As a freshman wanting to major in English, Carly Schiller is struggling. It’s her first time away from her emotionally abusive father and codependent mother. While her sophomore roommate and theater major Allison is confident and carefree, Carly feels oppressive anxiety. She spends her time in the room reading or studying in the library. Until Allison pulls her to the campus party that changes everything.
As an English professor at Gorman , Scarlett Clark is a strong, smart, and caring teacher. She wants to see her students succeed, particularly her female students, because she understands how dangerous a college campus can be for them. She sees the male professors leaning in a little to far to their young students, offering extra office hours, encouraging their work. She hears the stories of the parties that got out of control. She herself knows what it’s like to have a man cross the line with her.
And that’s why she kills them.
One per year, not more, in case the local police get suspicious. She tries to make it look like an accident or like suicide. So far, she hasn’t been caught. The police haven’t even been close. Scarlett is careful never to leave DNA behind, but she understands that there is luck involved also. She does her research. She doesn’t let the killing get personal. Until their temporary department head becomes a threat to her professional success. Then she considers bending some of her rules. Because this one is personal.
They Never Learn is a complicated dark thriller with warmth and feminine strength. Told through the alternating lens of professor and student, this story of innocence and vengeance, of women seeing the men who think they deserve something and are not above taking it any way they can, is an eye-opening exploration of female rage. Author Layne Fargo, whose previous novel Temper took us to the extreme of psychological abuse in the theater, now takes us to the extreme of sexual assault on a college campus. And it’s just as forbidden and fascinating.
I was hooked in to this one from the start and raced through it only a couple of days. I thought I knew the book I was reading, thought I had the story figured out early, but then about halfway through there is a huge twist, and everything I thought I knew fell away. From there the story went places I couldn’t have imagined, and I hung on through every spiral, curve, and turn the story took. If you’re a fan of Killing Eve, you will devour this as well. Layne Fargo is definitely a writer to watch!
Egalleys for They Never Learn were provided by Gallery Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
