Golden Boy
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Pub Date May 18 2026 | Archive Date Sep 30 2026
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Description
When We Were Killers meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower - a queer Scottish dark-academia thriller about finding your people and discovering they might destroy you.
At an ancient Scottish university where neo-Gothic spires claw at grey skies and fog settles thick around granite walls, eighteen-year-old Felix arrives hoping to outrun the shadows of his past. He quickly falls under the spell of five strangers who will change the course of his life forever: fierce Jess, who becomes his anchor; quiet Julian, with his cutting truths; the Sarah duo, one magnetic, one thoughtful; and Colin—golden-haired, impossible, the kind of boy who makes Felix forget his own name.
For a brief, shimmering moment, it feels like home: Late nights and shared secrets, cheap wine and the dangerous comfort of being chosen. One reckless night that changes everything. A budding connection with Filip, a teaching assistant who notices what others miss. But as Felix learns about the darkest corners of the human mind under renowned Professor Lorna Baird, the world outside grows darker too—the Aberdeen Ripper, a serial killer who terrorised the city years ago, has returned.
When Jess becomes his next victim, her death sends fractures splintering through everything Felix thought he understood. The friends he trusted. The boy he wanted. The person he was trying to become. In the wreckage, Felix begins to realise the danger was never only out there in the dark.
Her final gift: a lighter and three words, “Keep shining bright.” But in the clock tower that becomes his sanctuary, Felix will discover that not every murder is what it seems. And sometimes the real monsters are the ones we let closest.
Request now to read this queer dark academia / literary psychological suspense with strong YA and New Adult crossover appeal!
A Note From the Publisher
His journalism and essays have appeared in British Vogue, American Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, PORTER, Men’s Health and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. His work for Vogue has also been translated and published across international editions including Vogue España, Vogue Germany, Vogue India, Vogue Japan and Vogue Taiwan.
Alongside his writing, Freddie has held senior content and localisation roles across media, fashion, technology and financial services, and currently leads localisation and international content at Monzo.
His work centres on the relationship between language, culture, identity and voice, themes that also run through his fiction.
His debut novel, Golden Boy, was published by NineStar Press in May 2026. Set at the University of Aberdeen, the queer dark-academia novel draws on Freddie’s own years studying psychology in the city and explores belonging, first love, chosen family, obsession and the lengths we go to reinvent ourselves.
Advance Praise
"Gripping, poetic, powerful and beautifully written, it’s the kind of book that completely draws you in and lingers in your mind afterwards. A remarkable debut!" - Amazon Review
"Gripping, poetic, powerful and beautifully written, it’s the kind of book that completely draws you in and lingers in your mind afterwards. A remarkable debut!" - Amazon Review
Marketing Plan
Media and marketing enquiries to helenlewis@literallypr.com
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781648909542 |
| PRICE | £12.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 207 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Available to Buy
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Average rating from 20 members
Featured Reviews
Rudi M, Educator
Golden Boy was such an emotional and beautifully complicated read. I really loved how Freddie Braun explores the pressure of being seen as the “perfect” person while slowly revealing everything happening underneath the surface.
The characters felt messy and real, and I found myself thinking about the expectations we put on people—and how different someone’s reality can be from the version everyone else sees. There’s a lot of heart here, but also enough tension and difficult moments to keep me invested.
This one definitely made me stop and think, and Freddie Braun has created a story that feels both personal and relatable. Not always an easy read, but absolutely one that stayed with me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Marie L, Reviewer
Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC access to this book!
The writing was really beautiful and did a great job describing different scenes from beautiful to unsettling to creepy. I think the characters were well fleshed out and interesting to learn about and the book didnt shy away from the down sides of college relationships and learning and loving and letting go.
I think the horror elements were well done and interesting as well! Looking forward to more by the author and will reread closer to Halloween!
Paolo R, Reviewer
This novel was truly so thrilling I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I started reading it one night and I stayed up to finish it!
The Secret B, Reviewer
What if the people who finally make you feel like you belong are also the people capable of destroying you? 🖤
Golden Boy follows Felix into university life in Aberdeen, where new friendships, attraction and self-discovery become entangled with something much darker when a serial killer returns.
I loved the raw portrayal of young adults figuring themselves out, and the beautifully described Scottish setting gave everything a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere.
🏰 Scottish dark academia
🏳️🌈 Queer relationships
🎓 University life
🖤 Friendship and belonging
🔪 Murder mystery
💔 Grief and self-discovery
A beautifully written debut with memorable characters, complicated relationships and plenty of darkness beneath its university setting.
Read more at The Secret Book Review.
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