Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review. I read author Layne Fargo's debut novel, Temper, a few months ago and I absolutely loved it! I was so excited to be approved for this title and it did not disappoint.

They Never Learn is a taunt fast-paced thriller set in a small college town. Dr. Scarlett Clark is an English professor who also happens to be a serial killer. Carly is a freshman struggling to fit in and coming to terms with her dark tendencies. Readers will be surprised to find out the connection between Scarlett and Carly. Although I saw the twist coming, I really enjoyed it.

Layne Fargo is an absolute master of taking a character that readers might otherwise hate and turning her in to an avenging angel. Scarlett doesn't kill indiscriminately, she targets men who prey upon women and delivers the justice that would otherwise be denied to victims. Although some heavy topics are addressed in the book such as rape, sexuality and victim shaming, there are some light moments. Scarlett is at times quite hilarious while cooly assessing her next targets. My emotions were all over the place during this roller coaster ride of a book. I cried with Carly as she learned how female victims of sexual violence are marginalized and blamed for the actions of the men who violate them. I cheered for the brilliant and captivating Scarlett who meted out justice on her terms.

They Never Learn is utterly engrossing from start to finish and the character of Dr. Scarlett Clark will resonate with readers long after the final chapter. I highly recommend this dark yet empowering novel and I eagerly await the author's next release! 5 Stars!

“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. **

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of They Never Learn.

I wasn't sure what to expect when my request was approved, but I'm pleased NetGalley gave me an opportunity to read it before it was released.

Professor Scarlett Clark is ambitious, smart and a professional. She is also a serial killer. Like Dexter, she kills men who deserve it, rapists and abusers, but unlike Dexter, she is empathetic, caring and longs to find a person who understands, respects and loves her.

When a kill goes disastrously wrong, two detectives probe into the death and get dangerously close to the truth. At the same time, Scarlett's indiscretions with her graduate assistant may be her undoing and her success as a professor and a killer of bad men may be coming to a close.

This is my first book my the author and it won't be my last.

This was an engaging and suspenseful read filled with strong female characters, realistic and believable.

Professor Clark is not likable per se, but she is relatable. Her inner thoughts and feelings are blunt and honest, her desire to care for her students supersedes her own feelings of self protection and she has risen from a shy teenager to the formidable woman she is now.

I love stories about revenge and vengeance (I always forget the difference) and They Never Learn will draw you in with its strong narrative, good writing and powerful women.

The ending was definitely better (and much happier) than Dexter, the show, not the books, though the latter could have been better, too.

I received a complimentary copy of They Never Learn from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This very unique novel had me cheering for the murderer! A fantastic, believable character, who takes action to make the world a better place, Scarlet seemed a bit unhinged at first glance, but soon morphed into more or less logical and methodical. I was unaware of a dual timeline for a bit of the novel, but when an overlap was revealed, everything made perfect sense. There was very little predictability, and I absolutely loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This doesn't release until October, so I hope I remember to share this closer to the date. WHAT A READ. Loved every second.

Fun book, great characters and kept my interest. Creepy and scintillating read, maybe a little over the top in spots but an entertaining read.

Layne Fargo wow’ed me with her debut novel Temper, so I was confident that They Never Learn would be just as impressive! They Never Learn is super fast paced book that I found myself finishing in only one day because I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I was done! Layne Fargo is a master at crafting plots that will completely shock you over and over again! You know that moment in a really well-written thriller when you literally say “OMG” out loud!?! Well that happened several times throughout this novel! They Never Learn is a 5 star read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very first page until the very last page! I highly recommend Layne Fargo’s completely unique novels to anyone who’s a fan of psychological thrillers!

Wow!!! They Never Learn by Layne Fargo is a dark and edgy thriller about a female killer. The story is a fast paced page-turner that has several twists I didn’t see coming. I loved how well developed the characters were and the book changing female characters each chapter. Great read! I’m excited to read her previous book now!

The story is told from two points of view. First we have Scarlett, a professor at Gorman University, and second, from Carly, a student at Gorman. I really do not want to give any more away. All I can say is that from the very first page, tension ramps up and excitement builds. The story is compelling, unique.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOW... this is by far the best thriller I’ve read so far this year. So many interesting and flawed characters and shocking twists! 10/10 would recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

First off I want to thank @netgalley, @gallerybooks & @laynefargo for my free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Wow ! What an engaging, addictive, page turner of a book. I really needed something like this right now. It had everything I wanted in a thriller even if it's not the whodunit type and we know who kills these disgusting men.
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I absolutely hate the topic of sexual abuse and sexual harassment but that's what made me love the book even more. It's what drew me in to hate those men as much as Scarlett did, and to be honest if I could I'd go ahead and do what she did. We also follow Carly a student at the school where Scarlett teaches, I loved both stories but be prepared for a twist you won't see coming. Fargo has an addictive way of writing with the shortness of the chapters that makes you want to keep turning those pages so fast.
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If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with twists this one is definitely for you.

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!

Trigger warning for sexual assault.

I love Layne Fargo, truly. I think she's one of the best new writers in the thriller/drama space, and her writing feels so unique to me compared to other books coming out right now. Temper (her first book) was one of my *favorites* from last year, and I'm constantly recommending it, so I was pumped to receive an advance copy of They Never Learn!

Spoilers ahead! Okay let's chat!

FIRST OF ALL, holy shit - the reveal of Scarlett and Carly being the same person was ICONIC. I'm sure someone out there will figure it out before it's revealed, but I didn't and it actually shocked me. The reveal reminded me a lot of The Wife Between Us - in a good way! Everything added up, and when you know what you're looking for, you can actually see it coming at the beginning of the book. I loved that after the reveal, we continued to see both timelines rather than converging into one.

Second, I always appreciate a good red herring, and this story has many. Even as small as a stray comment here and there when you're wondering if something matters or doesn't matter to the story - it just worked. Some books lately in the thriller space have tried to throw EVERY SINGLE THING in to the story, and They Never Learn is centered around one key motivation, and it shows. All the storylines connect and overlap, and loose ends are tied up by the end of the book.

This book also reminded me a ton of Kate Brian's Private series - one of my all time favorites from my high school/college years. The Carly chapters very much reminded me of Reed, Noelle, and Ariana, with similar levels of confusing nice girl mean girl dynamics and murderous rage.

Non-spoiler thoughts: a fast-paced, multiple POV thriller. A couple *big* reveals throughout, with a couple smaller ones along the way. This is a read in one sitting book!

An incredible book. Halfway through, a twist that sends you reeling, but keeps you hooked. It’s a slow burn, but so satisfying. A must read

Layne Fargo is a new author for me, but with the praises of some of my favorites, a stellar cover, and interesting premise, I couldn't wait to dive in.

Scarlett is a killer out for revenge. Her targets? Men who take attack women and get away with it. Carly is starting her freshman year at Gorman. When she interrupts a frat boy taking advantage of her roommate, she's determined to protect her from him. In this dual timeline perspective, we follow Scarlett as she navigates through the boys club of academia and Carly's attempts to help her roommate deal with assault. What happens next is truly an explosion of crossroads.

Without giving too much away, this book pleasantly surprised me. I've read half a dozen books this year with this type of revenge plot, and I'm wary of execution. They can come off preachy or overkill, and instead of focusing on the important issues, they tend to veer toward revenge justification. Fargo, however, handled the topic of sexual assault, particularly in a campus setting, with grace and practicality, showing the psychological, physical, and emotional ramifications for all involved. It was refreshing to read a narrative that tackled the difficult process of reporting, the challenges young college women face when trying to report a crime, and how helpless the victim and the victim's support circle can feel.

What Fargo does best, however, is the interwoven plot lines, and I was thrilled to see the direction she takes the second half of the book. Not a procedural, as the detectives are supporting cast, but we see how a murder investigation can complicate the plans of a killer bent on justice. Character development was well executed and diverse, and I loved seeing how each character was evolving through the story.

I like my endings ambiguous, not wrapped in neat little bows with the future course set out before me, and Fargo did an excellent job of bringing everything together in a way that made sense and didn't push the realm of disbelief. I loved Scarlett and Carly, their internal conflict, and the way they viewed the world.

Overall, They Never Learn is a thrilling, twisty, revenge thriller with a strong female cast and important topics that deserve every inch of space in the market. Fargo's writing is crisp, clean, and effortless, and I'd recommend to anyone looking for a psychological suspense with a killer hook.

Big thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

HOT DAMN. I'm normally great at guessing where a book is going, but I did not see any of the twists in this one coming. It's one of those reads that'll keep you up late as you tell yourself "just one more chapter" and ignore the fact that you have work in the morning.

The book alternates between the perspectives of Scarlett and Carly. The first is our female Dexter - a college professor dedicated to hunting down and killing terrible men. Rapists, domestic abusers, etc. The second is an anxious college freshman trying to navigate new friendships, a bad home life, and a campus full of predatory men.

Both are about to have their lives changed forever. And I'll say it again: HOT DAMN, I did not see it coming. Absolutely one of the best books in the thriller/suspense category that I've read in the last two years.

Scarlett is an English Professor by day and a female vigilante by night. She is full of feminist rage and knows what she wants and which pathetic excuse of a man she wants to kill next.

Carly is a freshman at the same college who has trouble making friends and is struggling with her identity and her father’s infidelities.

However, the two women have more in common than the eye can see..

This was another fabulously dark read from Layne Fargo, but it was a little slower going for me than ‘Temper’. (Unpopular opinion)! Still, it has a premise that I loved, (a woman killing men who rape and/or torment women - YES!), and I still enjoy her dark and mysterious writing. I will continue to follow and read this author for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, Layne Fargo, and Gallery/Scout Press for this eARC!!

Fast-paced & full of fury, if you liked TEMPER you’ll devour THEY NEVER LEARN. This book was so full of seething anger and moved so swiftly, I am #sorrynotsorry to declare it a "rage-turner."

Wow, this was an awesome read. In the beginning I thought this was gonna be a solid, four star type read. I am definitely here for a professorial lady Dexter who brings rapists to justice. (Not a spoiler - this is how the book STARTS!) Then there was also a female antagonist (who would normally be the protagonist, were I inclined to want our friend the professor caught), a male lover who might have a little more going on than meets the eye, and an alternate narrator who is a nice girl just trying to get through her first year of college.

But then came the first of many awesome twists which made this book way more special than I was expecting from a usual genre thriller. This book has a little something to say about sexual harassment but it does it in a really entertaining, scary and gripping way. Most of all though this book is entertaining as hell. Tons of twists, but none are wrong for the story or forced. I could not have predicted the ending and I LOVED it. A perfect feminist suspense novel and revenge thrill ride for the #MeToo era..

Thanks to NetGalley, Layne Fargo and Simon and Schuster for the early copy of this awesome book in exchange for my honest review. Layne Fargo's first book just shot to the top of my "must read" list..

Layne Fargo's second book takes everything that was great about her debut, Temper--the rage, vengeance, sex and murder--and cranks it ALL THE WAY up. It's a wild, dark ride and I was on board from the first page. Every time I opened a door, I never found what I expected, but what thrilled with what was there. As an author, Fargo has already forged a unique voice and wasted no time in mastering it.