Dark academia books are an instant click for me, so the premise of this book really drew me in. Lou has rebuilt her life after a difficult high school career. When she’s asked to testify against her former school where allegations are eerily similar to ones from her past, she’s thrown back into the past and reliving the horrific abuses she thought she’d left behind.

While I enjoyed the book, it is a challenging one to review. There are some really heavy topics addressed, including grooming by a sports coach, the #metoo movement, and sexual abuse. Each topic on their own is heavy, but when combined – and in an academic setting with young girls, no less – this is almost unbearable to handle. Also, being a mom gives it an extra layer of unease.

I struggled a bit to connect with the characters, and found myself drifting from the story from time to time. I wanted to know how things turned out, but some parts of the story felt disjointed for me, and other points felt predictable. I wish the pacing would have been a little bit faster, which would have made for a more twisty thriller. Overall, though, I thought the story was engaging enough and would recommend it for a fun escape.

Thank you to Fiona McPhillips, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

High school student Louise infiltrates an elite private school in order to expose the terrible secrets their hiding. Alternating time periods reveal both Louise’s past and present situations and what she is doing to seek justice. The characters are strong and the writing is good.

"An outsider threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school in this suspenseful debut novel for readers of My Dark Vanessa and Dare Me.

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin's most exclusive private school. It seems nearly perfect: the high arched window alcoves and tall granite pillars, the overspill of lilac at the front gate and the immaculate playing fields, the giggling students, the dusty, oak-lined library, and the dark, festering secret she has come to expose.

At first, Lou's working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, though all that changes when she is befriended by the beautiful and wealthy Shauna Power. But Lou finds out that even Shauna is caught up in Highfield's web, and her time there ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.

Thirty years later, Lou has rebuilt her life after the harrowing events of the so-called "Highfield Affair," when she gets a shocking phone call. Ronan Power, Shauna's brother, is a high-profile lawyer bringing a lawsuit against the school. And he needs Lou to testify.

Now with a daughter and career to protect, the last thing Lou wants is for Highfield Manor to be back in her life. But to finally free herself and others, she has to confront her past, go to battle once more, and discover, for once and for all, what really happened at Highfield. Powerful and compelling, When We Were Silent is an unputdownable, thrilling story of exploitation, privilege, and retribution."

Oh yes, don't keep silent any longer, spill the secrets! Tell me all!

Thanks to Flatiron for the copy of this book! Dark academia is one of my very favorite genres, and I was really intrigued by the concept of this one: an elite school then and now. However, this fell a little flat for me. The "me too" stories are all overlapping quite a bit and I didn't find this to really be a standout.

Louise's sole aim upon enrolling at the school was to gather evidence against the man and institution responsible for her best friend's tragic demise. Instead, she finds herself grappling with decades of stigma, her discoveries seemingly insufficient against the entrenched system. Just when she believes the ordeal is behind her, a lawyer reopens the wounds, compelling her to recount the harrowing details once more. But does he truly comprehend the depths of what her experiences entail?

This book was an engaging read, striking a balance between imperfection and captivation. It unfolds with a realism that, though fictionalized, echoes the haunting realities faced by countless teenagers like Lou and her circle of friends. While I cannot ascertain its fidelity to actual events, its chilling plausibility is palpable.

However, the narrative could have benefited from more meticulous editing. While the storytelling shines as the book's cornerstone, some resolutions to conflicts struck me as naive. These instances, predominantly in the latter portion of the story (to avoid spoilers), stretched credibility—similar to a lone teenager infiltrating a school to ensnare an abuser, an audacious plan that, while central to the narrative's theme, feels improbable in execution. This recurring pattern of half-baked solutions succeeding dilutes the overall "believability" and leaves some threads feeling unresolved, despite no overt loose ends.

Despite these observations, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to friends who appreciate thrillers interwoven with personal drama. It particularly resonates with readers fond of YA narratives, offering a compelling blend of suspense and emotional depth.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

ughhh such a good dark academia/trhiller/mystery vibe???? firstly, i love that she’s an irish author 🥹 gotta support! second of all, the vibes were immaculate. the alternating timelines made it impossible for me to put it down and kept me so invested! i highly recommend checking this one out for a darker vibe

“We thought we understood the light and shade of it, that we could hold hands in the dark” - Lou

This book should be listed under an example for “one more chapter”.

Good gosh, I’m tired .

I pulled a famous “book-binge-all-nighter”

Fiona McPhillips, is in a league all her own .

The language and characterization is on point and executed with perfection . Highfield Manor, is a place of privilege. The girls who attend are young, vulnerable and impressionable.

My skin crawled with McQueen’s touch, my eyes drizzled tears at Shauna’s despair and I felt the determination in Lou’s pursuit to uncover what happened to her best friend. I felt it all.

I’m still in utter shock this was a debut. My mind was completely blown. The writing style “chef’s kiss 💋” both powerful and compelling . There was no way I was putting this one down once I picked it up

Check out this teaser :

An outsider threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school in this suspenseful debut novel for readers of My Dark Vanessa and Dare Me

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school. It seems nearly perfect: the high arched window alcoves and tall granite pillars, the overspill of lilac at the front gate and the immaculate playing fields, the giggling students, the dusty, oak-lined library, and the dark, festering secret she has come to expose.

At first, Lou’s working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, though all that changes when she is befriended by the beautiful and wealthy Shauna Power. But Lou finds out that even Shauna is caught up in Highfield’s web, and her time there ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.

Thirty years later, Lou has rebuilt her life after the harrowing events of the so-called “Highfield Affair,” when she gets a shocking phone call. Ronan Power, Shauna’s brother, is a high-profile lawyer bringing a lawsuit against the school. And he needs Lou to testify.

Now with a daughter and career to protect, the last thing Lou wants is for Highfield Manor to be back in her life. But to finally free herself and others, she has to confront her past, go to battle once more, and discover, for once and for all, what really happened at Highfield.

I loved this book and would recommend to my circle of friends but this mystery just did not click or fit all the way together for me in the way I expected it to. With that being said, the book did keep me interested from start to finish and I genuinely was invested in knowing what happened to the victims of this book.

Page-turning novel about sexual abuse and its effects on the victims. The timeliness of the subject and setting (a school covering up the crimes) is certain to resonant with many readers. Others may take offense at some of the sexual aspects, but I feel there was nothing gratuitous about showing the brazen brutality of the perpetrator. While the reader may figure out “the twist”, the deft writing that unspools the mindset/motivations of the various girls makes for a riveting, poignant read.

When We Were Silent is a sapphic, dark academia read addressing the topic of sexual abuse at an elite private school in Ireland. For such a dark topic, this book absolutely gripped me from page 1. The writing was phenomenal, the well developed characters and suspenseful dual timeline kept me turning the pages.

If you enjoyed My Dark Vanessa, I can highly suggest giving this one a go!

I will forever read everything Fiona M Phillips write. This was thought provoking, chilling, and impossible to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to read more from this author!

With secrets, complex characters and an intriguing backdrop behind it all, this novel was intense and wonderful. What sets this novel apart is its exploration of power dynamics and the ways in which privilege can be used to exploit others. As we get deeper and deeper into the webs of secrets the more intense the novel becomes.

Prepare yourself for a dark, chilling, and suspenseful academic thriller. What an incredible debut by Fiona McPhillips. The fast-paced and exciting plot of the story was something that really captivated me and left me thoroughly entertained. The dual timeline in the story was not only engaging but also extremely easy to follow. I'm eagerly awaiting her future releases!

When I tell you I was stressed an almost in tears in so many parts of this book, then I would be writing large paragraphs😂 I felt the emotions the main character was feeling an probably even more. I knew this book was going to be the one for me once I read the description.

When We Were Silent takes events and wounds from the past and reopens them in the light of the present day. This story is a take on dark academia, in a way, and an unflinching tale of assault, abuses of power, and the unfortunate who get caught in the snares of those who mean to harm. The narrative shifts between present and past, with each part taking place in huge sections rather than swapping every chapter or so. This is good in that it allows you to get invested in a particular timeline, but it also makes it difficult if you prefer one timeline over another, as you get stuck in one world for an extended period.

In the past timeline, Lou is enrolled in a private school. Her ulterior motive for this is to find out what happened to cause her friend Tina to end her life. Quickly she gets caught up in the drastic difference between the high-class school and its students and her own life as an outsider from the working class. Sports are a common thread, and quickly Lou learns everything she needs to know about what happened to Tina, but trying to find a way to bring the involved parties to justice takes a bit of a turn as she gets involved with some of her classmates and comes up against the machinery that is the school administration.

In the current timeline, Lou is a mother, trying to deal with her young daughter and the lingering effects of the past she had hoped to leave behind. But the past never stays buried. Quickly, her past is thrust back into the spotlight as new allegations surface around her old stomping grounds. Lou has to decide what to do to help current students, finally realize the full truth of what happened to her long ago, and bring everything to a close.

There is so much here that is interesting, and even the inherent darkness of the story tries to find some small sliver of light. However, the current timeline felt abrupt and jumpy, and a storyline involving Lou's daughter seemed a bit unnecessary in light of everything else that was going on. Or at least, not fleshed out enough to stand on its own. The original story of Lou's past is the one that was the most riveting, and following the aftermath of that for a longer time may have helped the present day a little better. It is almost as if there were two separate stories here that each deserved its spotlight, rather than sharing a single book. The second half felt abrupt in resolution as Lou finally got answers to exactly what had happened when she was in school all those years ago. And so many of the side characters fell flat and were there to act as foils or sources of information for Lou, with no real agency of their own.

I will also note to please check content warnings, as this book deals on page with assault, more than once. It is the basis for the entire book, so please go in fully aware of what you will be encountering. There is an interesting story here about abuses of power and the lengths some will go to avoid responsibility for said acts, however, it tends to get a little lost amid all of the time jumps and lack of urgency (and agency) from some of the characters.

This was a difficult book to read because of the topic about a swim coach abusing students and a school cover up. Although it took place in Ireland, I thought of the sexual abuse that occurred in gymnast programs across the U.S. and what it must have been like for all those young girls. The writing was a little slow or maybe it was that there were too many other issues the author tried to weave in. Overall, a successful debut novel. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.



Lou has rebuilt her life after the events that occurred in high school nearly ruined her. So when she gets a phone call from her old best friends lawyer to testify, she is worried.

When she was in high school, she thought the dead body would end her. But now she has a daughter to protect, and she has to move past what happened.


This is a hard book to review, because it deals with very important and tough topics, but it was a hard book for me to read, and not because of the topic. I found the writing hard for me to get into and horribly slow. I found my mind drifting, and I had trouble focusing on the story. When the story was focused on the present, I found myself getting frustrated because it didn’t have a clear point. I also found the twists to be lacking and fairly predictable. I think that had the pacing been faster I would have been able to get into the story more, and enjoyed it. I do think that this book has an important message, and it one that needs to be told, I just struggled.

Thank you NetGalley, Fiona McPhillips, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Auto for granting me access to this book AND the audiobook as well in exchange for an honest review. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to experience India Mullen's narration. Her exquisite Irish accent and captivating voice truly enhanced the authenticity of the story, elevating my enjoyment of the novel beyond what I could have experienced through reading it in print.

What an intense, unsettling, and profoundly thought-provoking dark academia psychological debut novel!! It powerfully examines the impact of #MeToo, alongside themes of trauma, mental health, eating disorders, alcohol abuse, suicide, and class divisions with emotionally heartbreaking and hauntingly disturbing prose. This gripping and evocative work is empathetically written, delving deeply into the complexities of its subjects. With a narrative alternating between the past and the present, both infused with intrigue, the suspense was undeniably most palpable in the "then" storyline. While the ending wasn't necessarily what I anticipated or wished for, it did leave me breathless and contributed to the story's realism.

Let me clarify that this is far from a delightfully enjoyable read. Instead, it's tremendously painful and difficult to stomach. Even though stories like these can be heavy, I believe they are important because they shed light on the harsh realities that occur every day. While they may be fiction, it still carries powerful messages about standing up for what's right and refusing to remain silent.

When We Were Silent is about an outsider who threatens to unveil the secrets lurking within an elite private school. Louise Manson, the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin's most prestigious institution, discovers more than just high-arched alcoves and an oak-lined library behind its granite walls. With a dark, festering secret to expose, Lou's working-class background initially marks her as an outsider until she finds friendship among her beautiful and affluent classmates. However, her attempts to reveal the truth about Highfield lead to disaster and a shocking discovery -a dead body. Thirty years later, Lou receives a jolting phone call. A high-profile lawyer is bringing a case against the school and requires Lou's testimony. She must confront her past and uncover, once and for all, the truth behind the mysteries of Highfield.

I am throughly impressed with how the author adeptly illustrates the profound impact of trauma on the protagonist's life and relationships, emphasizing the necessity of undergoing the healing process to truly overcome the past. This portrayal underscores the idea that one cannot simply leave the past behind without actively engaging in the work required for healing. However, that we all have the capacity to move forward from our past!

In conclusion, this is a compelling, emotional and unputdownable dark academia thriller that compels readers to contemplate the ramifications of unbridled power and the extremes to which people will go to safeguard their hidden truths. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and look forward to read other books by this author!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WHEN WE WERE SILENT is an emotional read. I felt like I was listening to a true story. It made me think of all the woman that have experienced abuse of this nature and still no one believed them. Told through past and present timelines we learn a lot about Lou and her friends when they attended Highfield Manor. There were some surprises through out the story that I didn't expect and that always sparks my interest. In the end, I do feel the author wrote a good debut, but be aware that it is on the darker side. Triggers are below.

TW: Rape, mental illness, eating disorders, and alcohol abuse.


Many thanks for my gifted copy!

This book was not what I was expecting, but was nonetheless a powerful statement on grooming and abuse in high school athletics. The protagonist is a former scholarship student at an elite Irish high school, where she encounters a predatory coach and his olympic-bound swimmers, trapped in a vicious cycle by which the school protects a dangerous abuser and perpetuates a culture of silence (hence the title). The narrative shifts back and forth from past (the 80s, during which the protagonist is a student) and the present, in which she is a professor and mother shaken by reopening of past wounds. I found the story to be an important statement on breaking cycles of abuse and believing victims, but also found the visual depictions of the abuse to be highly graphic and hard to read. Major TW for sexual abuse and violence.