THEY NEVER LEARN by Layne Fargo follows Scarlett Clark, an English professor with a knack for getting away with murder for abusive men, and Carly Schiller, a college student witnesses her roommate being sexually assaulted at a party.

I listened to the audiobook and it was W I L D. My husband even listened to a bit with me on a road trip and later asked me how it ended and if we could listen to something similar together! It is a fast-paced, dark, physiologically twisted novel. If you are okay with the content warnings and enjoy dark thrillers, run to get this novel - it was easily five stars and maybe one of the better thrillers I read in 2020.

Now, watch me as I run to get Layne Fargo’s other novel, TEMPER…

CW // sexual abuse and rape; physical and verbal abuse; murder; arson; infidelity; teacher - student relationships

This was one twisted, dark thriller. I had a hard time putting it down. The plot was very clever, merging the two main characters and their stories. I had to root for Scarlet occasionally.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you're looking for a book where the woman is the heroine and the villain at the same time, then this book is for you. I enjoyed this book because it seemed to be its own genre in a way. It was a thriller that also dealt with modern sexual identities, mixed with sexual violence, and friendship. It was disturbing at some points, yet I didn't want to put it down. I'm not even sure how to describe this book to a friend. That being said, it's a book that I will remember for awhile, and for me, that means it was a good book.

I was given this book for my honest review.

This book was a perfect read for me. I was fully engaged in the plot, the main character, Scarlett, is my new hero, and the story line was original and addictive. This one is a must read for all thriller/suspense lovers. I can’t wait to read more books from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books, and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an enjoyable book that takes a look at a college campus where a teacher takes vengeance into her own hands against the men and boys who assault and rape girls and women on campus. It is also told partly from the point of view of a freshman named Carly and her roommate who is attacked at a party one night. I really enjoyed this book and I was glad that the summary let you know what to expect. It is so important now to make sure that a reader knows what to expect when your book contains such sensitive topics. I appreciated that the author never once tried to trivialize the matter, instead handling it like a pro. I found myself enjoying Carly's chapters a lot more until about half way through, when I suddenly couldn't get enough of Scarlet. This book is one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good thriller like this, but take note of the themes of assault that are present throughout.

2.75 stars

Unfortunately, I did not love this one as much as I wanted too.I just could not vibe with it. This book alternates between two main characters Scarlett and Carly. Scarlett is an english professor at Gorman University but in reality she is a serial killer. She is insatiable in killing men, both faculty and student, who are to be believed as rapists, wife beaters, etc.and Carly is a shy awkward freshman in the same University Everything is fun and light to her as she embraces her college life until something happened...

While reading this I remembered another book I read a few years ago" #fashionvictim while everyone disliked it, I loved it and felt that book did this plot better. I normally don't mind reading from two different POV but, this one bothered me to no end. Scarlett's POV became really repetitive to me. The plot decides to throw in a romance in there which was in my opinion NOT needed at all. Not only is the romance there but, its very sexually explicit for a Thriller ( which I didn't think was needed) The "twists" were not twists at all for me I saw them a mile away. They did nothing for me. At times I found scenes to be silly and a little cheesy for my liking and I had to suspend belief a LOT while i read this.

On the plus side, it was very easy to read through and had its moments of darkness and grittiness that I enjoy. This book has a LGBTQ+ representation! and I did find it empowering at times by Scarlett's character when women have been demeaned and made helpless for so long by the current patriarchal society. But...I don't know (sigh) this one was just a let down for me.I recommend you read this one if you are interested in reading about the mind of a serial killer and want a thriller with dark and gritty moments.

I also recommend you review the Content Warnings ( some of these irked me the wrong way too..) the Content Warnings are a LOT and might be spoilery so read the first comment for them

Thank you To Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the advanced copy; all thoughts are my own.

This book gives me chills just writing the review! An intense thriller that i finished way to quickly because i just couldnt put it down! Layne Fargo never disappoints and this novel is no exception. The contrasts in this book reveal parts of the human nature in ways that we often bury and ignore, because the reality of it is so damning, but the unrelenting hum in your chest as you read this book will keep you reading from cover to cover.

This was a completely cathartic read. It wasn't a super-complex plot, and the MC was a little too obsessed with her own serial killer-ness to be complex on her own merits. BUT, that said, the idea of an avenging angel murderer is a solid choice and I will definitely be recommending this to friends.

W O W! I am not easily surprised, but this one got me.

Super enjoyable page-turner that kept me guessing. If you have some feminist rage that needs an outlet, look no further - a very satisfying read!

I really want to tell you more, but - truly, just read it without reading more about it. I went it knowing only the broadest outlines, and it’s the best way to go. Just read it!

This is one of my favorite books of 2020. I found it so darkly funny with vivid and interesting characters. The big reveals and the duel plot lines are so well done. Amazing!

Sizzling with rage and wit, Layne Fargo's THEY NEVER LEARN will delight fans of Karin Slaughter, Dexter, and Killing Eve with its deftly drawn portrait of a woman on fire and her unquenchable lust for revenge. Addictive, sensual, breathlessly plotted, and thoroughly unputdownable--this tightrope thriller feels a bit like getting away with murder.

Initially I found this novel a little boilerplate, but the strength of the writing kept me intrigued. You might even say, nevertheless, I persisted, and so did the author, who elevated what could have been a pretty generic tale of revenge to one of the most intriguing and clever in the genre.

WOW ~ This book blew me away. I was unable to put it down to conclusion. It is a page turner to keep you reading into the night. The writing is excellent and the story so well crafted that you find yourself drawn in to the charcters and the story. Thank you to the Publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own. This is a excellent author I hope to read again and again. Very well done !

Scarlet is a Professor at a college. She is also a serial killer of men that rape and abuse women at the college. Her victims range from frat boys that rape to boyfriends that abuse women a and Professors that do her wrong or disrespect women . Her methods are so that she has never been caught nor under suspicion as she has two exacting personalities , She uses several different methods to kill each victim. If that is not enough to draw you in the author takes it further and introduces Scarlet to a women at the school who has been asked to investigate the murders. The women is savvy and smart and Scarlet befriends her to try to fool her. Little does she know that her secret is soon to be known. At the same time one of her victims fights back and the ensuing murder may finally put her danger of being caught.
The author brilliantly introduces a young naive freshman who falls in love with her roommate and ends up killing for her after she is raped. Each step of all the charcters is so perfectly designed by the author you almost cheer for them . Its riveting reading and a great escape. The ending was a shock and surprise. This is one of the best Net Galley books I have read this year.

I received this via NetGalley. It was a first read for me by Layne Fargo. Scarlett Clark is an English Professor, who is at the top of her profession, but is she getting away with murder? The reader already knows that she has killed abusive men, but the whole point of the book is why. I really enjoyed the point of view of the killer and figuring out the motive and how it started. I will be reading more of Fargo.

This has to be one of the best thrillers of 2020! It's made.for fans of shows like Killing Eve and Dexter. It's a revenge-focused,.serial killer book with a healthy amount of twists that will keep you guessing. I won't give anything else away, but I will share that I've recommended this one to all of my friends.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Meh.

So apparently, I’m one of the few who wasn’t gaga over this book.

I mean, it’s definitely interesting and fast moving and I give it full points for suspense, but the characters were so…thin. They’re like paper-thin cutouts of people.

The book will (and should) make you mad and give you a little bit of that wonderful feeling of vengeance served more than once, but I never really got to know any of our characters at all. (Note: that I did appreciate a little surprise the author springs on the reader.)

It’s a good book, but it’s not a great book.

Sorry.

*ARC via Net Galley

A dark and twisted tale, They Never Learn by Layne Fargo is just brilliant. It’s a raw psychological/crime thriller that will keep readers up at night as they devour a story about two women who give bad men exactly what they deserve.

Meet Scarlett Clarke, English professor at Gorman University. For 16 years she has kept a very dark secret. She is a killer. But not just any killer. Scarlett, in the vein of Dexter, kills bad men. She finds men who think they can get away with treating women badly. And once she identifies her next target, she stalks them, she gets to know their schedule better than they do, and she plans their murder down to the smallest detail. And she has never been caught.

This is also the story of Carly Schiller, a first-year student at the same university. She’s a shy, bookish girl who struggles to fit in and make friends. Now that she’s away from home, she can put her emotionally abusive father in the rear-view mirror and focus on her studies. Except that her new roommate isn’t on the same page. Still, university life is an eye opener for Carly, and will change her life forever.

How these two characters of Scarlett and Carly intertwine becomes clear about halfway through. Two very different women with strong feelings.

They Never Learn is very twisted in all the right ways, just as it’s funny and it’s completely addictive. Crime lovers will fly through this book just like I did. Easily all the stars and one of the best books I’ve read in 2020. I am off to get myself a copy of Layne’s first book, Temper now.

Thanks so much to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for my copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.

Wow. This was so dark but so irresistible. I really couldn't put it down! I loved the intensity throughout the book. It's weird to kinda root for a serial killer, but it happened. There was also some dark humor that I absolutely loved! While I'm sure some readers will be able to predict some things here, I certainly didn't (and in fact, I was so shocked that I physically shook my head and exclaimed "WHAT!!!").

I really enjoyed watching Carly develop over the book. At the beginning, she's very withdrawn, but she comes into her own. Scarlett, on the other hand, is extremely self possessed. We do have some LGBTQ+ representation here as well.

This was such an interesting take on taking justice into your own hands. I would absolutely recommend this! Content warnings for subjects like murder, rape, and attempted rape

I received a copy of this for review from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

My video review can be seen on my channel (around minutes 17:32-19:37 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8Zg9b_0Rc&t=1s

Awesome! I loved this book. Female-centric and addresses issues that have impacted women and girls forever (literally). The actions of main characters reflect how we all dream of 'curing' society's problems. I loved the interactions between the main characters and the secondary characters as well. My only negative is jumping between POV and keeping track of characters, but that's my issue and overall, think it actually added t0 the book. The end was great and I am going to find other books by this author - she is fantastic.

What a page turner! They Never Learn is the kind of book that you can't stop reading. There are some surprising twists and a variety of strong female characters - it is exactly what I was looking for. Highly recommend!