Belmont Academy has some of the best teachers in the country and Teddy Crutcher has finally been named Teacher of the Year. He deserves it as he wants nothing but the best for his students. As long as his students are worthy of the best, if he doesn’t like you, he will teach you a lesson. Soon after his teacher of the year award, one of the students’ parents dies during a ceremony at the school. At first it looked like a heart attack, but upon closer inspection it was murder. Teddy isn’t worried, his primary focus is on his wonderful students and teaching some students lessons, as well as teachers and parents. Soon enough though more people are being murdered and it becomes a free for all. Don’t worry Teddy will clean up everyone’s messes, but not before a nice cold glass of milk.

For Your Own Good is literally a page turning thriller full of darkness and twists. It was somehow super fun and enjoyable to read as well. I didn’t want to stop reading and thought it was one of the most addicting books I have read. To be in the head of Teddy Crutcher is like no other. It was fun and insanely wild. I loved how we got so many perspectives from other teachers, students, and former students. Samantha Downing knows to write and she does a fabulous job of making you root for all of the characters. Because in the end, they all just want what’s best.

If you've ever thought to yourself..."if only murder were legal..." This is the book for you.
A preppy, perfect, esteemed private institution becomes a place where the staff is dropping like flies.
Who is killing? And how? And WHY? And are they going to get away with it?
Very original plot, but also reminiscent- a little familiar while being very different. I get a Joe Goldberg (YOU) "This is for your own good" vibe that was fun to read. This is more a quirky mystery than a thriller to me, though people do die in it. I enjoyed it, but not as much as My Lovely Wife. A close second. I look forward to more from Samantha Downing.

Teddy Crutcher is Teacher of the Year at Belmont Academy, an elite prep school. He believes that it is his mission to mold and shape his young students into better people instead of the annoying, smug, entitled pupils that they are. But these "lessons" don't earn Teddy friends. In fact, a few people have their sights set on Teddy. Who will win, Teddy or the students?

Coming soon to HBO Max, For Your Own Good was a delightful thriller that was written to be a page-turner. This book had many different twists, and Downing definitely did not play it safe. This book did not follow the traditional thriller plotline so it was very unique. Additionally, I really admired the craftsmanship of the writing, the complexity that must have been involved in mapping out how it would ultimately unfold and not just having a twist for the sake of having a twist, but one that made sense and was also shocking. Also, this book had good character development: the characters weren't all good or all bad, they were human.

Overall, if you love a mystery/thriller, pick this book up! It is chock full of surprises and is a breeze to read.

If you are in the mood for a book that quickly draws you in, shakes you up, spins you around and lets you go, For Your Own Good is just for you! My mind is still trying to break down all the twists and turns found between the covers. Samantha Downing wrote a thrill a second page turner. That will leave you flipping through the pages as fast as you can, biting your nails, yelling at characters, and ignoring your own family, until you finally know who is behind the mayhem that is occurring at Belmont Academy.

Belmont Academy is a private school for the rich and elite. Teddy Crutcher is one of Belmont's English teachers. He is a tough man to please. If you find yourself on his bad side, be sure he will bring you down a notch or two. His latest target is Zach Ward, a student who is well liked by all, except by Crutcher. Crutcher is feeling self-assured and godlike since he has one teacher of the year. He is untouchable, and he believes his actions are For Your Own Good. People begin to die within the walls of Belmont Academy. The question is, who is behind it?

I loved this menacing, suspenseful read. Samantha Downing created many intense characters, that are deeply layered and flawed. If you are looking for a dark read, that will keep you guessing until the end, For Your Own Good is just for you! Thank you to Samantha Downing, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this electrifying ARC. Be sure to add this one to your cart, you will not be disappointed!

The snowball got bigger and bigger rolling down hill.

Samantha Downing, you definitely went for it, and it was great. As one of my top most anticipated reads of the year, it hit the mark for me.

A school that has one thing after another, and why not throw in another, I didn’t know what was happening next, but it went there!

Samantha does an amazing job making characters you’re supposed to hate, but keeps it so you still love the story, and in a weird way make you realize you need to like the idea of the characters, or the story won’t work. Not a lot of authors make it work, she does.

Watching the progression of the story and who gets tangled up in it, it’s super easy to get pulled in. And I read this while feeling under the weather.

Well written, great characters (the good and the bad) and a good plot, a solid five out of five for me, and you should read this, for your own good. 🍃🍃🍃🍃🍃

Teddy Crutcher is Teacher Of the Year at his elite academy and immensely proud of it. He is however, not very interested in helping most of his students. Most people, it seems, are far too boring and boorish for him to associate with or respect. Teddy tangles with parents, admin and students and always seems to come out on top but this year, someone from his past may come back to haunt him.

As a teacher, I am always drawn to books about schools. For Your Own Good does not disappoint. There is a very realistic descriptions of an elite school, students and wealthy and demanding parents. I enjoyed the discussions and points of view of the students especially. With all books presenting an unlikeable lead, it was hard to stay interested in Teddy. What was missing for me, ws the meaning behind Crutcher's behavior. It's not secret that he is unlikeable, you will learn that in the first few pages. But I don't think I fully understand why or how he became that way.

Few likeable people made it difficult for me to truly enjoy this book, but it was a fast moving thriller with plenty of surprises.

Recommend

This was my first Downing and I can see why she is a well loved author. I read somewhere that she said she couldn’t wait for us to meet the characters in this one, especially Teddy, and oof, she can certainly write a character. Much like Stephen King, her writing forces you to get to know the innermost parts of a character and easily humanizes them.

But at the same time, I asked myself, is it possible to hate every character?

A very cozy summer thriller, set at a private school in the north east, it follows Teddy (teacher of the year), Zach (straight A student) and a few other characters as the story goes on. It has a very comical tone even though it deals with.. ya know, murder.

The story starts off with a bang and slowly unravels A LOT. I love how the author took tiny tid bits from different parts of the story and reveals later how they got to be there. It added to the light tone of this one.

Downing’s characters in this one are so.. unlikeable but I also kind of liked being in their heads? She does a great job at showing you everyone has agenda and no one is who they seem. The surprises and connections just kept coming!

TLDR: recommend but can’t wait to read her back log (which I think are more loved).

4.5/5 stars!!!

Teddy Crutcher is not a nice teacher. He does bad things, which are in his mind “for the greater good.” If he doesn’t like the student, no matter how good their work is, he will make sure they get the grade HE thinks they deserve. He’s the current Teacher of the Year at a top level private school and he feels powerful.

Zach Ward is a good student. It’s his junior year, he earns straight As and teachers and classmates love him…that is, except for Mr. Crutcher. He very much dislikes Zach for seemingly no apparent reason.

Zach’s parents are wealthy and adamant he makes them proud and goes on to an Ivy League school. Zach just wants to graduate and get out from under his parents’ thumb and will to whatever is necessary to do so, regardless of how hard Mr. Crutcher works to mess things up for him.Things get intense to say the least.

One thing leads to another and many people die under some scary and mysterious circumstances. At its core, this novel is extremely chilling as staff and students at Belmont are murdered and the killer has zero remorse or empathy.

For Your Own Good is a entertaining thriller. The wealthy private school setting was fun, the characters are interesting and multifaceted, and the POV alternates among various perspectives to provide a full picture for the reader. I really enjoyed this one and got the major creeps from a few of the characters.

📺 THIS IS SOON YO BE A TV SERIES ON HBO MAX!! - I’m stoked, it’s a story that will make a great show.

Oh the troubled life of academia and the entitlement of the rich... how I do love to read about thee....

The teacher who would do *anything* for his students. The parents who will go one too many steps too far to ensure their child is the elite of the elite. The student who observes and may not be quite as innocent as you think. The mindset of the very interesting - who are only doing any of this... for your own good. 😉

This is my 3rd Downing book and just solidifies my love for her writing. One of my favorite things about her novels is the dark humor and campy fun that comes with a suspenseful read that keeps you on your tippy toes. Our very psychotic friend, Teddy, is such a fun character to get to know. So unapologetically himself and being inside his head is a treat. But we also get the POVs of several other characters, and I always enjoy being inside the heads of many. Everyone is in a pressure cooker of their own making - when one blows up, who are the ones who actually get hurt in the process?

FOR YOUR OWN GOOD doesn't quite nail it for me like Downing's two previous books did. We still get the deviously, brilliant mind of the author with addictive short chapters and a storyline that moves at a quick pace... however, I think the ending didn't quite satisfy me like the others had and it almost got a bit too campy in its feel for my mood at this particular time.

There's no mistaking that Downing is one of my favorite thriller authors and if you haven't read her yet, I highly encourage you to pick up any of her books. Maybe this wasn't my favorite of the three I've read so far, but I still had such fun with all these characters in all their sociopathic glory.

Wow, I seem to be in the minority of this. I love Samantha Downing’s other books, so I was excited about this one. I really really disliked it. The characters were all insufferable. I hated them all. The book was boring for the first third. The twists weren’t up to par with her previous books. I hate having to say this because my hopes were high.

Books rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Cover rating : 🌟🌟🌟 💫
Genre : Mystery / Thriller
Netflix factor: 🎥 🎥 🎥 🎥 🎥

I don’t often give five stars - like a handful a year at most - but I loved this book ! It felt unique and refreshing and definitely hard to put down !

✔️ love the school setting and the way in which the author chose to tell story !
✔️ such a smart way to incorporate the various POVs almost like watching a movie
✔️ the obsessions with coffee pods 😂although not sure I can use the ones in the office ever again 😱
✔️ this book is highly entertaining - I couldn’t put it down and went to bed quite late last night trying to finish it

When I reviewed another of this author's wonderful books last year, I said I wish I had a mind half as creative as hers. Well, folks, she just left me in the dust with this one. The official book description calls it a "sneaky thriller," and, with the possible addition of "wicked," I honestly can't come up with anything more appropriate and accurate. What an absolute delight from start to finish!

The story centers on Theodore (Teddy) Crutcher, an English teacher at a hoity-toity private high school - an "academy," don't you know. He loves teaching, with the goal of turning the self-centered, pampered kids who feel the world owes them a living because their parents have a ton of money into "better people" - all, of course, for their own good. Among his primary targets is Zach, whose father pitches a hissy fit when Teddy gives a B- to one of his son's reports.

Despite being disliked by most of his students and not being a graduate of the academy himself as many other beloved teachers are, Teddy has just won Teacher of the Year. He's elated (if disappointed that he's not getting more attention as a result) and looking forward to his presentation ceremony. But first, another teacher, Sonia, is being honored for 10 years of teaching. Teddy is resentful; he'd turn to his nurse-wife Allison for solace, but she's not around anymore. So, he takes matters into his own extremely capable but devious hands, with an unfortunate result: at Sonia's party, one of the school's staff members becomes ill and later dies.

In fact, it's not the first school-related death; the first headmaster committed suicide, and a memorial is held each year in remembrance (yet another thorn that threatens to prick the air out of Teddy's super-sized ego). As for the newest victim, the police identify a suspect - a student - who is subsequently arrested for the murder.

Teddy knows better. But now Sonia and other school personnel will be asked to testify against the young murderer; no one is happy about that, but it all becomes moot when yet another victim is murdered. And then another. After that, one of Teddy's former students is brought in to replace one of them - a woman who hates Teddy because he effectively killed her college and career plans years earlier. If anything, the intervening years have worsened the already strained relationship between the two, but now they must work together. Oh my, whatever will Teddy do now?

There's no shortage of other characters in play here, and the unbelievably complex and intricate balance among them is what makes this story so entertaining. Who will get accused of what, and who really did it? Who will go to jail, who will go free, and who will go dead? Readers will find out, all in good time.

The bottom line? Don't miss this one. I cannot thank the publisher, via NetGalley, enough for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Cue my thunderous applause!

FOR YOUR OWN GOOD By Samantha Downing
Fiction thriller
384 Pages

Belmont Academy is a prestigious school where only the best of the best go. Most of the teachers and students aren't happy there but they masks it very well.  When a death occurs there though everyone is shook. Is this an accident or a murder??? 


Very intriguing and thrilling book!!!!!!!! Loved the crazy twists and turns in this one!!!!  I enjoyed this one immensely. I highly recommend this book to thriller fans everywhere.

The wait to read this book was so worth it! What a stellar read! As a teacher myself, I thought Teddy was such a well developed character. This novel is told in multiple point of views, but so well done. I'm usually not a fan of that, but I can't imagine this book written any other way. There are so many surprises throughout this book, I don't want to give anymore away! Make sure to read this before you watch it on HBO Max (yes, it already has the TV rights it's that good!)

Samantha Downing writes characters that you love to hate: They are terrible, they are diabolical, they are SO MUCH FUN! <i> For Your Own Good</i> is the story of a murder at an elite private school that doesn't go exactly as planned. When a parent ends up dead, everyone is a suspect and the bodies keep piling up!

I would recommend this book to folks who like their mysteries with a healthy side of gallows humor!

Thank you Net Galley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC of For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing. I absolutely love this author and have read all of her books! I was elated to receive a copy of For Your Own Good!

Teddy Crutcher is Teacher of the Year at Belmont Academy. He will do anything for his students and the school; it's for their own good after all. But, at Belmont Academy people are dying: parents and teachers alike. As you can imagine, rumors are flying and social media is off the hook. The FBI investigates and soon someone is arrested No, it's not Teddy Crutcher. After the arrest, however, there are more deaths. Just what is going on at this prestigious school? A former student comes back to fill in for one of the teachers who fell victim. Teddy Crutcher wonders what she is doing at Belmont.......Why is she here? And just who will be the next victim?

Having worked in the education field for a long time, I loved this story! It's full of surprises and so many twists. The chapters are short and I devoured this one quickly. Samantha Downing has written her best book yet! You won't want to miss this one! I highly recommend you adding this to your TBR list. It releases on July 20, 2021

All I can say is WOW. As soon as I picked this book up, I could not put it down. Extremely short chapters made this book such a quick and easy read. From the first page I was intrigued and it kept me guessing. As soon as I thought I figured it out, another twist came and a new character POV was introduced that changed the story. This book is a must read

For Your Own Good is a compulsively readable, sarcastic, intriguing, (sort of silly), twisted read! I devoured this book. I’m a huge fan of books that take place in private schools (and boarding schools) and the fact that this book has that AND was able to pull off adult themes made it that much better! If Joe Goldberg from YOU by Caroline Kepnes became a private school teacher, he would have been the main character for this book! Teddy is a homicidal maniac but such a delight! He is what makes this book the snarky and compelling read that it is, and I never wanted to stop reading! I will say though that I didn’t really care for the ending, but I think it’s the authors niche to end her books in this way (shocking but eye rolling). It’s a thing! You’ll understand if/when you read more than one her books!

Anyway, this is a book about a person who has taken it upon themselves to “clean up” the school. What this means is that using poison to kill the “bad apples” so to speak is how the school gets just a little cleaner… This is a diabolical story about a teacher who is MAD (in the crazy sort of way) and doesn’t tolerate insolence, privileged kids, or making things go away with bribery. He’ll do ANYTHING to keep these kinds in line because it’s For Their Own Good.

All in all, this is a solid read and I enjoyed it immensely. I loved the sarcastic tone (kind of reminds me of cark comedies), and the way everything falls into place. It’s a fun book, one with a darker edge to it, but compulsively readable all the same! I look forward to reading many more of the authors books in the future!

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Sarcastic Thrillers and Dark Comedies
• Murder Mysteries (that aren’t totally a mystery)
• Caroline Kepnes

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

For Your Own Good was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it certainly didn't disappoint. Samantha Downing is a master of writing diabolical characters and Teddy Crutcher is no exception! This is a dark and twisted book that hooked me from start to finish. I definitely recommend!

4.5 stars, rounded up. This was so twisted and wonderful. Samantha Downing is becoming an entirely reliable thriller writer, with a dash of the unexpected in each book. Despite the fact that the author makes clear early on who is responsible for the crimes, the actions of other characters made me doubt whether that was true or not, and truly, many of the characters in this are absolutely diabolical. This is the kind of book that makes reading thrillers so entertaining and keeps you on your toes.