The Bones of the Story

by Carol Goodman

A locked-room mystery about a group of former classmates trapped on their college campus—with a murderer among them.

It’s been twenty-five years since the shocking disappearance of a female student and the distinguished Creative Writing professor who died while searching for her. The Briarwood College community has never forgotten the terrible storm that caused the double tragedy. Now, the college President—who has his own reasons for drawing attention to the notorious incident—is bringing together faculty, donors, and alumni to honor the victims from all those years ago.

On a cold December weekend after the fall semester has ended, guests gather on the vacant campus for the commemoratory event. But as a winter storm descends, people begin to depart, leaving a group of alumni who were the last ones taught by the esteemed professor. Recriminations and old rivalries flare as they recall the writing projects they shared as classmates, including chilling horror stories they each wrote about their greatest fears.

When an alumna dies in a shockingly similar way to the story she wrote, and then another succumbs to a similar fate, they realize someone has decided at long last to avenge the crimes of the past. Will the secret of what they did twenty-five years ago be revealed? Will any of them be alive at the end of the weekend to find out?

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

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 11, 2023

About the author

Carol Goodman is the author of The Lake of Dead Languages, The Seduction of Water, which won the Hammett Prize, The Widow's House, which won the Mary Higgins Clark Award and The Night Visitors, which won the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also the co-author, with her husband Lee Slonimsky, of the Watchtower fantasy trilogy. Her work has appeared in such journals as The Greensboro Review, Literal Latte, The Midwest Quarterly, and Other Voices. After graduation from Vassar College, where she majored in Latin, she taught Latin for several years in Austin, Texas. She then received an M.F.A. in fiction from the New School University. Goodman currently teaches literature and writing at The New School and SUNY New Paltz and lives with her family in the Hudson Valley.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hideous, ominous, and bone-chilling, but also riveting, captivating, and unputdownable, this dark academia novel is everything a true Agatha Christie fan needs. With its unreliable, flawed characters, claustrophobic atmosphere, blizzard, caves, ghosts lurking around the estates, secret societies, perfect Edgar Allan Poe references, fast-paced storytelling that moves back and forth, and a mysterious whodunnit theme that keeps you guessing from beginning to end, it delivers smart, unpredictable, jaw-dropping twists and an epic conclusion.

The story takes place at Briarwood College's campus, where a tragic event happened 25 years ago, resulting in the death of a legendary teacher and an aspiring student. The college president, Hotch, is determined to exploit this tragedy to bring together faculty, donors, and alumni to honor the victims at the 25th-anniversary commemoration event.

Despite scholarship student Nina Lawson accidentally falling down a cave to the exact place where the bones of the missing corpse have been for years, Hotch has no intention of postponing the event. He plans to bring in famous author Laine Bishop to raise awareness and funds for the creative writing program.

Nell Portman is now the Dean of the college and one of the alumni students who was part of a pact that forces her to keep big secrets about the tragic events regarding the brutal deaths. She is also harboring complex feelings for Laine, once her best friend who cut contact with her and the rest of the group.

Nell feels like a blur-girl, thinking little of herself, self-flagellating, and focusing on students' lives as a devoted Dean. She seems too tired to keep things to herself.

The other misfits in the group include rock star Truman, for whom Nell has had a crush for years, Miranda, a crime thriller queen who wants to become the first writer-in-residence at Wilder Writer's House, Darla, a vengeful indie writer who suffers from an eating disorder, Chilton, an editor who is married and raising her daughters and is competitive to be Laine's best friend, and Lance, a sensitive, kind-hearted memoir author who has a problematic relationship with his stepfather.

They gather on campus, residing in the same dorm rooms they inhabited 25 years ago. But the morning after their gathering, the misfit members start to die in mysterious ways inspired by the horror stories they wrote when they were students. Could one of them be the killer, or does somebody already know what they did 25 years ago, seeking revenge for the deaths they caused? Or is a vengeful spirit back from the caves to get revenge?

This book is definitely unputdownable, exciting, and heart-throbbing, with amazing Christie and Poe book references. I highly recommend it to genre lovers and thriller/mystery fans!

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/William Morrow Paperbacks for sharing this mind-blowing book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[Holly B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

Twenty five years ago a female student disappeared at Briarwood College's campus. A writing professor, Hugo Moss, died while searching for her.

The book is written in Then and Now chapters.

It is a locked room mystery featuring the old college, urban legends, bones that are found in a cave, stories of an ice cave girl, and a reclusive author. Some twists and turns along the way.

It was entertaining, but I struggled to get invested. I was hoping for a faster paced story. Others have really enjoyed this one, so be sure to check out more reviews!

Thanks to NG for the arc. OUT on Sept 5, 2023

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to William Morrow, Carol Goodman and Netgalley. I'm kind of torn between loving this story or the opposite! I liked how the story played out and there were definitely a few great twists along the way that I didn't see coming. I love that! But some of these characters annoyed me so much that I would probably have had to kill them too! This is only my second Goodman book, but I really like the way she writes.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

It all comes down to the bones!

Twenty-five years ago, a student went missing and a professor died while looking for her at Briarwood College. Now the college president is holding an event to honor the victims of that tragic incident. Alumni and donors have gathered for the event as has a winter storm! Many depart before the storm gets worse, but the alumni decide to stay not knowing that amongst them is a killer!

The cold snowy setting set the stage and brought on the atmosphere and trapped feeling that I enjoy in books. I enjoyed the past and present sections of the book. This was a nice touch and I enjoyed reading about the characters during their college days. The mystery of the bones and whodunit was enjoyable but not as chilling as I expected. I didn't connect with any of the characters so when things began to happen, I was apathetic. As I mentioned, I did enjoy the atmosphere and I always enjoy doing my own super sleuthing while reading. I was not even close to figuring out whodunit, so the reveal was a nice shock at the end.

Atmospheric with a great reveal.


Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Kimberly R · Rating 5 out of 5]

25 years ago a group of friends from Briarwood college go to an ice cave. One disappears and a writing teacher of the college goes missing. Present day Dean Portman and the new college president are having a commemoration for the missing because bones have been found. Old friends gather at the gothic college and start getting bumped off one by one.
This was a dark, creepy, academia novel that I hated to put down. I hope to read more by Carol Goodman.
Thanks NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC that will be released July 11, 2023!

[Susan E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got an ARC through Goodreads

I’ve read all of Carol Goodman’s books and I am used to the formula. For some reason, I didn’t find this story engaging. I read about a third of it, put in down for a week or so, then started over because I couldn’t remember who the characters were. Then I put it down for a month. I kept finding reasons not to read it. All the characters were annoying, the mystery was thin, and Ruth was too smarmy and obvious.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Goodman is one of my favorites. Her stories are so atmospheric and mysterious. This book, particularly, had a very Gothic and foreboding feel to it. And the last sentence gave me goosebumps!
It's an excellent read that I highly recommend to any mystery lover and lovers of classic Gothic literature such as Lord Byron, Shelley and Tennyson.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story but was a slow read. It centers on Nell, who is now the dean of the college she attended 25 years ago. The college hosts a reunion related to the dedication of a new writers’ workshop and old tensions arise when the alumni show up, leading to multiple murders and reinvestigation of things that happened when they were there as students.

The book is told in alternating past and present timelines, which is a style I enjoy, but I still felt that it was a really slow burn. There were a lot of characters to keep straight and I felt like some of them could’ve been more deeply drawn. I also got confused a couple times about who wrote what and who stole what. I did think that twist was really good and I didn’t see it coming. I liked the last 10% of the book more than the rest of it because I felt like the pacing was faster.

Overall, this was a really good story that was told in a rather slow way. I enjoyed it for the most part but it took me longer to get through than books normally do. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This amazing book is written in Now and Then.

THEN: When the characters were in college.
Writing classes, rituals, students, friends, professors, and a well known Author. I loved all that I was learning about writing, so intriguing.

What’s not to love, a book about books and stories. Along with memories from college. It’s filled with suspense and mystery, good times and really bad, that will stop you from putting this book down..A student goes missing, a facility member dies after getting lost trying to find her in a blinding snowstorm.

NOW: 25 years later. A reunion among students and facilities. Stuck in a snowstorm at Campus where the old friends gather in memory of the most arrogant idol Author.
One by one someone turns up ..

Thank you so much to goodreads, the publisher and author for a chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review. I loved it! Page turner, suspenseful and mesmerizing writing.
I will definitely be back for more of Carol Goodman’s book!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow and predictable, a fatal combination in my opinion

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Publication Date: July 11, 2023
Narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers, 10 hrs and 2 mins

At first this story sounded interesting. When author started to jump back to the college days, then back to the present day evens, then back to the past events again...I started to loose interest and lost focus. There were so many characters to keep track of, keep in mind in which timeline you were currently in...the way it was written got tiresome. I didn't care for any of the characters and I've read similar stories numerous times before.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Read for #buzzwordchallenge2023 -body part-bone

If you are feeling the "I wish it were fall vibes," this thriller of dark academia might do the trick.
Back in the late 90s, a group of college students were obsessed with writing, the raven society, and each other. On a snowy night, a student disappears in the caves as well as their beloved professor Moss. Twenty-five years later, the group is back at the college to celebrate Professor Moss and to endow a new writer in residence. However, things get dark quickly, and the past they tried to cover up comes back to them.

I thought it was decent. The dark snowy vibes were spot on. There was a nod to "And then there was None," but nothing really came of that. I did find the group in the 90s to be clique-ish bullies and thought they were all entitled. Even Nell, who is on scholarship, treated her mom like she was beneath her. But, all in all, it's an interesting story.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the literary references. The title though is too trendy, and, the author was once prior to River Road a favourite, tends to go outside a mystery. A bridge mystery author, but I think she'd do better, as she used to, making her mysteries a little less complex. Maybe if she wrote about a place outside her niche. One of these days I may read Love and Friendship. Carol Goodman is the literary equilvalent of Peter Swanson.

[Kristy]

Twenty-five years ago at Briarwood College, Professor and literary fellow Hugo Moss died while searching for a missing student. Now the Briarwood community is coming together to pay tribute to Moss and celebrate the creation of a literary fellowship once again at the school. But as donors, alumni, and faculty gather, the snowy weather turns treacherous and many guests leave. Those who remain are Moss' old students, sharing stories of their testy professor. But when one of the group dies very similarly to a story she wrote back in the college days, they realize something is very wrong.

I love Goodman's books--she's great at capturing that ominous foreboding tone. Briarwood College is a locked room mystery, with our cast of characters trapped in the building where they spent their college days with Moss. BONES is told in a then and now format featuring nearly the same characters, as most of our present-day folks are returning to Briarwood where they went to college. Our main constant is Nell, a scholarship student in her Briarwood days who has now risen to Dean at the college. Nell was swept up in the charms of her wealthy roommate, Laine. The book does a wonderful job of showing the power and intensity of college friendships--both the good and bad. There's much angst at college and a ton of drama during the present.

I thought I had everything figured out here, but Goodman threw in some great twists! The story is filled with literary references, especially as our college core struggles with the need to outbest each other in their writing. At times, this is very grim and dark--often gory with lots of death in the cold, stark setting. There's certainly an Agatha Christie feeling. The ending wraps up a little quick, but it's still a really enjoyable read. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and William Morrow in return for an unbiased review. Look for THE BONES OF THE STORY on 07/11/2023!

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy locked door mysteries from Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley, so I was curious to dive into The Bones of the Story. The tale takes place in both the then and the now at Briarwood College.

Twenty-five years ago, a student went missing in the caves, and a Creative Writing professor perished while searching for her. Now, the current president of the college has gathered faculty, donors, and alumni to honor the victims. It’s December and days before the event, a student accidentally discovers the body of the missing student.

The tale is told from the perspective of Nell Portman, the Dean of the college. This was a slow-building suspense thriller with characters who have changed from college students to adults. Not all were likeable, and Nell’s perspective wasn’t always reliable.

All those years ago, Nell was a scholarship student who never felt like she belonged. Imposter syndrome. She worked hard to become a part of the creative writing group who worked with the deceased professor.

This was a clever tale, that shared college life, the friendships and the pressures of being part of Hugo Moss’ fellowship. In the then we built towards learning what happened twenty-five years ago and getting to know all the players. In the now, we have the unearthed body and the realization that this group of alumni have a secret pact.

As the snowstorm builds, the group finds themselves cut off from the outside world. That is when the murders begin… each more gruesome than the last and seemly tied to stories they wrote their senior year. It seems everyone involved in the secret all those years ago is being picked off, one by one.

The story took a while to gain traction and had quite the cast of characters to keep track of. Goodman entertains, though, with clever twists and reveals. While I don’t think it offered anything fresh in terms of a locked door mystery, I enjoyed the tale that unfolded and will read Goodman again. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was another dud for me. I really don’t like giving books below 3 stars but I just have to. The first half of the book is so slow it was painful. If I didn’t made a video TBR including this book and it wasn’t a netgalley ARC I might not have finished it. The details though out the “then” story were convoluted and insignificant to the overall story for the most part. I figured out who the killer was pretty early on though I was surprised by the motive which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. I didn’t think this book was captivating until 50% of the way through but quickly fizzled out and just wasn’t for me.

Also , the ending is incredibly far fetched that I can’t even suspend disbelief enough to move past it. I was rolling my eyes so hard I almost lost my vision.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

This story is set at Briarwood College in the present time with flashbacks to twenty-five years ago when a female student disappeared and a professor died while searching for her. In the present, days before a reunion at the college, a student discovers human remains in a cave near campus.

The first third of the book or more sets up the story and several of the characters before it starts to get interesting. But it is entertaining, once it picks up. It almost has a gothic tone to the story. Overall, an enjoyable read!

[Ari Damoulakis · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know why I now feel embarrassed? I rated Ward D 2 stars and I have realised on this site that I should have, or wanted to reserve my 1 star for what I think of as ‘evil’ books, you know, the kind where, although it is fiction, the disgraceful author would describe animal torture in long detail. And the book would generally be rubbish anyway.
An example, 2 Minute Warning.
The problem is that this book is a million times more flat, rubbish, boring and unlikeable than Ward D.
Only try reading this if you love college admin, think that classical English Western Literature is the most important thing in college and life, and, as for the college students in this book, I know it takes you back to the college in maybe around 2000, but the dialogue and student characters sound like the 50’s haha.
Narrator tried her best with this nonsense.
And no, there is no fun or much normal college life here to enjoy at all.
Look, I’m just really trying to do my best here to persuade my GR friends not to read this book.
Again you probably won’t love any of the characters and their boring personalities that you hopefully wouldn’t even care about the mystery if you really want to bother walking through the mud this book is to eventually reach the end.
Ok, so the song.
It isn’t, but it sounds like something that might hear at Eurovision, that type of lyric, but it will be stuck in your head afterwards, and, come on, you might actually dance to it.

https://youtu.be/GicyTwHPBYE?si=djkKN...

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling mystery that kept me hooked till the end. Briarwood College was so atmospheric and quickly became its own character. The switching of timelines between past and present helped build the story, and there were a few shocking twists.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of former college students are reunited years later when a body is discovered. The mystery of who and why is slowly revealed as layers secrets are uncovered. This is fast-paced with an interesting and unique storyline. It will keep readers guessing.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, William Morrow and Carol Goodman for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Nancy Bilyeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all the novels that their publishers say are "unputdownable," this one really is! The story grabbed me immediately, that of a dean of students at a small private liberal arts college in the Catskills in New York who must face the consequences of her actions 25 years ago at the same college, as part of a tight (perhaps TOO tight) circle of student friends. This story is very skillful with misdirection and red herrings, and I was constantly trying to figure out the identity of the murderer throughout the fast-moving story. Running underneath the plot is the fascinating issue of class and entitlement, which becomes painfully important at an expensive school. I also enjoyed the eerie atmosphere that goes with dangerous ice caves and arcane, almost pagan rituals.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Bones of the Story.

I've read a few books by the author, and though I like her writing, her books are hit and miss with me.

I liked the premise, but otherwise the narrative didn't capture my interest, maybe because the common tropes often used in these types of books sounded too much like A LOT of the books I've read this year.

** Minor spoilers ahead **

Divided into past and present narratives, this is the story of Nell, AKA Ellen, a former hard-working student now one of the deans of the hoity-toity boarding school she enrolled in 25 years ago.

A former low middle-class student, struggling to fit in and adapt to her knew surroundings, her life is changed when she meets a charming, privileged young woman named Laine, her life is forever changed.

Twenty five years later and the former students have gathered for a commemoratory event.

But, when one of them dies, followed by others, Nell has to wonder; is her former frenemy seeking revenge for the misdeeds of the past?

And who will be left standing in the end?

I didn't like anyone; not Nell or Laine, Chilton or Miranda, Truman or Ben.

They're still immature and selfish, nursing grudges from years ago.

Nothing has changed, except their age and appearance.

Character development was poor, just surface details are given, basically everyone kowtows to Laine, drawn to her energy, her vitality, her money, and her domineering personality.

The men are barely blips on the radar; loosely characterized so we don't know much about them except for their devotion to Laine or Nell.

There's more exposition than suspense, until the end, so it's a slow burn for the most part.

We get insight into the past and what secrets tie the group together, for better or for worse.

I liked the setting, the description of the ice caves, and the dark academia vibe though I'm not a big fan of those themes like some readers are.

I did like how each person is murdered according to the ghost story they wrote in class years ago but my biggest issue is how unbelievable the entire setup was.

The author asks you to suspend a great amount of disbelief and I just couldn't, especially the big reveal at the end, though I guessed whodunit.

It was just too hard to believe and I couldn't.

[Leslie - MamaNeedsABook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bones of the Story is a dark academia novel, set at a small private college known for its writing program. Bones are found in the ice caves during a school ritual and our main character seems to know something about how they've come to be there. The story goes back and forth between Nell's time as a student and her time in the present day as Dean of Students.

This book is all about the atmosphere! I thought the setting of Briarwood College was perfect and what I wouldn't give to be in the Raven Society - Briarwood's exclusive writing program under its writer-in-residence! In the present day, the college is trying to resurrect its writing program after the pandemic, but when the Raven Society of one particularly fateful year come back to Briarwood, tragedy strikes.

I thought this book was a fun read - one of those books that you fall inside the setting for a while. Makes you question all of your life choices - I mean obviously I should have been a writer and gone to a college with an intense writing program, steeped in tradition and ritual, with a writer-in-residence to give me a recommendation letter at the end. Preferably Stephen King - wasn't he a writer-in-residence at a few colleges?

https://mamaneedsabook.blogspot.com/

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were things I really enjoyed about this book. Writing is decent, and I love a good thriller with a secluded location, folks with secrets, and some bad weather thrown into the mix... but I knew who did it too early on. It was so obvious, and that ruined it for me.

[TheNinjaReadsHorror · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was conflicting for me to rate. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers who did a phenomenal job, courtesy of my local public library via cloudLibrary. On the one hand, I had my suspicions about who the killer/villain was very early on, which I don't particularly appreciate because I'm a reader who likes to be taken on the ride the author has created for us and I don't usually try to figure out the twist, etc. And the suspension of belief the reader has to buy into during the ending is jarring and left me annoyed. I also lost track of the characters from time to time and thought the romance bit between Nell and Truman felt contrived and too formulated. On the other hand, I loved the dark academic atmosphere that Goodman created (it helps that I work in higher ed). I was also a fan of the writing and the contrast between when they were undergrads and now.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I often use the term "not my cup of tea" about books, but this book, on the other hand, really is my cup of tea! ☕📚✨

❣️ A dark academia setting with a "locked room" type of mystery.
❣️ Past and present interweaving to make a whole.
❣️ A murder - or three! 🕵🏻‍♀️

A really delightful puzzle!

One thing I particularly enjoyed was the author's way of writing. It fitted me perfectly and I enjoyed every minute of this book in a way I haven't done for quite a while.

The narrator is great too, which of course is another contributing factor to why I liked this book so much.

I basically gobbled it up in no time. So much fun! 👌🏻✨

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buried under books and not interested in reading? What to do? Read an author who has always been a comfort. I picked up Carol Goodman's new mystery/thriller "The Bones of the Story" and was swept away!

FIRST LINE: "I'm just having trouble getting back on track."

THE STORY: Briarwood College has not forgotten the disappearance of a female student twenty-five years ago and the distinguished Creative Writing professor who died while searching for her. Now, the college President is bringing together faculty, donors, and alumni to honor the victims from all those years ago. When the snow starts, people head home leaving the returning classmates at the college. Old rivalries are raised when they discuss the stories they had written about their greatest fears. And then there are more murders.

WHAT I THOUGHT: All Ms. Goodman's books are what I would call Romantic Gothic Mysteries with similar motifs and designs. She sets her stories in the Hudson River Valley in small college towns. Past college friendships, youthful indiscretions, secret histories and suggestions of ghosts combine to cause suspense and a sense of dread. In "The Bones of the Story" alternate chapters are marked either NOW or THEN and the author makes it even clearer as you start each section.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by mystery readers who are interested in the puzzle of a story and interesting characters.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by William Morrow / Net Galley for an honest review.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC!

You know those books where it’s like, “This has to be read in one sitting because I’m not going to be able to function properly if I take a break”? This was one of those books for me. This book had all the right vibes: a gloomy, dark academia/gothic feel mixed with the impending doom of Christie’s “And Then There Were None.” I literally couldn’t put this one down - even when I thought I’d figured out the plot twist (keyword: THOUGHT). And when the plot twist happened, I let out a startled “Whaaaat??? I mean, it makes sense, but whaaaat???” and then sat staring at a wall for about fifteen minutes to process it. I stayed up until 3am to finish this book, and that plot twist made it SO worth it.
As I mentioned before, the entire ambiance of this book was so well-crafted. The little ghost stories and horror stories that the characters wrote really intrigued me, and the deaths weren’t your average murder mystery deaths. The one thing I personally wasn’t super keen on was the romance. I just wasn’t interested in the love triangle that was going on. Then again, maybe the romance will add some relief from the dark material for other readers.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and it’s one of the best murder mysteries I’ve read in a while!

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This was an entertaining read that I split time between physical and audio. It started off a bit slow and took about 25% to grab my attention, but even then I never fully connected to the characters. I didn’t find them overly likable in the past or present, but I was still interested to see where the plot went.

Writing style wise it was easy to read, but there were some repetitive bits, especially around descriptions, for example on one page the MC says “metallic smell of the key in her hand”, next paragraph she “can smell the cold metal of the gun”, and the next paragraph “fighting waves of nausea from that metallic smell (blood).” There were also far too many mentions of blur girl.

I easily predicted the who and was a disappointed in the Scooby Doo reveal at the end. It’s a fun read though in spite of that and I’d recommend it when you’re in the mood for a quick locked room mystery with a dark academia setting. This was my first book by the author and I will be picking up another from her backlist to read soon. Thanks @williammorrowbooks for the finished copy!