Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened ten years ago.Īs 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. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the detective who put him in prison. 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. If We Were Villains was named one of Bustle's Best Thriller Novels of the Year, and Mystery Scene says, 'A well-written and gripping ode to the stage.A fascinating, unorthodox take on rivalry, friendship, and truth.A vivid and immersive story of obsession perfect for fans of dark academia and Donna Tartt's The Secret History In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent. But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingénue, extras. A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition.

Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it. Rio’s sparkling debut is a richly layered story of love, friendship, and obsession.will keep you riveted through its final, electrifying moments.” -Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest 'Nerdily (and winningly) in love with Shakespeare…Readable, smart.” - New York Times Book Review On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. “Much like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, M.

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