Layne Fargo | THEY NEVER LEARN

 Plot (via Goodreads):

Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she’s even better at getting away with murder.

Every year, she searches for the worst man at Gorman University 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, Scarlett insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge, Dr. Mina Pierce. 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.

Review:

PHEW. This novel is spectacular. Go buy a copy immediately.

Seriously - Layne Fargo really outdid herself with this story and it is easily one of my favorites of 2020 so far. This novel will seep into your soul like a spell and completely beguile you before taking you on a brutal and brilliant ride. This book is all sorts of dark, twisty, and a bit funny at times. This one starts at 100 and doesn't let up until the chilling finale and I loved every single minute of it. I'll admit, I picked this one up on a chilly fall day that I didn't feel like reading that much and figured I could get about halfway and pick it up where I left off the next day. Well, Fargo completely smashed that plan to smithereens. Within the first chapter I was at a point of no return and no stopping. 

Scarlett is easily my favorite character ever. She is cunning, ruthless, and yet lovable; a Dexter for the #MeToo era and one woman you definitely don't want to mess with. I loved the revelations with this story when it came to not only the plot but her character. To have characters that are so vivid with a story that is so well executed and dazzling with imagery was an astonishing reading experience. I love an academic setting and I love a fall setting and not only did Fargo do justice to each, but she made this easily my favorite fall academic reading since Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison. You feel like you're riding along with these characters as this story progresses. The fall weather tickles your nose, the leaves crunch under your feet, and the blood pools around you. Layne Fargo kicked my ass with this novel and I love her for it. 

The pacing to this story is impeccable. Fargo's razor-sharp and deadly prose will certainly seduce you into another world with this book and chill you to your core. Temper was one of my favorite reads last year and as much as I thought nothing could take its place, I loved They Never Learn even more. Layne Fargo is easily an auto-buy author for me now and as much as I am still dreaming and relishing in this story, I honestly can't wait to devour every single written word by her in the future. Both riveting and dazzling, They Never Learn is a timely novel that will sink it's teeth into you and release you when the time comes and not a moment too soon.

Special thanks to Layne Fargo for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5