Lauren Nossett

When an unknown driver hits and kills a student, Detective Marlitt Kaplan happens to be on the University of Georgia campus. The victim, Jay Kemp, is a member of the Kappa Phi Omicron fraternity. While his fellow Kap-Os insist that they are shocked and grief-stricken, Marlitt is convinced they all have something to hide. The story is part police procedural, and part general critique of the college fraternity system. Marlitt has a long-standing grudge against fraternities and all of the avoidable tragedies that happen under their watch. “I collect them,” Marlitt says... “these horrendously sad and never-ending accounts all across the nation, pile up in my memory, and I want to bury the thing at its core.” Her obsession keeps the investigation, and the plot, moving along at a fast pace, even as her fellow officers begin to try and discourage her. She has such a vendetta against the frat brothers, for example—from the “golden boy” chapter president, Tripp Holmes, to Michael Williams, the charming but ruthless son of the university’s president...that her narration tends to become a bit disconcerting. The are a lot of suspenseful scenes, such as the ill-conceived undercover mission at the “Hawaiian nights” party, that keeps the story interesting and the pages turning. There are also many questions that need to be answered. Why did the driver look exactly like the victim? Why was he driving the victim’s car? Why, during the novel’s shocking midway point, does Marlitt wake in the night screaming a language she doesn’t understand or speak? I found this a bit hard to digest but the answers are very surprising, and at times unsatisfying. Overall, it’s a fun read with some surprising twists that will keep you on your toes. It received a 4-star rating because of some of the difficult to believe things that took place...but in no way was it a bad story. I believe the title will offer some clues as you read along.… (more)

An honor student at the University of Georgia is found dead, and a former detective searches for the answers. It appears that all the evidence points to his professor, beginning the start of a witch hunt, or maybe a hard path to the truth. Marlitt Kaplan has been wanting to solve a case. For months, she’s been less than popular at the Athens, Georgia Police Dept. Seems that she has refused to "play" by all the rules while investigating a local fraternity. She had resigned in disgrace which didn't help her relationship with her former partner and closest friend, Teddy. The whispers about her “assaulting a fraternity member” or having a “gender-coded psychotic break” only added fuel to the raging fire...literally... as someone broke into her house and set it up in flames. Now she’s living with her parents and bored OUT OF HER FREAKING MIND! Then the police bring Professor Verena Sobek into the station for questioning. Verena’s student, Ethan Haddock, was found dead from what appeared to be a suicide, but rumors are going around that he and Verena had been sleeping together. Verena's facing an investigation for misconduct as well as murder, and Marlitt’s mother, her colleague in the German Department, begs her daughter to please prove that Verena’s innocence. Marlitt is not comfortable working on behalf of the accused professor, but it allows her to investigate a case again, so she plunges into Ethan's world and soon discovers that her wish that the case had been a murder investigation may well be coming true. The story is filled with family secrets, rocky romances, a potentially "dirty" officer, and vindictive students. Despite a few opening chapters weighed down by exposition, the novel succeeds in being a page-turning mystery full of potential suspects, exciting twists, and a few red herrings. Just enough clues are dropped so the reader can investigate alongside Marlitt, but not so many that the ending feels given to us on a silver platter. It's an entertaining and well-presented mystery.… (more)

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Genre: Thriller

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆:
🏫 Dark Academia
👮🏻 Police Procedurals
🏛️ Greek Life (The underbelly)
🤫 Secrets

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
Wow! First of all, can we talk about cover appreciation?? Such a beautiful book that just is screaming all the fall vibes! Second of all, what a good debut novel! I loved seeing the ugly under belly of Greek life in this one. I was never part of this world when I was in college (I truthfully never understood it), but always imagined it was shiny on the outside but so much lingered under the surface. This book captures just that! I really was invested in what happened to Jay. There were so many potential motives and suspects.

I’m just also in love with Marlitt. Her character was skeptical, aware of her surroundings but also her bias, and oh so determined to discover the truth even when her life and job were on the line! Just bravo!

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading THE PROFESSOR which just released!
Edit Review… (more)

Marlitt Kaplan is no longer a detective. She is now a research assistant. But her mother has reached out to her for help. Her mother has a colleague, Professor Verena Sobek, which is now being investigated for Title IX infractions with a student. She wants Marlitt to investigate the death of Verona’s student and get to the bottom of the rumors.

This moves a bit slow, by design. This story has such a fabulous build up to the finish. I love how this author reels the reader in and then hits you with a twist. Then there is the main character, Marlitt Kaplan. She has a lot of issues from her past and sometimes she cannot help but get involved in something she shouldn’t. She is so dang real and broken in places. She just gets under the skin of the reader and she makes such a unique impression.

I have read and reviewed The Resemblance, another wonderful book by this author. Y’all need to add that one to your list as well! It is not necessary that you read it to enjoy this one. But it does have more background on Marlitt.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is wonderful. I love her smooth voice!

Need a slow burn of a thriller which will have you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.… (more)