If We Were Villains - M. L. Rio

If We Were Villains

By M. L. Rio

  • Release Date: 2017-04-11
  • Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 359 Ratings

Description

“Much like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, M. L. Rio’s sparkling debut is a richly layered story of love, friendship, and obsession...will keep you riveted through its final, electrifying moments.”
—Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest

"Nerdily (and winningly) in love with Shakespeare…Readable, smart.”
New York Times Book Review

On the day Oliver Marks is released from jail, the man who put him there is waiting at the door. Detective Colborne wants to know the truth, and after ten years, Oliver is finally ready to tell it.

A decade ago: Oliver is one of seven young Shakespearean actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory, a place of keen ambition and fierce competition. In this secluded world of firelight and leather-bound books, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingénue, extras.

But in their fourth and final year, good-natured rivalries turn ugly, and on opening night real violence invades the students’ world of make-believe. In the morning, the fourth-years find themselves facing their very own tragedy, and their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, each other, and themselves that they are innocent.

If We Were Villains was named one of Bustle's Best Thriller Novels of the Year, and Mystery Scene says, "A well-written and gripping ode to the stage...A fascinating, unorthodox take on rivalry, friendship, and truth."

Reviews

  • 11/10

    5
    By DownBadJake
    If you like mysteries, drop what you’re doing and read this. I couldn’t put it down, it kept me enthralled until I finished.
  • Loved this!

    4
    By Kangaroo Cowboy 25
    Grating at first (I went to a performing arts college and while I got my BFA in Film, I acted a lot (I even did Shakespeare!) and was very involved with our theater department and can assure all of you that NOBODY, not even pretentious theater kids, actually talks like these characters do) but the plot and chemistry of the characters and secondhand rush of putting on performances, and sinking your teeth into a new role really makes up for some of the cringey dialogue. I find Meredith to be the most interesting character to me and I wish we knew more about Richard and why he went from pretentious older brother figure to full blown abusive tyrant but all in all, this was truly great and I plan on reading it again soon. Shoutout to two truly inspired stagings of Shakespeare: Rio’s visions for Macbeth and King Lear sound phenomenal and I’d happily watch either in real life.
  • Brilliant Characterization

    5
    By kyle.vernor
    Each character became more deal to me with every passage I read. I experienced love and hate and jealousy just as Oliver did. I can't say enough good things about this book. Read it. It's worth every penny.