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The Scholars: A twisty and addictive dark academia murder mystery full of secrets and suspense
Not yet published
Expected 24 Sep 26You'd kill to be one of them.
They'd kill to get out . . .
The Shepherd Scholarship is the most coveted honour Oxford University has to offer, reserved for the extraordinary and exceptional. With all eyes on them, the five new scholars, Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley and Hugo become unlikely allies as they try to prove themselves worthy.
Until one of them turns up dead.
When a secret book proposal is leaked in the aftermath of the tragedy, it threatens the true identities of the four remaining scholars. Soon everything they have worked so hard to conceal starts to unravel. Because there is a murderer amongst them, and they would kill to keep their secret safe.
How far would you go to protect the life you fought for?
They'd kill to get out . . .
The Shepherd Scholarship is the most coveted honour Oxford University has to offer, reserved for the extraordinary and exceptional. With all eyes on them, the five new scholars, Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley and Hugo become unlikely allies as they try to prove themselves worthy.
Until one of them turns up dead.
When a secret book proposal is leaked in the aftermath of the tragedy, it threatens the true identities of the four remaining scholars. Soon everything they have worked so hard to conceal starts to unravel. Because there is a murderer amongst them, and they would kill to keep their secret safe.
How far would you go to protect the life you fought for?
Audible Audio
Expected publication September 24, 2026
About the author
MacKenzie Common
5 books33 followersMacKenzie Common is a Canadian author who was born in Newfoundland, spent most of her childhood in North Bay, Ontario and then at 21 moved to the UK where she lived for twelve years. She has a PhD in Law and worked as an expert on human rights issues in social media content moderation. MacKenzie loves swimming, travelling, paddleboarding, good chocolate, bad TV, Mexican food and comedy. As a child, she was frequently called morbid but she seems to have found a market for that. She currently lives in Alberta, Canada with her partner, two children, and one very spoiled pug.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 26, 2026
There was no way I was passing this book by! The name and front cover instantly drew me in but the story kept me coming back.
It was so addicting to read and I completely fell into the ‘just one more chapter’ trap. I couldn’t stop reading once I picked it up and I needed to know what happened. The desperation to find out how it was all going to end had me tearing through pages and ooof was it a well woven tale.
And that ending!!! Whaaat. Mindwarp!
Set against the backdrop of Oxford (one of my favourite settings for a dark academia vibe) and filled with wholly unlovable yet deeply interesting characters, the plot was entertaining and entirely absorbing. Really glad I picked this one up as I really enjoyed!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It was so addicting to read and I completely fell into the ‘just one more chapter’ trap. I couldn’t stop reading once I picked it up and I needed to know what happened. The desperation to find out how it was all going to end had me tearing through pages and ooof was it a well woven tale.
And that ending!!! Whaaat. Mindwarp!
Set against the backdrop of Oxford (one of my favourite settings for a dark academia vibe) and filled with wholly unlovable yet deeply interesting characters, the plot was entertaining and entirely absorbing. Really glad I picked this one up as I really enjoyed!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *The Scholars* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
*The Scholars* is an atmospheric and addictive dark-academia thriller about ambition, identity and the extraordinary pressure placed on five students selected for Oxford University’s prestigious Shepherd Scholarship. Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley and Hugo arrive knowing that they have been given an opportunity capable of transforming their futures. Despite their very different backgrounds, they gradually become unlikely allies as they attempt to prove that they deserve their places.
However, every scholar is hiding something that could destroy the life they have worked so hard to build. When one of the five is found dead, the remaining students immediately become both suspects and potential targets. The situation becomes even more dangerous when a secret book proposal is leaked, threatening to expose their real identities and reveal the carefully concealed histories they have brought with them to Oxford.
The university setting is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. Oxford’s traditions, privilege and intense academic competition create the perfect backdrop for a story about talented young people who are terrified of losing everything. The scholarship offers access and opportunity, but it also places the students under constant scrutiny. Their success depends not only on their intelligence but on maintaining the versions of themselves they have presented to the institution.
The multiple perspectives work particularly well because none of the scholars completely trusts the others. Each character has a different reason for protecting the scholarship and a secret serious enough to make them appear capable of murder. The inclusion of online discussions, news reports and material connected to the leaked proposal adds variety and allows the mystery to unfold from several angles.
The story moves at a good pace, with frequent revelations and shifting suspicions. At times, the sheer number of secrets and dramatic connections requires some suspension of disbelief, and a few characters could have been explored in greater depth. However, the central mystery remained gripping, and I enjoyed repeatedly reconsidering who was lying, who was in danger and how far each scholar might go to preserve their future.
Overall, *The Scholars* is a clever and entertaining dark-academia mystery with an excellent Oxford setting, morally complicated characters and plenty of betrayal. It explores privilege, reinvention and the fear of having your past exposed, while asking whether a life-changing opportunity is still worth protecting when the price becomes increasingly dangerous.
*The Scholars* is an atmospheric and addictive dark-academia thriller about ambition, identity and the extraordinary pressure placed on five students selected for Oxford University’s prestigious Shepherd Scholarship. Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley and Hugo arrive knowing that they have been given an opportunity capable of transforming their futures. Despite their very different backgrounds, they gradually become unlikely allies as they attempt to prove that they deserve their places.
However, every scholar is hiding something that could destroy the life they have worked so hard to build. When one of the five is found dead, the remaining students immediately become both suspects and potential targets. The situation becomes even more dangerous when a secret book proposal is leaked, threatening to expose their real identities and reveal the carefully concealed histories they have brought with them to Oxford.
The university setting is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. Oxford’s traditions, privilege and intense academic competition create the perfect backdrop for a story about talented young people who are terrified of losing everything. The scholarship offers access and opportunity, but it also places the students under constant scrutiny. Their success depends not only on their intelligence but on maintaining the versions of themselves they have presented to the institution.
The multiple perspectives work particularly well because none of the scholars completely trusts the others. Each character has a different reason for protecting the scholarship and a secret serious enough to make them appear capable of murder. The inclusion of online discussions, news reports and material connected to the leaked proposal adds variety and allows the mystery to unfold from several angles.
The story moves at a good pace, with frequent revelations and shifting suspicions. At times, the sheer number of secrets and dramatic connections requires some suspension of disbelief, and a few characters could have been explored in greater depth. However, the central mystery remained gripping, and I enjoyed repeatedly reconsidering who was lying, who was in danger and how far each scholar might go to preserve their future.
Overall, *The Scholars* is a clever and entertaining dark-academia mystery with an excellent Oxford setting, morally complicated characters and plenty of betrayal. It explores privilege, reinvention and the fear of having your past exposed, while asking whether a life-changing opportunity is still worth protecting when the price becomes increasingly dangerous.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4-5 stars rounded up
Frideswide College, Oxford.
The Shepherd Scholarship is a very coveted award at Oxford University and is awarded to candidates who are considered exceptional, with many going on to achieve great things. This year‘s recipients are Azelle Smuts, Finn Bazille, Dr Hadley Stevenson, Mabel Klopp and Hugo Cartwright, all very different and they don’t necessarily get on until they have to after one of them dies. In addition, it seems that none of them are quite what they seem and maybe ultimately, that will drive them apart or worse.
Dark academia + Oxford = yes, please. I can’t imagine there’s a better place than Oxford for such a novel as the city with its Gothic spires, the beautiful old colleges with their mellow stone, it’s rich history means that it positively oozes atmosphere and the author captures that in spades. She does a fabulous job of making me feel as if I’m there as an observer of all the shenanigans and there are plenty of those.
In my opinion, this is a very compelling and engaging read with the different points of view of the central protagonists adding an extra dimension to their dynamics, their past and deeply submerged secrets and giving each of them a distinct personality. They’re probably not very likeable although I do warm to a couple of them, but darn, they are very intriguing! The attention rises and falls are situations develop and change and the dark mystery continues to deepen. I enjoy the occasional dash of wry humour too, it’s needed to break the taut tension. As for that ending, it knocks me sideways, it’s an absolute cracker. Well played, I love it.
Overall, the novel is hard to put down, it’s very well written and as twisty as.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline, Mountain Leopard Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Frideswide College, Oxford.
The Shepherd Scholarship is a very coveted award at Oxford University and is awarded to candidates who are considered exceptional, with many going on to achieve great things. This year‘s recipients are Azelle Smuts, Finn Bazille, Dr Hadley Stevenson, Mabel Klopp and Hugo Cartwright, all very different and they don’t necessarily get on until they have to after one of them dies. In addition, it seems that none of them are quite what they seem and maybe ultimately, that will drive them apart or worse.
Dark academia + Oxford = yes, please. I can’t imagine there’s a better place than Oxford for such a novel as the city with its Gothic spires, the beautiful old colleges with their mellow stone, it’s rich history means that it positively oozes atmosphere and the author captures that in spades. She does a fabulous job of making me feel as if I’m there as an observer of all the shenanigans and there are plenty of those.
In my opinion, this is a very compelling and engaging read with the different points of view of the central protagonists adding an extra dimension to their dynamics, their past and deeply submerged secrets and giving each of them a distinct personality. They’re probably not very likeable although I do warm to a couple of them, but darn, they are very intriguing! The attention rises and falls are situations develop and change and the dark mystery continues to deepen. I enjoy the occasional dash of wry humour too, it’s needed to break the taut tension. As for that ending, it knocks me sideways, it’s an absolute cracker. Well played, I love it.
Overall, the novel is hard to put down, it’s very well written and as twisty as.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline, Mountain Leopard Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Every year, five exceptional students from the USA, Britain, and the Commonwealth are awarded the coveted Shepherd Scholarship at Oxford University. It’s a programme known for producing world leaders, Nobel Prize winners, and influential voices across the globe.
This year’s group couldn’t be more different. Fin runs a start up supporting people through bereavement; Hugo is the undeserving academic who keeps collecting degrees to keep his parents satisfied; Mabel has devoted herself entirely to charity work; Hadley is absorbed in the past, writing about long forgotten wars; and Azelle, an influencer turned writer, brings a very modern edge to the cohort. Despite their achievements, they show little interest in one another—until one of them falls from a rooftop and dies.
From that moment, everything shifts. Secrets begin to surface—dark, dangerous ones capable of tearing families apart and even toppling a government. Suddenly, these four strangers must rely on each other if they have any hope of clearing their names.
Set against the gothic beauty of Oxford, the novel builds an atmosphere that feels both haunting and irresistible. The multiple perspectives add tension and momentum, revealing just how much each character is hiding. Mackenzie Common gives every one of them a distinct, credible voice, making their flaws and fears feel real.
I found this a thoroughly engaging read, and I’m excited to see what Mackenzie Common writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Headline, and Mountain Leopard Press for the chance to read this ahead of publication.
This year’s group couldn’t be more different. Fin runs a start up supporting people through bereavement; Hugo is the undeserving academic who keeps collecting degrees to keep his parents satisfied; Mabel has devoted herself entirely to charity work; Hadley is absorbed in the past, writing about long forgotten wars; and Azelle, an influencer turned writer, brings a very modern edge to the cohort. Despite their achievements, they show little interest in one another—until one of them falls from a rooftop and dies.
From that moment, everything shifts. Secrets begin to surface—dark, dangerous ones capable of tearing families apart and even toppling a government. Suddenly, these four strangers must rely on each other if they have any hope of clearing their names.
Set against the gothic beauty of Oxford, the novel builds an atmosphere that feels both haunting and irresistible. The multiple perspectives add tension and momentum, revealing just how much each character is hiding. Mackenzie Common gives every one of them a distinct, credible voice, making their flaws and fears feel real.
I found this a thoroughly engaging read, and I’m excited to see what Mackenzie Common writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Headline, and Mountain Leopard Press for the chance to read this ahead of publication.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My first impression of this book was that it’s giving Olivie Blake energy but with clearer explanations and less aggressively flowery monologues. Every single character in this book is twisted beyond help and morally questionable.
We’ve got five students who won these Shepherd Scholarships to study at Oxford, until one of them mysteriously ends up dead.
The multi-POVs were genuinely one of the strongest parts of the book for me. We’ve got four unreliable narrators, which constantly makes you second-guess people’s motives and loyalties. Well, almost everyone. Not to brag but apparently my intuition is terrifyingly powerful and I clocked one major twist VERY early on. The red herrings weren’t convincing enough for me to fully suspect the others. Standing ovation for my detective skills, please.
That being said, there were still plenty of twists that kept the story engaging, and the pacing made this super easy to binge. Also, the news reports sprinkled throughout the story were such a good touch. They made everything feel more immersive and added this chilling tension hanging over the mystery the entire time.
And the ending was FOUL. This one particular manipulative character was so deeply sick in the head I fear they need therapy immediately.
Overall, this was such a fun and thrilling read. Predictable in some places for me personally, but still wildly entertaining nonetheless.
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Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC!
We’ve got five students who won these Shepherd Scholarships to study at Oxford, until one of them mysteriously ends up dead.
The multi-POVs were genuinely one of the strongest parts of the book for me. We’ve got four unreliable narrators, which constantly makes you second-guess people’s motives and loyalties. Well, almost everyone. Not to brag but apparently my intuition is terrifyingly powerful and I clocked one major twist VERY early on. The red herrings weren’t convincing enough for me to fully suspect the others. Standing ovation for my detective skills, please.
That being said, there were still plenty of twists that kept the story engaging, and the pacing made this super easy to binge. Also, the news reports sprinkled throughout the story were such a good touch. They made everything feel more immersive and added this chilling tension hanging over the mystery the entire time.
And the ending was FOUL. This one particular manipulative character was so deeply sick in the head I fear they need therapy immediately.
Overall, this was such a fun and thrilling read. Predictable in some places for me personally, but still wildly entertaining nonetheless.
════════════════════════
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A gripping, fast paced, engaging thriller that had me guessing from the start.
We follow 5 students who have each won one of the 5 prestigious Shepherd Scholarships to study at Oxford University. One day one of them ends up dead, and a manuscript reveals that each of them are hiding something. Queue the investigation into the death and what really happened, with the others desperate to clear their names and their reputations.
I liked the inclusion of the online chat rooms, the news reports and the flashbacks. I thought this made it feel more like I was included in the investigation. I also liked that we had chapters from all of the scholars perspectives, especially as they did not trust each other, we could see what each of them were thinking and delve more into their history’s and the secrets they were hiding.
I didn’t want to put the book down as I really wanted to know who the killer was and I was engaged with all the reveals and twists and turns we kept learning throughout the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
We follow 5 students who have each won one of the 5 prestigious Shepherd Scholarships to study at Oxford University. One day one of them ends up dead, and a manuscript reveals that each of them are hiding something. Queue the investigation into the death and what really happened, with the others desperate to clear their names and their reputations.
I liked the inclusion of the online chat rooms, the news reports and the flashbacks. I thought this made it feel more like I was included in the investigation. I also liked that we had chapters from all of the scholars perspectives, especially as they did not trust each other, we could see what each of them were thinking and delve more into their history’s and the secrets they were hiding.
I didn’t want to put the book down as I really wanted to know who the killer was and I was engaged with all the reveals and twists and turns we kept learning throughout the book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Scholars is a story set in the atmospheric environs of Oxford University, where a group of five young (over)achievers come to study under an extremely prestigious scholarship. The only problem is, most of them have pretty problematic secrets, and one of them is a social media influencer who has decided to write a novel, basing her characters on her fellow scholarship students.
Unsurprisingly, this creates tensions between them, and eventually the pressure cooker explodes. In the aftermath, the aforementioned secrets begin to emerge, and pretty soon it is clear that, prestige or no prestige, the reputation of this particular scholarship will never be the same again...
The strength of this particular novel is that it takes a familiar trope and creates something fresh, atmospheric and well written. Effortlessly scoring 3.5 stars (it would have been higher if it weren't for some inconsistencies in the characters' behaviour - especially Mabel's interactions with Azelle versus Finn), this one is worth checking out.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Unsurprisingly, this creates tensions between them, and eventually the pressure cooker explodes. In the aftermath, the aforementioned secrets begin to emerge, and pretty soon it is clear that, prestige or no prestige, the reputation of this particular scholarship will never be the same again...
The strength of this particular novel is that it takes a familiar trope and creates something fresh, atmospheric and well written. Effortlessly scoring 3.5 stars (it would have been higher if it weren't for some inconsistencies in the characters' behaviour - especially Mabel's interactions with Azelle versus Finn), this one is worth checking out.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This dark academia mystery is set in Oxford. Five elite students are chosen for The Shepherd's Scholarship. Mabel Klopp, Azelle Smuts, Finn Bazille, Hadley Stevenson and Hugo Cartwright. As part of the scholarship, they are required to attend a weekly Shepherd Scholar dinner. This allows the author to have regular meetings where the five are forced to interact, and this works well. However, when one of the five is found dead, attention and scrutiny turn to the other four. Was the death an accident, as is first thought, or something more suspicious?
It turns out that all of the scholars have secrets that were about to be revealed. In this world of social media, online judgments and communication, the four remaining scholars are forced into shifting alliances to try to uncover what is known about them and try to control the narrative. I really enjoyed this novel, and thought that the characters were interesting and the plot had a number of twists. If you do like mysteries in an academic setting, then you will enjoy this. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
It turns out that all of the scholars have secrets that were about to be revealed. In this world of social media, online judgments and communication, the four remaining scholars are forced into shifting alliances to try to uncover what is known about them and try to control the narrative. I really enjoyed this novel, and thought that the characters were interesting and the plot had a number of twists. If you do like mysteries in an academic setting, then you will enjoy this. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book has been interesting to read. This book is set in Frideswide College Oxford. Five candidates are offered a year’s placement in The Shepherd Scholarship. These are chosen as it is thought they would achieve more than they had already with the University’s support. The five are of completely different characters and do not gel in the beginning. They also come from different countries so have different views on many things. They have special dinners and it is at these that their true characters surface. Something happens (no spoilers) and one of the group dies in tragic circumstances. This leads to speculation and in the investigations it is found that there is a manuscript outlining all the skeletons in the cupboard of the other four. This leads to more drama between them and they become obsessed in finding out the truth of what happened to the one that died and if the stories are true regardless of who gets hurt along the way. I could not particularly take to the characters but I would guess this is part of why the book is good as you do not know who to feel sorry for or dislike in equal measure. The ending – well I did not expect that
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Sadly this didn't work for me...
Oxford - tick - one of my favourite places anywhere
Academics - tick - yes - have spent the last thirty years or so in this world - many friends, past relationships etc
Murder - well, Yes - much of what I read is detective fiction
But - although I visit Oxford as often as possible - up to four times a year on average - I really didn't 'recognise' it from this. My favourite pub was name-checked, as was the ice-cream parlour which I head for each visit, but something seemed to be missing here
None of the characters evoked any empathy - in fact I might well have added to the body count much earlier in the story!
It is well written and not over-long, but at the end of the day I wondered quite what the point was. The scholarship scheme was thinly disguised but would ANY of the five scholars have made it through the selection process?
My apologies to the author - I loved the previous book [Daphne St Clair] but, as I say, this didn't work for me
Oxford - tick - one of my favourite places anywhere
Academics - tick - yes - have spent the last thirty years or so in this world - many friends, past relationships etc
Murder - well, Yes - much of what I read is detective fiction
But - although I visit Oxford as often as possible - up to four times a year on average - I really didn't 'recognise' it from this. My favourite pub was name-checked, as was the ice-cream parlour which I head for each visit, but something seemed to be missing here
None of the characters evoked any empathy - in fact I might well have added to the body count much earlier in the story!
It is well written and not over-long, but at the end of the day I wondered quite what the point was. The scholarship scheme was thinly disguised but would ANY of the five scholars have made it through the selection process?
My apologies to the author - I loved the previous book [Daphne St Clair] but, as I say, this didn't work for me
June 1, 2026
After absolutely loving MacKenzie Common's previous work, I went into The Scholars with very high expectations. Unfortunately, this one didn't quite reach the same heights for me.
There were definitely elements I enjoyed, particularly the atmosphere and some of the character dynamics, but I found the story dragged in places and felt longer than it needed to be. At times, I struggled to stay fully engaged and kept waiting for the plot to really come together.
That said, the ending almost made up for it. The final page delivered a moment that genuinely caught my attention and left me thinking about the book after I'd finished. It's rare for a single page to elevate my overall impression, but that was certainly the case here.
While The Scholars wasn't a standout read for me, there was still plenty to appreciate, and I'll happily continue picking up MacKenzie Common's books in the future. This one simply didn't resonate with me as strongly as their previous work.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC
There were definitely elements I enjoyed, particularly the atmosphere and some of the character dynamics, but I found the story dragged in places and felt longer than it needed to be. At times, I struggled to stay fully engaged and kept waiting for the plot to really come together.
That said, the ending almost made up for it. The final page delivered a moment that genuinely caught my attention and left me thinking about the book after I'd finished. It's rare for a single page to elevate my overall impression, but that was certainly the case here.
While The Scholars wasn't a standout read for me, there was still plenty to appreciate, and I'll happily continue picking up MacKenzie Common's books in the future. This one simply didn't resonate with me as strongly as their previous work.
Big thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC
May 31, 2026
This ticked a lot of boxes, with a dark academia feel and the whole murder mystery plot. I really enjoy the authors writing style and the story moved along at a good pace. It kept me interested until the very end with some good plot twists. The characters were all pretty unlikeable but I still wanted to know what happened. I enjoyed the different point of views and the inclusion of Reddit and news articles provided more insight.
There were some inconsistencies that stuck with me. You definitely need to suspend belief regarding the scholarship, obviously these 5 students weren’t properly vetted. Also I found it hard to believe that a prestigious university like Oxford wouldn’t have had more interaction with the students after the first ‘accident’ (murder) and how they managed to continue with their studies following it.
However overall it was a really enjoyable read and I look forward to more books from this author.
Thank you to net galley and the publishers for the ARC.
There were some inconsistencies that stuck with me. You definitely need to suspend belief regarding the scholarship, obviously these 5 students weren’t properly vetted. Also I found it hard to believe that a prestigious university like Oxford wouldn’t have had more interaction with the students after the first ‘accident’ (murder) and how they managed to continue with their studies following it.
However overall it was a really enjoyable read and I look forward to more books from this author.
Thank you to net galley and the publishers for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a good book! I loved the dark academia vibes. We follow 5 scholars who are all amazing and got chosen to receive a scholarship at Oxford university. But things take a turn when one of the dies. The death puts the spotlight on the scholars and their secrets are revealed one by one. Honestly, I was hooked from the beginning. I really like how mysterious and suspenseful this story was. I wasn’t certain of how the death happened up until the end and even then I was very shocked. The last pages made my jaw dropped wow. Such a good ending. Overall, this is a great dark academia mystery that is very intriguing. It was able to keep my attention and just made me want to know what happened. What secrets are they hiding. I definitely recommend this book !
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5
This was a solid 3.5/5, but I was expecting a little more oomph to this.
This is a dark academia story (set at a university) that follows a group of students in a specific program. And people start to get murdered and this group is trying to figure out who is doing it.
Weirdly, I was really invested in this story while also finding some aspects and moments to be rather slow. I was intrigued, but it was a bit monotone. Maybe that's a writing style thing? But I don't think so. I think it had to do with how the story was laid out and gone through.
But overall, I still enjoyed it and would still recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This was a solid 3.5/5, but I was expecting a little more oomph to this.
This is a dark academia story (set at a university) that follows a group of students in a specific program. And people start to get murdered and this group is trying to figure out who is doing it.
Weirdly, I was really invested in this story while also finding some aspects and moments to be rather slow. I was intrigued, but it was a bit monotone. Maybe that's a writing style thing? But I don't think so. I think it had to do with how the story was laid out and gone through.
But overall, I still enjoyed it and would still recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐½
The Scholars is a great murder mystery that really pulls you into the lives of its characters. With multiple POVs, we get to know each of them really well, including their individual backstories, and I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together.
But the best part? You seriously can’t trust any of them! Just when you think you’ve figured someone out, another layer is revealed and you’re left questioning everyone.
I really enjoyed the different perspectives and the character development throughout. While it didn’t completely blow me away, it was an entertaining and twisty mystery that kept me guessing.
The Scholars is a great murder mystery that really pulls you into the lives of its characters. With multiple POVs, we get to know each of them really well, including their individual backstories, and I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together.
But the best part? You seriously can’t trust any of them! Just when you think you’ve figured someone out, another layer is revealed and you’re left questioning everyone.
I really enjoyed the different perspectives and the character development throughout. While it didn’t completely blow me away, it was an entertaining and twisty mystery that kept me guessing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.
I love a good mystery book and thoroughly enjoyed this one in which we meet five scholarship students who all seemingly have a secret they are desperate to keep. When one of them dies suspicion immediately falls on the remaining four but just who is telling the truth and how far will they go to keep their secrets safe?
The plot in this book is well paced and I loved the character development throughout.
I would definitely recommend this book to other mystery fans.
I love a good mystery book and thoroughly enjoyed this one in which we meet five scholarship students who all seemingly have a secret they are desperate to keep. When one of them dies suspicion immediately falls on the remaining four but just who is telling the truth and how far will they go to keep their secrets safe?
The plot in this book is well paced and I loved the character development throughout.
I would definitely recommend this book to other mystery fans.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was my first book by MacKenzie Common so I wasn't sure what to expect. For the first few chapters I wasn't convinced I was going to like the story. Just a group of teenagers with overinflated egos. However, when the secrets start coming out things begin to get interesting. The characters are really well developed. I especially liked Finn and his lies. I'm sure even he wasn't sure who he was anymore! I didn't manage to guess the killer and I certainly wasn't expecting the final twist! All told an excellent read once it gets going.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oxford University, a highly prestigious international scholarship, five successful candidates each with their own secrets – this can only end in murder.
A great page turner of a thriller which, despite revealing snippets of the individual histories of the scholars throughout, could go in any direction keeping you guessing right up until the end.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.
A great page turner of a thriller which, despite revealing snippets of the individual histories of the scholars throughout, could go in any direction keeping you guessing right up until the end.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oxford and dark academia!!! Loved getting lost in the atmospheric setting, the secrets, the twists, and all the wonderfully complicated characters. The characters are not exactly people you’d trust with your life, but they were very interesting to read about. I was constantly trying to figure out what was really going on and missed out on some sleep to finish this book...5 stars! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
July 24, 2026
I was really excited to receive the arc from NetGalley as I loved this authors previous book.
However I did feel that this book was directed towards a much younger audience. The story overall was quite good but a bit predictable and lacking in tension and mystery.
The story was like a long drawn out episode of traitors, everyone second guessing each other and hiding their own agendas while suspecting anyone involved.
Not the worst but not as good as expected.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the arc 📖
However I did feel that this book was directed towards a much younger audience. The story overall was quite good but a bit predictable and lacking in tension and mystery.
The story was like a long drawn out episode of traitors, everyone second guessing each other and hiding their own agendas while suspecting anyone involved.
Not the worst but not as good as expected.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the arc 📖
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oxford University. Five select students. Multiple secrets, lies and even murder.
I enjoyed this story and the characters - all loathable but compelling - but especially the Oxford setting. Common manages to capture the majesty and eerieness of the city's spires, weaving a tangled web of complicated relationships and histories as the scholars progress through their studies.
Fans of dark academia will enjoy this one.
I enjoyed this story and the characters - all loathable but compelling - but especially the Oxford setting. Common manages to capture the majesty and eerieness of the city's spires, weaving a tangled web of complicated relationships and histories as the scholars progress through their studies.
Fans of dark academia will enjoy this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 students gain a prestigious scholarship for Oxford University. Each student has secrets in their past they wish to keep hidden. When one of the scholars dies, questions are asked and secrets are revealed. The biggest question is was it an accident or was it murder, and if so, who did it? A gripping and thrilling dark academia novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not okay.
First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
And let's talk about this book. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING??? LIKE, IS THIS REAL???
When I was about 30% into the book, I was so excited. The characters, their backgrounds, and the way the author wrote each personality had me hooked. Some characters pissed me off (in a good way) because I felt so immersed in the story. I was stressed, annoyed, and emotionally invested. The author did a great job making every character feel deep and well-developed. And i love their backstories
But I can't deny that around 30%–70%, I started getting bored. The pacing felt slow at times, and some parts felt stagnant, like there wasn't much progress in the plot. However, once I reached 70%–100%, I couldn't stop thinking,
WHO IS THE KILLER? (I even had a list of suspects.) It was so much fun trying to figure everything out. What happened? Why did they do it? Who was responsible?
And the ending???
I literally stared at the wall.
Like. Noooooooo
THIS CANNOT BE THE ENDING. AUTHOR, PLEASE. I NEED MORE. DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THAT. 😭😫😫😫😫😫😫
Even though I wanted more, the ending was satisfying.
First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
And let's talk about this book. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING??? LIKE, IS THIS REAL???
When I was about 30% into the book, I was so excited. The characters, their backgrounds, and the way the author wrote each personality had me hooked. Some characters pissed me off (in a good way) because I felt so immersed in the story. I was stressed, annoyed, and emotionally invested. The author did a great job making every character feel deep and well-developed. And i love their backstories
But I can't deny that around 30%–70%, I started getting bored. The pacing felt slow at times, and some parts felt stagnant, like there wasn't much progress in the plot. However, once I reached 70%–100%, I couldn't stop thinking,
WHO IS THE KILLER? (I even had a list of suspects.) It was so much fun trying to figure everything out. What happened? Why did they do it? Who was responsible?
And the ending???
I literally stared at the wall.
Like. Noooooooo
THIS CANNOT BE THE ENDING. AUTHOR, PLEASE. I NEED MORE. DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THAT. 😭😫😫😫😫😫😫
Even though I wanted more, the ending was satisfying.
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