ARC review:
YA Dark academia murder mystery. This was a very fun and enjoyable read. I loved the setting and the dark academia atmosphere. Eva is a mixed-race girl and through her lens we explore the race and class politics of Oxford as she is interviewing for a highly coveted spot in the next class. Although the pacing was slow at times, I really enjoyed the buildup to finding out the killer through Eva’s investigation. Excited for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley + St. Martins Press for the eARC!

I'm probably going to be in the minority but sadly this was a DNF from me. I just felt like this was super heavy for a YA novel and the themes just weren't handled very well in my opinion. It also felt like the author decided that they wanted to throw in every triggering thing that they could think of in as well. Had do DNF after the mentor was insinuated to be a groomer. Yes I understand that this happens in real life and deserves to have discussions about them but I read to escape every day life. Characters didn't feel fully fleshed out to me and were just there to prove a point. Just overall wasn't for me. All thoughts and opinions stated were solely my own! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I felt as though this murder mystery set in Oxford really missed the mark. It was poorly written, a lot of telling instead of showing, so to speak.

It’s not often that books surprise me and this one did! I didn’t have high hopes for this book because I’m super picky about my mysteries. (I’m a super snob.) I wasn’t sure about Oxford Blood because it kind of popped out of nowhere and I had never heard of the author, BUT it was so good!!!!
Especially if you are a college student and live in this social media age, it feels like this book is so realistic. Barstool, yikyak, whatever you want to use but make it a channel to gossip about murder!
Thank you to St. Martin’s for this digital ARC in return for an honest review!

The way this book shocked me with how much I loved it still has me gagged! This story was the perfect dark academia with thrills and mystery at every turn. I found myself thinking I knew the answers but I never did! This was absolutely perfect! What an amazing debut!

This was a really interesting YA murder mystery thriller that I couldn’t put down. When Eva’s friend George is found dead during interview week, she steps up to find the killer. I loved the secrecy and secret codes. There were lots of twists in the story and each time Eva discovered something we got closer to finding out what was really going on.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Unfortunately this one did not work for me, I tried to get into it but it wasn't moving fast enough for me. I am thinking that YA thrillers are not working for me anymore. I had to DNF.

I love YA thrillers and dark academia settings, so Oxford Blood (I mean, the title alone!) seemed right up my alley. Initially, I thought it could be a good fit for me, but the pacing was much slowing than I expected, especially for a YA book. The first 10% was mostly just people meeting and discussions about their schedules. I really wish I could have gotten into this more, but unfortunately, it was a DNF for me.

Thanks to St. Martin’s for sending this ARC! I’m guessing I was very generously gifted this because I read and enjoyed The Thrashers, but this didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I found the text formatting to be quite jarring and at times it took me out of the story. Perhaps that won’t be the case in the physical book. I found it odd that the main character, a woman of color, would implicitly trust the police because her father is an investigator.

Oxford Blood
by Rachael Davis-Featherstone


Oxford Blood is a fascinating read about a young female student of color, Eva, trying to get into one of Oxford’s most prestigious colleges for English when, during interview week, her best friend and fellow applicant, George, dies under mysterious circumstances. Eva is incredibly smart and has a famous investigator for a father, so she knows things aren’t as they same and she isn’t willing to let go of her Oxford dreams by leaving interview week, or the culprit behind George’s death.

This book is YA but appealing to all audiences and will by loved by Dark academia fans (like me!). It’s a true page turner with twists I did not see coming that speaks to the micro and macro issues that a major institution like Oxford has. It made more interested in Oxford a whole! This reminds me a lot of Catherine House and fans will like both. Thanks to Wednesday books, the author, and NetGalley for the change to read and review this book!

This fast-paced mystery takes place during interview week at the University of Oxford. It’s targeted towards young adults and the entire book takes place over that single interview week. Near the beginning of interview week one of the interviewees is found dead on campus. Unfortunately, he has gone to interview week with his best friend, who is also in love with him and she will stop at nothing to solve what she believes is a murder. To make matters even more interesting she is the daughter of a famous detective, and one of the other people interviewing is the son of the detective on the murder investigation.

Because this entire story takes place over a single week, it is exceptionally fast paced. Every single line on every single page is important and has information in solving the mystery. I really connected with the main character, Eva, and I felt like she was rightfully motivated in her quest to solve her friend's murder, even if it seemed that nobody else was taking her concerns seriously.

I would highly recommend this book to people interested in YA mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Eva’s best friend George is murdered at interviews to attend Oxford. Eva is the prime suspect and the lead detective will not listen to what Eva knows so Eva decides to investigate on her own. A dark society with generations of secrets kept me at the edge of my seat. I know teen readers will love!

Oxford Blood is a captivating YA thriller set in Oxford that delves into racism, corruption, and dark academia. It is perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It focuses on Eva, who is a mixed-race interviewee trying to earn her place at a prestigious university dominated by the elite and privileged. After her best friend, George, is found dead during interview week, Eva sets out trying to uncover the killer as the truth leads her deeper into the dark secrets that plague Oxford.

I haven’t read a thriller in a while, so I’m happy this is the book that brought me back. At first it was hard to get through and I didn’t really feel an emotional pull towards George, but I liked how I got to see more of his character even after he died. I liked how I was able to empathize with him, which made it really easy to feel invested into the story and the mystery of who killed him.

I also loved the themes this book explored, such as racism and the social hierarchy that has enabled people to cheat the justice system. I recommend this book to those who love dark academia with powerful social themes and mystery. This was such a compelling read, and I loved the characters introduced—I think my favorite character has to be either Xander or George, they were both so sweet! I can’t wait for book 2—I just want more of these characters!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rachael Davis-Featherstone for granting me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

i’m giving it two stars but not cuz i hated it! i would actually give it like a 2.8 or a 3 but this book had some odd line spacing and it’s probably a personal preference about the
[insert sentence.]
[insert a sentence.] when it could have been a paragraph,
was used often. once or twice for emphasis is good but when it’s in every chapter with suspense it’s kinda overused. i loved the premise and poc representation a lot and i’d like to see more on the janey case, like in detail maybe a prequel almost, would be interesting. characters are very surface level but all relatable minus seb and the reapers of course.

This was a suspenseful read filled with deception and red herrings. The original crime evolves and expands into something much larger than originally anticipated. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded and slowly revealed what the true motivating factors were behind the murder and that I couldn’t guess who the murderer was until right before it was revealed. I really enjoyed the social and political themes throughout the book and they stayed consistent and didn’t get lost amongst the story arc.

Just wrapped Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis-Featherstone and my heart is still racing. 💗📚

A murder, an anonymous gossip forum, and the pressure-cooker world of Oxford interviews? Say less. This fast-paced academic thriller drops you straight into the chaos of privilege, ambition, and secrets—where every decision feels like life or death… because sometimes, it is.

Eva is a compelling lead—sharp, determined, and easy to root for as she battles grief, suspicion, and a system stacked against her. I devoured this in a day, totally hooked by the dark academia vibes and the mystery at its core.

If you like your thrillers twisty, high-stakes, and set in elite institutions with a touch of social commentary, this one should definitely be on your TBR.

📍Content vibes: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder with a side of Oxford drama, Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious Series.

Excellent murder mystery novel. The main character had such depth to her and when reading it was like you were standing next to her. She is a detectives daughter and you can tell because she can see tiny details in everything. She was the one who solved the murder. She was the one who never stopped til she knew the truth. And the ending was amazing. Perfect twist that you didn’t expect and finding out how the past effects the present is always a fun read.

I literally canceled a doctors appointment because I NEEDED to read this till the end. I’m so jealous of people who get to experience this for the first time! I will definitely be buying a hard copy

Oxford Blood delivers the YA “dark‑academia” hit promised by its pitch—Ace of Spades meets The Secret History—with fresh stakes and a heroine to root for. Eva, a state‑school bookworm, finally reaches Oxford’s fabled interview week, only to watch her best friend die on the college steps. An anonymous forum called Oxford Slays turns the competition into a blood sport, and Eva has seven days to clear her name, crack the killer and still ace her interviews.

What I loved: (1) Atmosphere that bites. Cobblestone quads, candle‑lit libraries and whisper networks of privilege create the perfect locked‑campus pressure cooker. (2) Sophisticated social critique: Classism and racism aren’t window dressing; they drive motive and tension.
(3) Whip‑smart pacing. The action spans a single week, and Davis‑Featherstone dishes twists every few chapters—no saggy middle.

Slick, angry and compulsively readable, Oxford Blood is more than a murder mystery; it’s a scalpel taken to elitism. If you like your campus thrillers with moral bite—and can stomach a body count during interview week—you will love it! Overall, I reallty enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this writer!

It was a fast pace thriller mystery. I do have to say George’s death was rather earlier than I expected and I felt it dulled the story a bit.