'As stunning as it is unsettling. A contemporary gothic masterpiece' KATY HAYS

'A beautiful and haunting examination of toxic friendships' HEATHER DARWENT

'Darkly glamorous'Guardian

A DAILY MAIL BOOK TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2025

In the hallowed halls of Cambridge, a dangerous obsession takes hold...

When a young man arrives in Cambridge as a first-year student, he finds himself an outsider. There's the punting and the politics, the wine and the waistcoats, all seemingly familiar to everyone but him. Then he falls under the spell of Bryn Cavendish.

A notorious party boy and skilled magician, Bryn is magnetic. To be in his circle is to revel in clouds of ecstasy, untouched by the rules. To be exiled is to haunt the peripheries of campus life like a ghost.

As the academic year intensifies and Bryn's magic tricks become more sinister, one question lingers. Is Bryn's charisma the source of his influence or does he wield a much darker and more dangerous power?

What readers are saying...

'I am forever searching for The Secret History-esque reads and this did not disappoint'

'Everything I wanted and more. Reminded me of why I love dark academia!'

'If you enjoyed The Secret History and Saltburn, you will love this book'

'I have RAVED about this book to anyone who will listen. The most incredible first chapter I've ever read...'

Format Pocket Omfång 352 sidor Språk Engelska Förlag Harper Collins UK Utgivningsdatum 2026-01-15 ISBN 9780008636586