Death in the Spires

Death in the Spires by KJ Charles, 272 pages

Almost a decade ago, the murder of gregarious Toby Feynsham tore apart a close-knit group of friends at Oxford. Why? Because one of them did it, but nobody ever was prosecuted for the crime. So when identical notes claiming each surviving friend a murderer arrive at their places of business, one of them, Jem Kite, loses his job due to the notoriety and decides to spend his suddenly free time tracking down not only the letter-writer, but also the murderer.

Told both in "present day" 1905 and flashbacks to the friends' time at Oxford in the 1890s, this historical mystery is complex and compelling, and a look at how privilege plays out in school, life, and even murder investigations. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. 

The Teacher

The Teacher by Freida McFadden, 393 pages

Addie is headed back to school for her junior year under a cloud of scandal — she's notorious as the girl that got a much-beloved teacher fired for their inappropriate relationship (one she swears didn't actually happen) — and is the target of much bullying from the class mean girl. Also heading back to school are Addie's teachers Nate Bennett (a dreamy English teacher) and Eve Bennett (Nate's less-popular wife, who is a strict math teacher). There are problems in the Bennetts's marriage, and Eve's extramarital affair with a shoe salesman is *almost* as problematic as Nate's new relationship with Addie. It's a powder keg ready to blow up.

This was the first McFadden book I've read, and given her quick pacing and writing, I can see why she's so popular. The book is full of horrible people doing morally reprehensible things and has twists upon twists upon twists. During the read, it was propulsive...but afterward, I found myself questioning some of those bigger twists. It's a decent disturbing read though, if you don't look too closely.