figure it out on her own. She uncovers even more secrets exist in her department that she ever knew.

I really enjoyed this book. While some things were predictable, I did not see the final twist coming, I was close, but the how got me. Unrelated: her husband was an asshole and not worth her time. He was so rude about her grief and her fear over not making tenure, and she should have kicked him out. Despite the predictability, I really enjoyed spending time with Lacey, and I wouldn't be mad about a second book.

[Christina Egan]

🔪 Book Review 🔪- Murder at University Park by Cheryl Miller Dellasega
I enjoyed this mystery thriller. This was a slow burn mystery that finds Dr. Lacey Redd at a crossroads. She has been working towards obtaining tenure after almost 6 years at Mountainside State University but her Department Chair has told her that he doesn’t support her and has made her life difficult at the school. She suspects that he is falsifying his research and has asked her friend, a computer guru at the school for help. When she ends up being murdered, Lacey knows she must find out the truth and uncovers a sordid past of Dr. Hart which leads to her being in danger. As someone who went to school and obtained a PHD, I enjoyed this dark tale. This book has some twists and suspense. It will be released on August 4, 2026. It is a good summer thriller!

Thank you to Get Red PR, She Writes Press and Cheryl Miller Dellasega for a gifted copy of this book for review.

[carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Fall 1998 at University Park, Dr. Lacey Redd is on track for tenure. Well, sort of. Geoffrey Hart has his eyes set on Lacey and other colleagues who try to defy them, and is protected by the institution due to his power and status at the university. 

When Lacey notices a discrepancy in Hart's research, she does everything in her power to uncover the truth. Until it causes the death of her close friend and colleague, Sandy. 

The mystery itself was intriguing, however the pacing was odd at times, especially when the murderer is revealed. We barely get a glimpse into the murderer, and it feels like an afterthought.

What I thought was extremely well done was how the author portrayed the power imbalance between men and women in academia, and how the institution choses to protect itself over the truth. 

[Meghan ReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to @GetRedPR for the gifted copy of Murder at University Park by Cheryl Dellasega.

A good way to ease into back-to-school season... with murder. 😂

This one immediately caught my attention because it's set in academia, and then I realized it's 1998, when I was in college too. Perfect. I always like books set on college campuses, and setting this one before smartphones gave it a different feel. The mystery unfolds at a slower pace. People have to actually look for answers instead of pulling out a phone, and the tension builds quietly in the background.

There are also themes that still feel familiar today: academic politics, power, ego, and the ways institutions can protect the wrong people. If you go in expecting more of a slow-burn mystery than a twist-after-twist thriller, I think you'll have a good time with this one.

[Sarah Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Murder at University Park, and this book absolutely delivered everything I want in a mystery. From the very beginning, the pacing kept me hooked, and I ended up finishing it in a single day because every chapter made it impossible to stop reading. The late-90s setting added such a strong sense of nostalgia without ever feeling gimmicky, and it created the perfect backdrop for the story’s darker themes.

What stood out most to me, though, was how relevant many of the conversations in this book still feel today. The story explores the way women are dismissed, doubted, and treated within both personal relationships and larger institutions, and it was honestly unsettling how current those themes still are decades later.

The mystery itself was incredibly well done. I was constantly trying to piece everything together, changing my theories every few chapters. Even when I became convinced I had figured it out, the story still managed to surprise me. The twists felt earned rather than thrown in for shock value, which made the ending even more satisfying.

If you love fast-paced mysteries with strong social commentary, compelling characters, and twists that genuinely keep you guessing, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

[booksy.tx.ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Academic pressure.
This was very interesting. It had me interested immediately. The focus begins with the death of a university coworker and friend but blends to be more about female suppression in the university and the overall academic pressure professors are under to perform. The tough topic of female oppression was done in a way that didn’t feel daunting and overtaxed.

The story gives a murder mystery with women’s fiction. Lacey is going through a lot professionally and personally. All these aspects of her life are mixing and creating a turbulence in her life.

I greatly enjoyed the combination of the two. The writing had me connected to Lacey and her troubles.

Come read with me @booksy.tx.ana
ARC from Books Forward PR

[callistoscalling · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Book Review 📖 I will happily interrupt my calm, happy place to read a twisty novel about murder and mystery. Cheryl Miller Dellasega brings a tale that mirrors reality so closely that it’s all the more chilling. Employment is the lifeline of Americans, with everything down to healthcare dependent on it. So that makes the race for status and tenure at the university in a quaint college town a make or break moment for Dr. Lacey Redd.

Murder at University Park has us all questioning how far those in academia will go for their own success. The strange occurrences start small and just keep building, creating a gripping story arc. There is nothing better than a thriller at the beach and this one is a breezy read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

1999 at a University, a young professor, Sandy, is killed and her best friend, Kacey, will not let it go. They both may have found falsified info in a case study that had been presented to the NIH. Seemingly at the middle of their investigation, all points to Dr. Hart.

This seemed to be very rough for the women at the University because they felt they were always looked down on as if women shouldn't be professors and shouldn't be tenured. I was pretty surprised at all that went on in this university and into this inquiry to the death on campus. It really goes to show that we still have a long way to go to believe women in certain matters.

There was even a big shock (I'm not even gonna tell you where) that I did NOT see it going that way and it was 🤯 just whoa!

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Academic thrillers are always so fun! Murder at University Park hooked me from the first page and it didn’t let up. This book was so moody and atmospheric and just so fun. The atmosphere is tense and full of thriller vibes. This is a slow burn, but its captivating and kept me interested. It is slower in the beginning but there is lots of momentum. I really appreciated the writing and the way the author handled some deeper emotions and themes. This is one of those quiet thrillers that will end up taking you by surprise, you won’t want to miss it.


Thank you to @getredprbooks @shewritespress and @cheryldellasega for the free copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Hannah gandara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that is fast paced from the very beginning!

Our FMC Lacey is a professor at a university and begins to suspect that a colleague of hers has falsified some research.
She begins to look into this with another colleague that she considers a close friend.
When her friend is found dead, things become very suspicious… Lacey is not only dealing with the grief of her losing her friend, but also trying to fight for justice for her. Lacey is also dealing with her marriage on the line and students confiding in her.
Things are very twisty from the beginning. And the ending does a great job at bringing it all together.

Thank you get red pr for the early arc of this book!

[Sandra Vd Donk · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder at University Park by Cheryl Miller Dellasega
OUT NOW
Book 1 in the A blue and white series!

We are in the year 1998.
A time things are different then they are now.
In this story we follow Lacey, who is a professor.
Her life is very complicated and her marriage is strained.
Her boss is so to speak "not very nice"
When her friend is found dead she wants to do everything to find the killer.

This read was a good mystery thriller.
In the beginning it was a 1000 pieces puzzle but in the end it all came together.
And because it's a series i really want to read the next one.

Thanks to @netgalley and @shewritespress for my E arc.
I really had a good time!

[Cheri McElroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1988, Lacey Redd is up for tenure. When things go wrong and she suspects her supervisor is falsifying his research, she teams up with her best friend to find the truth. But, her best friend and colleague, Sandy, is murdered. Lacey is on her own to figure out what is happening, and it’s darker than she first thought.

This was an interesting read. I think the reason I’m giving it three stars only is that it’s marketed incorrectly. It’s not a mystery/thriller, but a study of someone preying on female students and the desire for justice.

Thank you to Cheryl Miller Dellasega and Get Red PR for the advanced copy of this book.

[RijaReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

The academic setting and the mystery are what initially hooked me, but unfortunately, this one fell a little short for me.

I felt like we got away from the original murder pretty quickly, and then a bunch of other things started happening that took away from the mystery I was actually interested in. I also figured out who the murderer was pretty early on.

I HATED the FMC’s husband.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t keep me invested enough to want to continue with the series. I don’t think I’ll be picking up book two.

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a book even whispers "dark academia" I will drop everything to read it.

MURDER AT UNIVERSITY PARK is even better than that. Mystery, corrupt leadership, some unreliable characters and a cat and mouse game that will keep you on your toes!

Now wait, this is a very slow paced book, so if you need instant twists, this isnt it. But the way the twists and turns unfold made perfect sense.

A huge thank you to GetRedPR and the author for a copy! Look for it to hit shelves 8/4!

[Sheri P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacey is a professor whose life is quite complicated. Her marriage is strained, her boss is a tyrant and the demands of her job pull her time from her kids. Any woman who works in a male dominated field will relate to Lacey. Set in 1998, it was a reminder of how different technology was back then.
As the story progresses, Lacey uncovers secrets and lies and is determined to uncover the truth even if doing so puts her own life in jeopardy.
The mystery is interesting, if quite predictable.