The Scholars: An addictive dark academia murder mystery full of secrets and suspense

by MacKenzie Common

'A twisty tale that takes us into the rarefied, ruthless world of an Oxford college' CLAIRE McGOWAN



Readers can't put down The Scholars!




'Twisty, atmospheric . . . kept me guessing right until the end. A perfect read for autumn' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


'Quintessential dark academia - moody, mysterious, and a little dangerous' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


'I've literally raced through this, it was truly unputdownable' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


'I loved every page! If you only buy one dark academia novel this year, make it The Scholars' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐





You'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?


🎓🎓🎓


'The Scholars is full of dark secrets and twisted lies. Set in the rarefied world of an Oxford college, the characters are brilliantly drawn, and the ending . . . jaw-dropping! I loved it' SASKIA SARGINSON


'I devoured The Scholars in two sittings . . . It's brilliantly written, with characters that you can literally see in front of you. The mystery keeps you guessing and turning those pages, and the reveal is a shocker. Wonderful' T.M. PAYNE


'An addictive and deftly plotted dark academia murder mystery with a startling sting in the tail' LISA WALKER


'Hugely atmospheric . . . a novel full of dark secrets, complex characters and personal demons' SARAH EASTER-COLLINS




🎓🎓🎓

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Dark Academia

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2026

About the author

MacKenzie 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.

Reviews

[Christian Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must begin by saying this book left me disappointed and it isn't only because my last dark academia read was The Secret History. Books like that one are few and far between.

The premise of this book is good. Five scholars come to Oxford and one of them dies in a tragic accident. Or was it a murder? It is soon revealed that each of the scholars have something to hide and any or all of them could have a motive to kill.

I also really enjoyed the backstory of one of the book's main characters. Hadley's story was believable and well developed. The others were not and I wish they had been. The book would have been better for it.

My main reasons for giving this book such a low rating are:

1. I didn't find the characters' actions and choices believable, and

2. It was too easy to figure out the identity of the killer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for and advance reading copy of the book.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five post-grads have been accepted onto the prestigious Shepherd Scholars programme in Oxford. Each are extraordinary in their own way but when one of their number dies and further revelations are disclosed, the four remaining Scholars turn on each other. They are all desperate to protect their reputation and future but will the real culprit be found before another death occurs?

I was intrigued by the original premise of the novel but when I began reading it had echoes of The Final Six by Akinari Asakura which I read earlier this year - brilliant young things all fighting each other while trying to keep their own lies from being discovered = lots of suspicion and further murders.

However the characters never really felt believable (except maybe Hadley). I certainly didnt like any of them and so when one of them was killed I wasn't even particularly intrigued about whodunnit.

It does feel quite circuitous and the only reslly interesting bits, for me, were the revelations and how they were disclosed along with the epilogue.

Not really for me but an acceptable read if you like a murder mystery set in academia.

NB: the actual history of Frideswide Church along with the St Scholastica Day Riots are both truly interesting so I'm grateful to Mackenzie Common for highlighting two fascinating historical sites/events.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Marta Juncosa at Headline for the digital review copy.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having enjoyed MacKenzie Common’s previous book, The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair, about a ninety-year-old woman looking back on her life as a serial killer, I was interested in trying her new one, another crime novel this time set at Oxford University.

The Scholars follows five students who are awarded Oxford’s coveted Shepherd Scholarship, an award given only to the most exceptional candidates each year, many of whom go on to become world leaders in their fields. This year’s Shepherd Scholars consist of Azelle, a social media influencer from South Africa; Mabel, a young Canadian woman who runs a charity providing clean water to remote villages in India; Hugo, the son of a prominent British politician; and two Americans, Hadley, a history academic who is researching pogroms and riots, and Finn, who is developing an AI grief counselling service.

The five students seem to have very little in common and tensions develop within the group almost immediately. When one of them is killed after falling from a roof, it’s unclear whether or not it was an accident, but rumours quickly begin to circulate that they were pushed – and that one of the other four Shepherd Scholars was responsible. Then it emerges that the dead student has left behind a proposal for a book they were planning to write, featuring four fictional characters with strong resemblances to the four remaining Scholars. If the book had been published, it would have revealed secrets the Scholars have been trying to keep hidden. All four have a strong motive for the murder, then, but which, if any, was the culprit?

The story unfolds from the perspectives of each of the four students, all of whom are unreliable narrators, hiding their pasts from each other and from the reader, until it becomes impossible to keep things secret any longer. Their secrets are terrible ones – the kind that can ruin reputations and careers – and this raises some interesting questions about the integrity of the scholarships, the vetting process and whether candidates should be judged on their current achievements or whether their personal histories should be taken into account. I didn’t like any of the four surviving students and we probably weren’t supposed to, but there were two that I eventually began to warm to slightly and two that I didn’t. I suspected one character of being the killer from early in the book and was correct to suspect them – although a twist right at the end turned everything on its head again!

Although there were things I liked about this book, there were also some things I had problems with. First, once the murder took place I would have expected more involvement from the police and the university, yet the four students just seem to be left to continue their studies as if nothing had happened and even after their secrets are exposed the police still don’t come to speak to them regarding motives etc. The only investigations we see being carried out are by the four students themselves and random people discussing the case on social media. I also felt that although there are some nice descriptions of the city of Oxford, the university setting never really comes to life.

After a slow start, I became drawn into the story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if there had been even one character I could have liked or connected with in some way. I preferred MacKenzie Common’s previous book, but will still be looking out for her next one.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be a Shepherd Scholar is the most coveted honour at Oxford University & this year the five students are Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley, & Hugo. They don't have much in common apart from the Scholarship & when one of them is killed, the other four find themselves in the firing line. Initially thought to be an accident or suicide, it seems that before their death the student had written a book proposal (which is leaked online after their death) based on the lives of four students who have shocking secrets. The students are obviously the remaining Shepherd Scholars, & now everyone else is wondering - what are those secrets & would they kill to keep them?

I wasn't sure about this one at the start. The main characters are all deliberately unlikeable at first & it was a bit slow to get going, but following the death, things picked up. The reader hears from four of the five students over the book & the ending was a real WTH! (in a good way). The author has created five complicated, unlikeable characters but also made them feel real rather than caricatures. The setting (Oxford) really appealed to me & I enjoyed the slow reveal of what each student was hiding. Twisty & addictive.

SUMMARY:
Plot: 4/5 - Solid plot but that ending was a real 'WTH!' (in a good way).
Writing Style: 4/5 - Author created complicated, unlikeable characters but also made them feel real rather than caricatures.
Enjoyment: 4/5 - The setting of Oxford university appealed to me & I enjoyed the revealing of what each student was hiding. Twisty & addictive.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Headline / Mountain Leopard Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

TWs:mention of suicide, death, murder, bullying, toxic friendships & relationships, sexual content

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

How far would you go to protect the life you fought so hard for?

Moody, atmospheric and utterly consuming, this is dark academia at its finest.

Set within Oxford, the story follows five scholarship recipients trying to prove themselves worthy, when tragedy strikes and one of them is found dead.

What follows is a slow unravelling of secrets as the four remaining students realise they'll do anything to protect what they've worked so hard for.

I loved that the characters are deliberately unlikable in their own distinct way, and yet I couldn't stop reading about them. The multiple points of view work brilliantly, letting the dark truths surface bit by bit as loyalties shift and trust runs thin.

This twisty, atmospheric mystery kept me reading into the wee small hours, and just when I thought I had it figured out, the reveal totally shocked me. An absolute must-read for autumn!

My thanks to Netgalley and Headline for an ARC. All views are my own.

[Chlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was twisty, atmospheric and had characters so terrible you kind of love them. It kept me guessing right until the end and I loved the end itself!!
The characters were so complex, flawed but also had redeeming qualities- they were written so intricately. A perfect read for autumn.

[Mona Sami · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[UKDana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five brilliant scholars are awarded postgraduate scholarships to Oxford University. The scholarships are a stepping stone to greatness; recipients go on to be leaders in their field, Nobel prize winners, and even world leaders. This year's students have all the hallmarks of greatness, until one of them dies mysteriously and secrets are uncovered.

Last year I read The Six Murders Of Daphne St Clair, a riveting story of a 90-year-old serial killer who suddenly decides to confess. When I was offered the opportunity to read MacKenzie Common's new novel, The Scholars, I leapt at the chance.

I find that the genre of dark academia can be very hit and miss; much of the time, it is down to the accessibility of the writing. I want something that grabs my attention quickly, keeps me engrossed, and is easy to read. Luckily, MacKenzie Common manages to do all of this in her latest offering. We are introduced to the protagonists immediately; Azelle, Finn, Hadley, Mabel, and Hugo are all shining lights in their respective fields and have their feet planted firmly in the modern world.

Not long after we meet the five students, one of them is dead, the result of a fall. Initially, it is assumed that it was a tragic accident. However, when it is revealed that the individual was going to disclose extremely dark secrets about at least one of the other scholars, all thoughts turn to the possibility of murder.

I found my feelings for the characters swing wildly. Initially, I found them condescending, as if there was some kind of competition to see who was the most deserving among them. Following the accident, I was sympathetic as they were collectively treated with suspicion. As rumors swirled, my skepticism went into overdrive, wondering which of the remaining four could be trusted. The use of message board posts within the narrative is used effectively to slowly reveal lies and deceit. Not only did I begin to doubt the amazing claims made by each scholar, but we also witnessed the characters begin to turn on each other.

The author keeps you in suspense regarding the identity of the murderer until the very end, and then produces a sublime twist, thoroughly in keeping with the nature of all the characters involved.

If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/

or follow me on:-
Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
Instagram; @reading_for_leisure_blog

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is one of death, secrets, privilege, and tradition.

Only a group of 5 students are accepted into the prestigious Shepherd's Scholars program at Oxford University; they are Mabel, Azelle, Finn, Hadley and Hugo. A mixed bunch, with varying backgrounds. When Azelle falls from a window and dies, speculation is rife: she was a social media influencer, lived her life online, and everything was documented. Then a book proposal that she had been working on is released, and everything changes.

Rather than being the elite and the best, the scholar's secrets are let out, not the best of the best at all, not worthy of such a prestigious opportunity. Joining together, they form two groups to try and get to the bottom of what happened.

I will admit that this took me a while to get into, but after several chapters I finally got going and was in its grip. It is quite a complex story that has lots of moving parts. I think if I had been able to read a big chunk at the start, I would have been more drawn into it, but work and life meant I only read a few chapters at a time.

The story is one that did find me gripped as things started to emerge about the students' lives, their pasts and the secrets that they held. The author created a sense of fear in her characters as they wondered when and if their own devious pasts would be revealed. This gave a good sense of suspicion and suspense.

This is an intense read and fits into the genre of dark academia very well, although it is not a genre I have read much of. It has a certain amount of psychological thriller feel to it as well as mystery and suspense. Overall a very good book once I got into it and one I would be happy to recommend.

[Paula Sterling-Stead · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.


════════════════════════

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC!

[what ila reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, Mountain Leopard Press and the author for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
- Dark academia
- Murder mysteries
- Multi-pov thrillers
- Twists and turns that keep you guessing til the very end

A murder mystery thriller with dark academia elements set in Oxford? I'm sold, this is exactly what I was looking for and I've literally raced through this, it was truly unputdownable.

It took me a few chapters to properly get into the story and get used to the different characters and switching povs, but once I did it was really impossible to stop reading, I found myself starting chapter after chapter and picking the book up at random times during the day just to read some more. The pace is perfect and the story is addictive.

The characters are extremely well-developed, you learn to hate them and the multi-pov structure truly kept me guessing till the very end (and what an ending!! Wow).

I also really appreciated the inclusion of other media, like Reddit posts, book excerpts, press releases. This book managed to be a compelling twisty thriller while also diving head first into so many topics and issues: from grief to abuse, rehabilitation and complicated family relationships to influencers and family vloggers.

[Cally · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Mrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Dave Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read full of intrigue twists so definitely a gripping read.

5 Scholars at Oxford, all on a unique scholarship (the Shepherd Sholarship) celebrating its 100th anniversary, only this might just be the most controversial of them all, even if that isn't obvious to start with. When 1 dies and the truth behind the others begins to emerge the action really notches up, and its already started really well . Each one has secrets (always a good reference or starting point for a thriller). They are definitely a mixed bunch but how will they or do they connect is part of the fun of life. As the mysteries deepens each one hoping their secrets aren't exposed knowing that the truth may already be out there makes the dynamics awesome.

It's well writen with great storylines for each character and plenty of twists that keeps you guessing to the end of the book plus what an ending but for the full effect you definitely can't jump to it 1st it really won't work. One of the best endings I've read in a while definitely a 5star read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Dark and mysterious good trademarks for a physiological thriller I believe

[Jen James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Scholars features five incredibly gifted Oxford students, Mabel, Azelle, Hugo, Finn and Hadley. They are collectively known as The Shepherd Scholars, a highly exclusive scholarship, the most exceptional of the most elite. Tragically one of them dies, swiftly followed by details that the remaining four would like to remain hidden. Outwardly, the world is at their feet, inwardly, they are desperately hiding their darkest secrets.

The narration switches to and from, between the perspectives of the four remaining students. As we learn more of each of them, we see their nervousness of their pasts being uncovered. As their backstories were revealed, I liked them less and less, with just one exception.

I really enjoyed The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair, the author’s previous book, which was equally as dark and warped. The Scholars didn’t grab me quite as much sadly, possibly because I didn’t like any of the characters as much as I loved the wicked, but entertainingly glorious Daphne.

The Scholars wasn’t for me, I can’t quite put finger on why; though I’m sure many other readers will love this dark academia read, so I am giving 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4⭐️

[Misty Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sandrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a dark academia mystery, so I was definitely excited to read this one. It focuses on a group of five students at Oxford who have been selected for the coveted Shepherd Scholarship. All of them harbor problematic secrets (of course), and when one of them turns up dead, the tension begins to mount. This is a well-written novel with an intriguing premise told from various POVs. Unfortunately, none of the main characters are all that likable, and although the storyline has its share of twists and turns, parts of it seemed to move much too slowly making the novel seem longer than it was. The ending, however, was a pretty satisfying one and helped make this a good and entertaining read overall Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scholars is a fun, mysterious novel in a truly atmospheric setting: Oxford University. The four Shepherd Scholars have been awarded a prestigious scholarship… but all of them have secrets. When one of them dies, the other three suspect that one of them is to blame and each begin to investigate.

This is a good book for luring you in and encouraging you to read another chapter. I predicted some of what happened but there was plenty of surprises along the way and I really enjoyed the setting which sort of become its own character, in a way.

I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time, though it was entertaining with a variety of main characters - so worth a read if you fancy something dark and set in the academic world.

3.25 stars

[Kate Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐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.

[Louise Ridout · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an arc of this in exchange for my honest views.

I found this all a bit average if I’m honest, and my main takeaway is that it felt a lot more YA genre than a mystery or thriller.

The positives were that it was a fairly easy read, short chapters, multiple perspectives, and interspersed with online articles and comments so broke up the story a little. On the negative side, I didn’t feel like it really ever got going unfortunately. There was a lot of potential build up at the start but after the main event, there was a lot of filler and repetition until we got to a pretty predictable ending.

An ok read but not one I would rush back to.

[Sarah · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley with thanks.

A murder mystery in an academic setting (Oxford Uni) with 5 students on a scholarship. One of the students dies by falling from a roof near the beginning of the book, and then we hear from the other perspectives as we unravel what happened.
This was a fun read, and I enjoyed it while I was reading it.
There were some very unrealistic points e.g. no police or University staff presence despite a student dying in an unusual way.
None of the characters were particularly likeable, but due to the type of fiction that this was, I don't think it mattered hugely.
No spoilers, but the ending was perplexing - I wish that I had someone to discuss it with!