Twisty, dark academia, secret societies, the malleability of youth, betrayal, I can go on, but these are all some of my favorite things!
I was so excited to read a new Christopher J Yates book, as Black Chalk was a huge fave of mine.

Yates combines King Lear and Alice in Wonderland in an apropos send up of Ali, a half-American student, reading Literature at Oxford in the 1990sand maaaaayyybe meeting up with his estranged dad, an old rock legend. The pompous roommate, the late night camaraderie at the pubs, the desperate attempts to find your people at college struck true to life. Ali's experiences with an even more pompous professor while trying to balance a nascent romantic relationship with friends and schoolwork, also struck true. What took this to another level was the current-day analysis of Ali's story from the point of view of a priggish professor in America who is slowly losing his mind.

The story deftly weaves references to the defining plot point of the conclusion throughout the whole novel, in a subtle way; you, Dear Reader, may think you know where it's going. You do not!

Great mystery/thriller/dark academia.

3.25 rounded down.

Honestly? This book was confusing to me until 85% of the way through. The dual timeline could have worked if I had any concept of what/who was the current narrator and what they were talking about.

The past (in school) was brilliant. I enjoyed it thoroughly and was riveted by the rabbits, the characters and their behavior. The end took a turn I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed.

Advanced reader copy provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️

Thank you HTP, The Hive, Hanover Square Press, and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies!

The Rabbit Club
Christopher J. Yates
Publishing Date: July 7, 2025

🎧 Narrator: Jeremy Arthur, Will Watt, & Imogen Church 🎧

This book was so smart and clever. Alistair is accepted into Oxford and it’s his dream come true. He is there to study literature, but he is fully unprepared for the darkness that awaits as he gets swept into the world of secret societies.

For me this was one of those books that the payoff in the end was worth a bit of struggle along the way. I had a bit of a hard time digesting the information initially and the pacing was a bit slow along the way. BUT once this story got going, I was totally hooked.

I love dark academia and this delivered so beautifully. There are literary references a plenty. Alistair’s desire to fit into this world and how this makes him so easily influenced to be sucked into the dark underbelly of Oxford’s secret societies was so good.

And the twist was superb. I never see the twists coming but this one was just so satisfying. This was my first book by this author and I will surely keep an eye for future works!

🎧 I read this one in tandem with my eyes and ears. I think for many the audio alone would be fine but for some reason I had a hard time following along and digesting the information unless I used my eyes too. This is in no way a reflection of the narration though as it was really fantastic! I loved the vibe the narrators brought to this one!

Wow, The Rabbit Club is a wild new Dark Academia suspense story, perfect for fans of the Secret History and writers like Alice Feeney.

Filled with banter, literary references, and obviously inspired by Alice in Wonderland, this book IS like falling down the rabbit hole. A young American student, son of a famous British rock star, arrives at Oxford in the 1990s, ready to make his mark. He meets a colorful cast of characters who include his roommate, his fellow freshers at Cockbayne College, and his stern tutor.

Witty and sly, this book will not be for readers who have a low tolerance for the classics or being confused. But if you go with the flow and think of Alice and the White Rabbit, you might find this a clever and entraining story about the desire to belong and the dark side of that longing.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

I'm always a sucker for the dark academia scene, so I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of this new release by Christopher Yates! The main character's self-awareness and nerves poked through from the start, and the Britishisms being mentally reviewed and translated were quirky and quite humorous. The professor's interjections throughout the book were a bit confusing at first, but made much more sense as the book progressed. Looking forward to digging into Yates' backlist!

More campus thriller than dark academia, but a delight to read all the same.

I was a little worried that this would be just like Black Chalk (which I enjoyed, for the record), but it’s actually very different both in tone and plot, and I loved what an original spin this was on the typical academic mystery/thriller.

In some ways this is both a spoof of and a tribute to The Secret History, Brideshead Revisited, and maybe King Lear, and while that kind of stuff makes me nervous in theory, it’s so well done here and blends so nicely into the original narrative.

I loved Yates’ use of tone to convey meaning, and I loved how truly atmospheric this was and how well it exhibits strong sense of place.

The story itself is fun and is probably more poignant in message than in execution, but it’s no less enjoyable because of that. The ending is a bit on the bonkers side and that feels slightly out of step with the rest of the narrative, but it does add up in a way, and it’s satisfying if beggaring belief a bit.

In all, an excellent read if you love a campus setting and the sociocontextual examination of elite universities.

#TheRabbitClub #NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for a review!

The Rabbit Club is an engaging and gripping read - one of those books that made me want to keep turning the pages. The narrative pulled me in with a quiet intensity, and I was eager to uncover what was going to happen next.

I appreciated some of the helpful pronuncers – like Michaelmas (rhyming with nickel) and Cockbayne (like Cobain). As someone who grew up in India, where UK English is the norm, many of the words were familiar, but over time, some pronunciations have drifted. Rustication, for instance – which means temporary suspension from college. In my university days in India, I’d only ever heard it pronounced as rustigate. It’s always a pleasure to learn something new. Speaking of new, “Glasgow kiss” was another new fun thing I learnt about.

Another enjoyable aspect was the literary references sprinkled throughout. They made me want to revisit old favorites like Alice in Wonderland and add new titles like Brideshead Revisited to my Want To Read list. It’s always a bonus when a book inspires you to explore more literature.

That said, the ending felt a bit anticlimactic. While the story was compelling throughout, the ending left me with a sense of incompleteness. If the author is planning a sequel that delves deeper into the two characters (I won’t name them here) who were central to the story but not fully explored, then the ending makes sense as a narrative choice. I would like to learn about their perspective, their mindset (bound to be dark), their world and why they are or become who they are and what spurred them to do what they did. However, if this is meant to be a standalone novel, I’d have to shave off a star from this review, for not giving me the closure I was looking for. Sorry author!

Final Verdict: A compelling read! A more satisfying conclusion would have made it exceptional for me.

4.25✨

Christopher J Yates presented me a real challenge. This piece starts off immensely slow until the introduction of a mystery narrator which was beautifully done. In 1994, our MMC Alistair takes on life at Oxford. I thought maybe the typical coming of age story. He moves to a new country, throws himself into academics and making new friends. All the while, the Saracans are lurking around every dark corner.

I will be extremely blunt that the first half is very difficult to navigate pace wise. Heavy emphasis on literary works which I was rather fond of. Almost feels like a love letter to literature. Then things begin to warp, twists come out of nowhere and I felt completely immersed in Ali’s story. The Rabbit Club was a labyrinth which I didn’t want to escape from. I fell in love with the story and became deeply invested in these unique characters.

Thank you to Christopher J. Yates, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press, and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This will be perfect for fans of dark academia. The characters are well-written and differentiated, the plot is interesting. and the writing is engaging. Plus the structure and twists are great!

This was a surprising and intriguing academia story, with clever perspectives and growing tension. It's not quite as dark of a story as I was expecting, but the 90s British academic setting with secret societies and class issues was interesting.

I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book because I love dark academia and this book appeared to have elements of some of the best features of the genre: prestigious university, English lit, secret societies, etc.

Ali shows up at Oxford University, determined to prove himself by joining a secret society. He is also hoping to reconnect with his famous father. He meets an eccentric cast of characters and tries to survive in the City of Dreaming Spires.

One thing I noticed immediately is that the dialogue had an odd quirk. It devolved frequently into these odd and mawkish exchanges that seemed out of character. It made the characters appear silly, almost as if they are embarking on a parody of the dark academia genre.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the little moments of silliness, but I stuck with the book… and wow, was it worth it. I can’t go into details without risking revealing too much, but there’s a split timeline, and there’s going to be a point where you think you have figured everything out. However, I can almost guarantee that you are going to walk away at the end of this in awe of all the twists and revelations.

I would absolutely recommend The Rabbit Club. If you are a fan of English literature in addition to the dark academia genre, then you are going to appreciate all the references. I was thrilled with all the references to Brideshead Revisited and Shakespeare. I’m definitely going to check out that copy of Yates’ Black Chalk that’s been sitting on my TBR!





I received a digital ARC of this book from Harlequin Trade/NetGalley.

The Rabbit Club feels like a The Secret History meets Alice in Wonderland fever dream. This dark academia thriller set within the elite walls of Oxford follows 18-year-old Alistair “Ali” McCain, an American son of a rockstar whose dream of studying English literature becomes twisted when he pursues entry into an enigmatic secret society, the Saracens. When a professor turns up dead, Ali gets caught in a dangerous web of lies and manipulation.

This book is a darkly intoxicating journey through ambition, belonging, and betrayal. It's definitely geared to those who love English lit- there are literary allusions from King Lear, Brideshead Revisited, and of course Alice in Wonderland. It's oddity won't be for everybody, but these references serve to mirror and enhance the novel’s psychological twistiness. I'll be honest- I found myself struggling to keep on top of it all even though I was very drawn in by Ali, the many unique supporting characters and the secret society of it all.

If you enjoy a slow burn atmospheric, literary suspense, The Rabbit Club will have you down its rabbit hole—and won't let go easily.

Thank you @htphive @htpbooks @hanoversquarepress for the gifted advance reader copy!

In the 1990s, American Alistair McCain travels to England to attend Oxford and hopes to reconnect with his estranged father, rock legend Gerry McCain. His new life slowly unravels as he is lured into an elite secret society.

Wow! I was truly blown away by this book! The writing was so smart and filled with literary references from Shakespeare to Alice in Wonderland. I was completely immersed in Ali’s story as he navigated his first year at Oxford and reconnected with his father. The interspersed second point of view was a little confusing to me until the end, but the way everything came together was genius and brought this dark academia tale to a whole new level! 👏🏻

Rating 5⭐️

This was a great and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Ali McCain is an 18 year old American, recently enrolled in Oxford. He develops a group of friends, some of whom have secrets that will lead to their possible downfall (or great success). Ali is a vulnerable boy trying to reconcile with the rock star father who abandoned him. He is perhaps too eager to join one of Oxford’s exclusive clubs.

This was my third time reading this author, and I have enjoyed all three books. There are a lot of literary references in this book, but they aren’t hidden like Easter eggs. The author tells you the exact source of each quote or reference, so this isn’t a literary puzzle. However, it’s a puzzle of a different sort, and the twist really did take me by surprise. The book dragged at times, and one character was a little too obviously up to no good. I think the plot was believable and it came together convincingly at the end. All three narrators of the audiobook did an excellent job.

I received free copies of the ebook and audiobook from the publisher.

“Oxford University” + “dark academia” + “a dangerous secret society”…I mean, this sounds like my dream novel, but I threw in the towel at 50%. Yes, 50%. I really tried, but the chapter format, time jumps, and anonymous narrator finally became too much.

While this is definitely one for fans of dark academic novels (teens behaving badly), it's also a love letter to literature, with lots of Oxford relevant references. Ali has enrolled at an Oxford college not only to study but also in the hopes of connecting with his drug addled rock star father. Things don't go as planned, to say the least. There's an undercurrent that threatens to sweep Ali in. This is best when it focuses on Ali's experience with his new friend group. Know that there's a dual time line that might be a bit confusing at first but that all will be revealed in the end. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A clever one.

I haven't read a ton of books that could be considered "dark academia" but having finished the Rabbit Club, I'll be adding a few more to my TBR. This book was a 10/10 for me. The pacing was unrushed, which built tension beautifully, and the literary references were plentiful and delightful. The multiple POVs worked for me, and I always love it when a character breaks the fourth wall. I will be recommending this one all over the place for the rest of the summer.

Of course, any novel categorized as dark academia is going to be compared to Donna Tartt's, the Secret History, the masterpiece of dark academia, and anyone brave enough to even consider writing a book in this genre has to know their novel will be scrutinized against Tartt's work of perfection. Many don't stand a chance. Readers, we know this. We read them all anyway, every single one, desperately hoping to catch that same spark of awe we experienced when reading the Secret History for the first time. Then we listened to Tartt read it to us on the audiobook version. Fans of this genre have been searching for the next novel that can evoke that same feeling without overwhelmingly trying too hard to be the Secret History.

Well, readers, finally, this is the one.

The Rabbit Club by Christopher Yates is the one you've been looking for all these years.

It's fresh, it's distinctive, it's intriguing, it's special.

Summarizing the plot here, is pointless. Read the jacket cover if that's your vibe, but it's more fun to just dive right in.

To the author, Christopher Yates, I'm sorry for all of references to Tartt and The Secret History (you knew this would happen, though, right?). Your novel is unique and brilliant and worthy of praise on its own merit. Black Chalk was great, but this is the one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5⭐️

This book takes a lot of references from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and it was just as wild as both of those stories. Ali being admitted to Oxford after living in LA for almost his while life was like watching a fish out of water. I've said it before but I'm always here for a secret society and The Saracens scratched that itch for me. I loved the way Ali uncovered the secrets of the society and I loved even more the way the truth was actually revealed.

At times this gave The Secret History vibes and I really appreciated that. I liked trying to figure out Ali's relationships with the other characters and the way he tried so hard to rebuild his relationship with his father. The interactions between Ali, his roommate William, and Ali's father were always so tense and left me curious as to who was planning what. This book had a major plot twist that I didn't expect and that made me love it even more!

Thanks Netgalley and Hanover Square Press for providing this ARM to me!