If We Were Villains: The Sensational TikTok Book Club pick

A vivid and immersive story of obsession perfect for fans of dark academia and Donna Tartt's The Secret History Oliver Marks has just served ten years for the murder of one of his closest friends - a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the detective who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened ten years ago. As a young actor studying Shakespeare at an elite arts conservatory, Oliver noticed that his talented classmates seem to play the same roles onstage and off - villain, hero, tyrant, temptress - though Oliver felt doomed to always be a secondary character in someone else's story. But when the teachers change up the casting, a good-natured rivalry turns ugly, and the plays spill dangerously over into life. When tragedy strikes, one of the seven friends is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.

"If We Were Villains" by M. L. Rio is a vivid and dark story of two friends that become archenemies. Oliver Marks served ten years for the murder on his best friend. But did he really do it? Soon after he leaves prison as a free man he meets detective Colborne who investigated the case. He will retire soon, but before he does that he wants to know the truth about the murder. The case leads back to Oliver's youth when he was an aspiring actor studying Shakespeare in an elite arts conservatory. Oliver always felt as the secondary character in another person's story. But when the roles turn upside down the drama becomes dead real. One of the seven friends is found dead, and the others must face their biggest acting challenge yet... If you like dark academia and Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" then you will love the twisted mysteries in M. L. Rio's "If We Were Villains"!

"If We Were Villains" by M. L. Rio is a vivid and dark story of two friends that become archenemies. Oliver Marks served ten years for the murder on his best friend. But did he really do it? Soon after he leaves prison as a free man he meets detective Colborne who investigated the case. He will retire soon, but before he does that he wants to know the truth about the murder. The case leads back to Oliver's youth when he was an aspiring actor studying Shakespeare in an elite arts conservatory. Oliver always felt as the secondary character in another person's story. But when the roles turn upside down the drama becomes dead real. One of the seven friends is found dead, and the others must face their biggest acting challenge yet... If you like dark academia and Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" then you will love the twisted mysteries in M. L. Rio's "If We Were Villains"!