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If We Were Villains

A Novel

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About this listen

Oliver Marks has just served 10 years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.

As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless. Intelligent, thrilling, and richly detailed, If We Were Villains is a captivating story of the enduring power and passion of words.

©2017 M. L. Rio (P)2017 Macmillan Audio Coming of Age Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Exciting Heartfelt Scary

Critic reviews

"Much like Donna Tartt's The Secret History, M. L. Rio's sparkling debut is a richly layered story of love, friendship, and obsession.... If We Were Villains will keep you riveted through its final, electrifying moments." (Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, New York Times best-selling author of The Nest)
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Not really a who dunnit. More of a coming of age book with underdeveloped themes.

A muddled and unconvincing tale.

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The beauty of it hurts, the intensity kills, the tension can be cut with knife. I loved it

Beautiful drama

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I loved this.
A definite read those who enjoyed Donna Tarte's The Secret History. Thrilling, character driven and drenched in Shakespeare - what more could you want?

beautiful and tragic

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I borrowed this book from my local library just after its release and when i joined Audible it was one of the first i put on my wishlist. And now i have it to listen too,its been well worth the wait,the narrator enhances this story and i highly recommend this audible.❤👍

Worth the wait.

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loved the story and how morally grey each character was, unexpectedly could relate to all of them. the end made me surprisingly emotional. the only bit that frustrated me was the narrator's voice for Wren was so squeaky and comedic when it wasn't supposed to be

great for fans of Shakespeare and dark academia

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