Mortimer University. Caz Van der Vaal - a man seeking revenge. Salem Salazar - a woman trying to solve mysteries surrounding her sister's death. She is quiet but observant, he is wild and scaring at times. They truly are an unusual pair and while I wasn't invested in their connection right from the beginning, they grown on me throughout the whole story and i think that is even more precious. Learning more about them as individuals and seeing them become each other's special person, seeing them become an anchor and safe place for each other and disrupting them from their loneliness... it was simply beautiful.

Without giving away too much about the story, I can say that Enigma doesn't felt like a typical romance. Of course, in its core it is a story about profound love and connection, but there are also darker themes as revenge, loneliness and grief. And I feel like the emotional aspects of the story, together with eerie, haunting and tension dripping atmosphere of Mortimer is what makes this story special. I was immersed in this new corner of runyxverse right from the start...

One of the readers classified Enigma as a mistcore genre, and while this beautiful word was unknown to me, i can wholeheartedly agree. Atmospheric, foggy and haunting setting of Mortimer, a sense of ambiguity and loneliness and quietness, together with secret societies and murder mysteries... RuNyx serves something so unique and so out of the usual borders of romance genre that it grips your attention (and heart) and simply doesn't let go.

While i love this book, and its solid 4 stars for me when it comes to plot, and characters and everything, the audiobook wasn't my favorite. The narrators are not bad per sey, but they simply aren't my Caz & Salem. So its 3 stars for audio...

⭐ 5/5 stars
🌶 3 chili peppers

I was gifted the audiobook of Enigma by RuNyx a while back from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio (thank you!), and I meant to listen to it sooner… but life. You know how it goes.

This was my first RuNyx book, and it definitely won’t be my last. As someone who loves Halloween and all things spooky, this book spoke to my soul. The whole vibe gave me Wednesday (the show) energy — but make it dark romance — and I was immediately hooked.

I fell hard for the main characters. Salem’s growth in this book was so beautifully done, and the way it explored some of life’s harder moments. And listen — I am that girl who goes absolutely feral for a possessive MMC, and Caz did not disappoint.

The story had such a great mystery to it, and it kept me on my toes the entire time. I’m not kidding when I say I listened to this in one day because I physically could not stop. I had to know how it all played out.

And the setting? Haunting, eerie, beautiful. I wanted to crawl into this book and live there.

The audiobook is done in dual POV, with Jaclyn Kelso narrating the bulk of it, and I loved her performance. She was Salem — her tone fit the vibe of the story perfectly. And then there’s Aiden Snow, one of my all-time favorite narrators. The only complaint I have? I wanted more of him. That deep timbre of his voice in a dark, gothic romance setting? Yes, please. Always.

5 stars from me, and a solid 3 chili peppers for spice. I really loved this one. I’m definitely diving into more RuNyx soon.

✨ Overall Rating 5/5
📈 Plot 5/5
🖊️ Writing 5/5 (based on listening)
👤 Characters 5/5
⚖️ Interpersonal Relationships 5/5
🗺️ World Building 5/5
🔥 Spice 2.5/5
😭 Emotional Damage 2/5
🤩 Entertainment 5/5
🎧 Narration 5/5

Another incredible story by RuNyx! I absolutely loved Salem and Caz! The atmosphere was impeccable as always—I love Gothikana, and Enigma has a very similar gothic, moody vibe which I find incredibly cozy. I will definitely be reading this again.



Thank you NetGalley for the ALC 🖤

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley, for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this book, and most of it was a blur. I was excited to listen to this after enjoying Gothikana. I enjoy reading books in an academic setting, but this one was more of a flop for me. I think the dual narration with Aiden Snow and Jaclyn Kelso was done well. The secret society was a bit odd to me, and the romance between the characters was too quick. Give me some suspense. Overall, I will look forward to more releases by RuNyx, but this one wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Started out great, the beginning was very interesting. Lagged a little bit in the middle and somewhat lost my attention, and the ending felt a bit crammed. Still enjoyed it overall though!

Enigma is the second RuNyx novel I've read, and I think as far as dark academic romance, it's far more accessible than Gothikana. The romance is actually not surface problematic at all. Except the MMC is not only "touch her and die" but legit "I've killed people before and absolutely will again." They are both insanely unhinged tbh, and I'm not upset about it. The main issues I found were with pacing and the last 40% of the novel as a whole. The ending was very rushed. I realized with only about an hour left in the audiobook that nothing had been resolved, and I was concerned about understanding the many mysteries the novel built up. I was overall satisfied with the answers I was given, but I didn't need two epilogues. I wish the ending was revealed more slowly with less infodumpy wrap ups. There was more telling than showing in the last 40%, which is also where the romance takes a greater prominence. The development was rushed, making a carefully planned love story feel insta despite plenty of backstory and build. The characters had everything going for them except for on-page chemistry. The MMC was literally insane, artistic, and murderous; the FMC liked dissecting dead things with scientific detachment. They worked well on paper, but the whole thing was very vanilla for this genre.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

this was 4 stars for me!

it took me by the throat from the beginning. I loved the mystery circling the plot and how the characters brought so much spice and drama to the story. this was a HOT read and I really enjoyed it. The characters kept me intrigued in the story and the mystery of the plot was enticing!

Salem Salazar arrives at Mortimer University determined to uncover what happened to her older sister, supposedly dead of suicide, a tragedy that led to their father's own death after he committed murder and then killed himself. Fueled by determination, intelligence and curiosity she's ready to break open the secrets Mortimer is desperate to hide.
Salem finds more than just answers when she runs into Caz, dark and deeply sensual the tow are drawn together, despite being determined to stay apart... at least at first.
Was it a little corny? Sure. A little overly dramatic? Yeah. Was I here for every ridiculous second of it? Absolutely. It was exactly what it said it was... a delicious dark romance in a (slightly) gothic academia setting.
I could have done with a little more of Salem's friends - I loved how Salem found her people and began to blossom into herself, even before her romance with Caz started to take off. Sure, I get why to focus slipped off them, it's wasn't the point of the story, but they were fun and loyal and I loved them for that.
If you're looking for a completely un-serious trashy read... her ya go!

Much like gothikana this book was entertaining but it was also pretty wacky. I found it a pretty fun pop corn read but nothing particularly good. I really loved Jaclyn Kelso’s narration she does a really great job and all of her voices were really great.

This felt like a softer, more romantic spin on Runyx’s usual dark, gothic style. Salem’s character was so unique and compelling—I loved being inside her head. The bond between two lonely souls was beautifully written, and while the climax felt a little rushed, it seemed like a deliberate choice to keep this one lighter. Well done overall.

Okay, so I really thought this was going to be my next obsession. I loved the darkness, the whole eerie, mysterious vibe, and that signature RuNyx atmosphere that pulls you in. The setup was amazing. The aesthetic? Immaculate. The potential? Huge.

But honestly… the book just didn’t fully deliver for me. There were definitely parts I enjoyed, some intense scenes, a few great quotes, and the tension in certain moments was so good. But overall, the plot felt a little all over the place. Some parts were too slow, others felt rushed, and by the end, I just didn’t feel the emotional payoff I was hoping for. And at some points, I just felt confused.

I didn’t hate it, and I’d still recommend it for the aesthetic alone if that’s your thing, but this one ended up being more of a “vibes book” for me than something I really felt. Kinda bummed, but still glad I gave it a shot.

Gothic romance
Dark academia
Rivals to lovers
Muse + artist



Gothikana is a forever favorite that blew me away and this one was no different! Gothic dark academia is clearly for me! The audio sucked me in big time as well. Thank you @macmillan.audio for this ALC

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: April 29, 2025

4.25 stars
This dark academia romance was right up my alley! There was a mystery to solve, danger to avoid, and plenty of spice and romance.

While the narrators both did a great job I think I would have preferred this more if I read it, but that is just my (now known) preference for dark romance. Will certainly pick up RuNyx's books in the future.

Thank you so much for the gifted ALC! I was so excited for RuNyx next book especially after Gothikana which I really enjoyed. RuNyx's skills in crafting an ambient world with all of the perfectly moody vibes are stellar. I also have the physical copy of the book and looked forward to seeing each chapter art and quote-- these design choices also really pull you into the story. The narrators did a wonderful job! As for the story I had mixed feelings-- there were so many parts that I loved, and found myself invested and excited to turn the page, but on the other hand there were some parts where the pacing was off... By the time you get to the finale you might be like... that's it? I really enjoyed the characters-- which the narrators brought to life. I loved Salem because she is so different than most FMCs you read about so I enjoyed being in her head. There were some points where I had to tell myself not to cringe due to the characters age/conversations. However overall I had a fun time with this one and definitely think the audience is out there! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Oh and the steamy scenes were pretty fun!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I’m a huge audiobook listener so I was thrilled to be able to give this one a listen! Dark academia romance- say less! This was such a fun vibe, if you like Wednesday and want the adult version, this is it! So. Much. Fun! The characters were great and had lovely development over the course of the story and the plot wasn’t cookie cutter like many dark romances can be.

And the narrators??? YES. Loved them so much and will absolutely be listening to their work in the future!

Major win for me here!

I was super excited to be offered the ALC for Enigma and went into it with high hopes…but it was just ok for me. I can preface this by saying I have loved all of RuNyx other works of art, Gothikana and The Dark Verse series, but I just feel like this one wasn’t holding my attention as well as the others. I found myself becoming distracted and losing focus because I wasn’t invested in the story like I usually am with their books. The narrators did a great job, and I think the story had great potential, it just didn’t check all the boxes for me this time.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for allowing me to listen to Enigma

This audio was INCREDIBLE! I craved to keep listening and didn't want it to end. The story and the characters and the narrators were all amazing. I loved it so much.

O.M.G.! I love a good dark academia romance and this DELIVERED. Dark criminals, a broody as hell MMC and strong baddie FMC, dual-POV, secret societies, everything I was looking for.

Salem had a great arc for finding her own power within herself. Where before the girl who loved murder mysteries (maybe a little too much) was considered weird, she finds a community where she blossoms.

Caz has so many complexities about him that I won’t spoil but his character arc is fantastic too. I had an advanced listening copy of the audiobook from NetGalley and his narrator was perfect for the sultry, broody, possessive Caz.

Salem enrolls in Mortimer to try to find out how her sister died because she is not convinced that she killed herself.

Along the way Caz makes her investigate harder with all the secrets.

As she is uncovering her sisters murder she uncovers the truth about Caz too.

Mystery and steams all in one book. What is not to love.

This story plunges readers into a dark academia world with a fascinating "Hades and Persephone meets scorching romance" twist. A huge thank you to @Netgalley for the Advanced Listening Copy! The narrators do a great job with this one!

We meet Salem Salazar, a legacy student at Mortimer University, who is intensely drawn to the mysteries of death. She's on a mission to uncover what truly happened to her perfect older sister, only to find that her sister is just one of many girls who have vanished from Mortimer. Salem is determined to find answers, even if it means putting herself in harm's way.
Enter Cazimir van der Waal, a mysterious artist and teaching assistant with his own dark past and agenda. He quickly takes notice of Salem, and their dynamic is electric – she's ice, he's fire; she's organized, he's chaos. Their fates become deeply intertwined as secret societies and danger lurk around every corner at Mortimer.

I had quite the journey with this book! I found myself going back and forth, with moments of being absolutely captivated and then parts where the pacing seemed to slow down a bit. However, the unique and interesting characters kept me turning the pages. I especially loved seeing Salem's growth throughout the story, watching her become more comfortable in her own skin and realize her own worth. The ending definitely had me super invested and was quite explosive, though it did feel a little rushed given the extensive build-up to that point.
Overall, it was an intriguing read that I did enjoy.

Troupes: enemies/rivals to lovers, dark academia, secret societies, hidden identities, romantic suspense

Spice 4/5 (this is a perfect blend of plot and good spice!)
Plot 4.5/5
Pace 3.5/5
Character Personality 4/5
Character Growth 4/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5