⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ // Murder by the Book by Amie Schaumberg
I listened to the ALC of this one and really enjoyed it! I don’t usually read a ton of thrillers, so I don’t have a ton to compare it to—but this one had me hooked right from the start, and I ended up finishing it in just two days!

If you love a good murder mystery and have an appreciation for classic literature, this is such a fun combination of both. It kept the suspense going without ever feeling too heavy, and the audiobook format made it even more engaging.

The only thing I’ll say (and it’s not even a bad thing!) is that I did see the final twist coming—but maybe that’s just because I watch way too many crime shows and listen to too many true crime podcasts 😅 Either way, it was a super satisfying read!

I enjoyed this twisty, dark academia mystery! I enjoyed all the connections to classic art and literature and watching the main character (Emma) come into herself throughout the story. I did get a little frustrated by the way the Ian treated her, but I do think that was symbolic of Emma needing to own her voice. And while I did guess the ending, and wish the very end had been fleshed out a bit more, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and tangled web of this mystery. And I loved that Emma was neurodivergent! I also enjoyed the audiobook, but didn’t love how the narrator made Emma sound almost every time she spoke. Overall, a captivating read!

A series of murders near a college stump police, including Detective Ian Carter, when they seem to reference Shakespeare and other classic works of literature. When Professor Emma Reilly accidentally sees some pictures of the crime scenes, she starts to dig into the killer's symbolism with some of her fellow professors. Soon the case comes much closer to home and Emma realizes she may be in danger.

The most interesting part of this story was the literary analysis of the crime scenes, which went a little deep at times but was still interesting to me. The diving into the killer's psyche was interesting, akin to Criminal Minds. I enjoyed the dual POV of Emma and Ian, seeing the case from multiple view points. Even though the story was relatively predictable, the tension and suspense did keep me on the edge of my seat.

4 stars

I really enjoyed this one, despite my utter lack of art knowledge. Dark academia meets noir as a serial killer stalks a college campus, drawing a literature professor into the case. A few red herrings provided distractions and the tense relationship between Ian and Emma a bit of a “will they/won’t they” element. Solid read.