They Never Learn

July 27, 2020
In this searing psychological thriller from Fargo (Temper), vengeful Gorman University English professor Scarlett Clark poisons college quarterback (and alleged rapist) Tyler Elkin before posting a suicide note to his Instagram account. Scarlett has spent 16 years murdering predatory men and making their deaths appear accidental or self-inflicted. Experience suggests image-conscious Gorman will sweep Tyler’s demise under the rug, but instead Tyler’s star-athlete status spurs the Pennsylvania school to review past suicides looking for mitigatable risk factors. Scarlett knows she should lay low, but she needs to murder her lecherous department head before he claims the fellowship she covets. Meanwhile, timorous freshman Carly Schiller, who grew up in an abusive home, starts harboring violent thoughts about upperclassman Sebastian Waller after he assaults her roommate, Allison Hadley. Never mind the contrived setup and several characters lacking depth. Fargo shocks and entertains while delivering a scathing take-down of campus rape culture. Fans of Chelsea Cain will appreciate this fiercely feminist twist on serial killer fiction. Agent: Sharon Pelletier, Dystel, Goderich, & Bourett.

Narrator Lameece Isaaq brings calculating serial killer Scarlett Clark to life in this new audiobook. The English professor at Gorman University uses her power and the fact she is mostly overlooked to plan and carry out the brutal murders of sexual predators on campus. Eileen Stevens portrays Carly Schiller, a shy student who is desperately trying to survive her first year on campus. When her roommate is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly seeks revenge. Isaaq and Schiller wholly embody their roles. Isaaq pulls off playing a sociopath with intense focus. Schiller captures the innocence and fury of a young woman who is desperate for justice. Both narrators are totally convincing, and listeners will be startled by the story's big surprises. V.B. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine