From the author of the “raw, ingenious, and utterly fearless” (Wendy Walker, USA TODAY bestselling author) Temper comes a dynamic psychological thriller about two women who give bad men exactly what they deserve–perfect for fans of Killing Eve and Chelsea Cain. Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she’s even better at getting away with murder. Every year, Dr. Clark searches … murder.
Every year, Dr. Clark searches for the worst man at Gorman University–professor, student, or otherwise–and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she’s avoided drawing attention to herself…but as she’s preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Dr. Clark insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge. Everything’s going according to her master plan…until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure.
Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident–everything Carly wishes she could be–and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay…and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality.
“A gorgeously-written ragestorm of a thriller” (Wendy Heard, author of The Kill Club), They Never Learn is a feminist serial killer story that you won’t be able to put down.
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Oh my God, what a page turner! This book managed to make me cheer for a serial killer and threw in more than one plot twist I never saw coming, like WOW. I was so emotionally invested in Scarlett’s character that I started worrying there was no way for the book to have a satisfying ending. But…it does. If you enjoy a fast-paced thriller with a Dexter-ish heroine who kills bad men, you’ll love this one!
A dark and twisted thriller. This was my first time reading a book by this author and I plan on reading more by her. In this book, we follow Scarlett who is an English professor at Gorman University, and Carly who is a freshman at Gorman University. Scarlett is a woman who seeks revenge on men who are abusing/violent toward women and she has been doing this for a very long time. Carly, on the other hand, is kind of like an introverted girl so when she meets her roommate Allison they become friends, however, when someone sexually assaulted Allison, her will for revenge gets out of hand. I liked how short the chapters were and intense. Her thoughts are so dark and twisted. The storyline was great and I love the representation of the LGBTQ+ community. This author writes thrillers about angry women and seeking justice for themselves. I would recommend this book to you if these sound like something you’re interested in.
Holy hell this book was fun! Set within the old-boys-club of academia, They Never Learn is unsettling, smart & absolutely riveting.
Dark and twisted with a snarky, feminist serial killer protagonist. It’s everything I wanted and didn’t even know I needed. For fans of My Lovely Wife and Killing Eve, They Never Learn is full of feminist rage, hot lesbian sex, and sharp, edgy prose with a breathless ending and characters you’ll feel like you know!
This is my first Layne Fargo book and will definitely not be my last. It was so good. A page turner that will keep you wondering why. What drove this woman to become a serial killer.
Dr Scarlett is one tough woman. A very likable woman who has worked very hard to get where she is. She’s also gone through a few things that will make you love her dearly. At least I did. I think she may possibly be my favorite female character ever.
Carly is a freshman just starting out with her life. She has a horrible father who it seems loves to treat her and her mother like they are less than human. He’s the kind of man that we love to hate. He’s also a cheat. But mostly he treats his daughter with so much disdain and coolness it’s sickening. And you barely meet the man. Carly is very smart. She’s also very shy and when she meets her roommate, Allison, she feels intimidated. Allison is very outgoing and the complete opposite of Carly. Carly and Allison become pretty good friends for a while. Carly is there for Allison when the unspeakable happens to her. She’s there for her in many ways.
Scarlett is a professor at Gorman University. She is a hard working woman, never married and no children. She’s very dedicated to what she does. She’s a strong female who a lot of males feel threatened by. They are somewhat intimidated by her in many ways. She’s trying for position at the Women’s Academy for a fellowship program. She’s worked very hard for it. For some man to step in and try to take this away is unthinkable. To try and steal what she has worked so hard for, impossible.
The bodies are stacking up. But no one knows until one goes off the rails. Not a clean kill at all. But hopefully it will be hidden in the aftermath. I promise you will root for the killer in this book. I sure did. I never wanted her to be caught ever. I love how the author weaved Dr Scarlett and Carly into this story. Each chapter is told from one or the other of their POVs. They are woven together is a great way and you will love it. This book held a few surprises for me but overall it’s not really a who did it. It’s one where you know right up front who did what. There are a couple of twists along the way though.
This was a very good book. I honestly enjoyed it from start to finish. One you won’t want to put down.
Thank you #NetGalley, #LayneFargo, #GalleryBooks for this ARC. This is my own review. My honest feelings.
5/5 stars and a job well done. I recommend this one to all thriller loving readers.
FIVE BURSTING STARS!
Every time life events conspired over the past few days to keep me from turning the pages of this book all I could think about was when I could race back and get my next hit.
So compulsively addicting and so well-written were Fargo’s characters that even now I cannot stop thinking about them.
I hesitate to say too much but fans of My Lovely Wife, Jane Doe, Heartsick and other twisty, delicious thrillers have found their next read.
You won’t want to miss this one, Scarlett is e’rythang!
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy!
/ 4.5 stars
They Never Learn was recommended to me through the 12 Friends Reading Challenge. I chose to listen to the audio and wow, so good!
The dual narration was perfect and the writing is brilliant. It’s a little dark and twisted, but what do you expect when you’re going along for the ride with a female serial killer seeking vigilante justice.
This was a true page turner, or in my case a marathon listen that had me going for hours on end.
We need more female revenge stories!
A smart, bloody, riveting, feminist page-turner with fantastic pacing and a delightful sense of justice. It was impossible to read just one chapter! Loved it!
I was very excited for They Never Learn after Layne Fargo’s debut, Temper. Despite the high expectations, I was still blown away.
The opening scene brings you right into the action and lets you know exactly who the protagonist, Scarlet Clark, is — a serial killer who targets men who rape women on the Gorman University campus. Then, you switch to another narrator, Carly Schiller, a new student at Gorman who seems to be the polar opposite.
The first thing I noticed and loved about this novel is how wonderfully written it is, from the wonderful descriptions, metaphors, and similes, to the excellent dialogue.
Then we get to the first major reveal at the midpoint. That was one of the best ah-ha moments I’ve gotten from a book in a while.
From there, the novel becomes a deeper character study and psychological thriller with more twists and reveals. This novel is, in some ways, a feminist answer to Dexter (which is likely why it’s already been optioned for TV), but I enjoyed these characters more than I ever did Dexter.
Can it be done? Can you kill men who hurt women and actually get away with it? Well, Professor Scarlett Clark can. And she has. During her time as a professor at Gorman College she has targeted and executed numerous men who have caused harm to women. Her latest target is her biggest risk yet. Meanwhile, Gorman College freshman Carly Schiller is a plain, shy student who is glad to be away from her emotionally draining home life but can’t quite get the hang of college life. In the short time that she has been at Gorman she has witnessed first hand the slimy men who take advantage of girls and wants to do something about it.
This was a 5-star breathtaking thriller that will have you wondering what happens next!
Oh but how I LOVED this one!! I read Temper when it came out, and was thoroughly entertained. I expected the same this time around, but was blown away by how much she’s improved as a writer/storyteller – and that’s after an exceptional first offering in Temper… This was a marvelous revenge fantasy, but it was so much more than that. The characterization, the plotting, the pacing, the revelations – everything about this one was spot-on. I was captivated by the darkness, horrified (but not surprised, sadly) by the bad behavior, tickled and saddened by the naivete and its attendant consequences… But mostly I was entertained by it all!
Sign me up for the next Layne Fargo novel now – I don’t care what the topic, I can guarantee I will enjoy it. Her writing style is marvelous and she has an ability to craft characters, settings, and situations that resonate even when they bear no relationship to anything I’ve actually experienced (and thank goodness for that, since her women find themselves in horrific situations much of the time). It’s a gift to be able to pull readers in so completely, and one she returns to her readers by delivering top-notch storytelling that is current, compelling, and completely enthralling!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
This is the first book I read by Layne Fargo. Sometimes with a new author you have to get used to the style but not this book. It’s an easy read. The story is about Scarlett Clark a professor at Gorman University and Carly Schiller a freshman at Gorman University.
You get to know both and you will suddenly realize the connection between the two as you continue reading.
It’s a credit to the author when you actual start to sympathize with the serial killer and hope she goes shot free. It really is an amazing story that will have you pick up the book to continue reading the minute you have a bit of time.
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: 10/13/2020
: (5 stars)
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This is the second book I have read from this author. Thank you Scout Press Books for my gifted copy. This has one of the most beautiful and sinister covers I have ever laid eyes on.
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Say hello to one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read!!!!! In this book we follow two characters. Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor, but even better at getting away with murder. We also follow Gorman student Carly Schiller who is just trying to survive her freshman year when she witnesses her roommate being sexually assaulted.
This book was so fast-paced sending me through a true roller coaster ride of emotions. I love books with multiple point of views, and this book definitely didn’t disappoint. I felt everything from sadness, to happiness, to anger while reading this book. I loved the writing in Temper, but Layne took They Never Learn to a whole new level. I felt like I was one of the characters at Gorman University while everything unfolded. There were tantalizing details throughout this book that made my heart jump, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Layne’s writing was nothing short of perfection.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting a fast-paced psychological Thriller that will rip you to your core leaving no stone unturned. If you were ever looking for a thriller with a strong female character, this is your novel!!!! This book comes out on October 13th, 2020 so make sure you pick up a copy of one of the best psychological thrillers of the year!!!!!
*This book does have a scene of sexual assault, so if this is a trigger for you please proceed with caution.*
The publisher has requested no quotes from the book be used until the final copy is published and I will respect that, but oh how I wish I could share just a line or two to give you a glimpse of what you’re in for!
Layne Fargo has created a novel that sucks readers into a world filled with turbulent psychological (pathological/ psychotic) suspense, grabbing them with the very first sentence and not letting them go until the final word. What a read!
Scarlett Clarke, an English professor at Gorman University, is compelling, brilliant, and well-thought of; but she is also one dark and twisted woman. She’s a serial killer and proud of it. Her killings are justified because she only murders men who deserve it, and she is very good at what she does. She’s been doing it for 16 years now, and she’s never been suspected of a thing. She’s already carefully planning how to do away with her next victim.
Carly Schiller is a freshman at Gorman University. Shy and awkward, she has no idea how to fit in, and doesn’t care if she does. She’d rather NOT be noticed. Truth be told, she’s just glad to be away from home; if she ever sees her emotionally abusive father again it’ll be too soon.
Carly’s roommate, Allison Hadley is everything Carly is not. Beautiful, outgoing, and full of confidence, she wants to help Carly enjoy the entire college experience, introduces Carly to her friends, and takes her along to weekend parties. Carly, a bit awed by her friendship and attention, begins to become obsessed with Allison. When something bad happens to Allison, Carly is filled with anger. The more she thinks about it, her thoughts take a very dark turn and her anger turns into rage looking for an outlet.
Oh, fellow reader, plan to start this book when you have a few hours because you won’t want to put it down! This is a captivating well thought-out story of vigilante justice with characters you won’t soon (be able to) forget, and enough OMG! moments tossed in to keep you thoroughly entranced. Very. Well. Done. This gets 5 stars from me.
My thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Expected publication is 10/13/2020. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Don’t you love when books can surprise you? This book did that and then some!!! Scarlett Clark is a professor at Gorman University. She lives a secret life though of killing deserving men! Rapists, abusers, and sexual abusers are not safe with Scarlett around! When the school starts an investigation into the murders, Scarlett volunteers to help.
Carly Schiller is a student at Gorman University. Her roommate Allison is sexually assaulted at a party. Carly is determined to make her attacker pay.
As we follow both of the women’s story, we are taken on a wild ride of murder and revenge!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved Scarlett! She is woman who knows what she wants and does everything she can to achieve her goals! Carly just wants to be a good friend and have some love in her life. She has an emotionally abused father and is a very shy girl because of it.
I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Just like with Layne Fargo’s debut TEMPER, I raaaaaaaced through this book, obsessed with the protagonist, who kills men, sure, but (1) they’re bad men, and (2) she’s such a meticulous PLANNER, which I love. (At one point, she mentions how she had her application completed for a fellowship a month before the deadline, and I swooned.) More things I love about this book: it takes place at a college (love academia novels); it has some of the most fascinating character development I’ve seen in a while; it examines the menace that perpetually lurks at the edges of women’s lives; it offers an alternate reality where men actually pay for their crimes against women; it is full of rage and passion and, of course, murder; my all-time favorite movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, plays a role; and it speaks right to the heart of every woman who has ever been failed by the system, which seems to protect bad men at every turn. I’m so honored I got to read an advance copy of this stunner, which is out in October. Here’s my official blurb: “Layne Fargo has created an instantly iconic character in Dr. Scarlett Clark, a serial killer who takes out abusive men and rapists at the college where she teaches. With stunning, dagger-sharp prose and a deliciously satisfying plot, THEY NEVER LEARN is the feminist revenge thriller we need and deserve.”
“He wasn’t afraid of me…that was his first mistake.”
No spoilers here! You’ll just have to read and find out for yourself just how deliciously dark and impossible to put down this book is! One of my fav thrillers of the year! Highly recommend!
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **
THEY NEVER LEARN by Layne Fargo is a fierce, feminist suspense that gives power to the powerless and takes vigilante justice to a whole new, brilliant level. Fargo’s protagonist is hell-bent on righting the wrongs done to women, and I cheered her on through every raw, gripping word. My heart pounded, and like the main character, I was filled with rage and ultimately completely satisfied with each of her actions. Spectacular and propulsive, this is a powerhouse of a novel. I received an ARC.