Maybe Gothic mysteries just aren't for me. I had a really difficult time connecting to these characters. I DNF'd this one when I realized I was actively forcing myself to pick it back up. I like mysteries, but not when the characters are all a mystery to *me*. There is a scene early in where Isabel flushes a bottle of prescription pills. I am still baffled by this, because as readers we didn't know what those pills are for, which makes the entire bit confusing, not dramatic or a sign of her taking control of her own life. There are so many things we don't know about Isabel when we start this that, sure, maybe they slowly unfold, but it makes her really difficult to connect to or care about her struggles, goals, or dreams.

This was a perfectly atmospheric Book! Its a bit of a slow burn but loved the build up. Scarlet is the newest imprint from Penzler Publishers, with a mission to bring audiences fresh voices in psychological suspense and domestic thrillers. The comps for this were the secret history and the silent patient and I think it totally delivered.

The Bequest is an intoxicating, thrilling dark academia mystery, in the vein of Donna Tart’s The Secret History, Alex Michaelides‘ The Maidens, and Maren Mackenzie’s Rules of Arrangement. I was hooked from the description, knew it would be good when I saw it was published by Scarlet/Penzler, and was definitely not disappointed!

Isabel Henley has just landed in Scotland to begin her PhD program at St. Stephens with a renown history professor as her advisor. She’s leaving behind a messy affair with a married colleague back in Boston, running towards a promising future - reuniting with the older student she idolized back in undergrad and a dissertation topic she and her advisor are excited about - only to land in Scotland to the news that her advisor had a fatal fall out on the cliffs. Furthermore, the student she hoped to rekindle a friendship with, Rose Brewster, is nowhere to be found, away researching her own thesis, and she learns that the topic she hoped to pursue is already being done and about to be published by a prominent academic press. Beginning to flail, she reaches out for a lifeline, making some tenuous friendships with her fellow students and another lecturer, William Anderson. The longer Rose remains away, the closer Isabel and William become.

But when Rose turns up at Isabel’s apartment one night, leaving behind a mysterious gift and then disappearing without a trace, Isabel becomes worried. When she receives a message from the missing Rose, it’s this: continue my research, find the emerald, or we both die. Assuming Rose’s research topic as her own, since they closely overlapped, Isabel embarks on a race across Europe - Scotland to Genoa, Florence and Paris, to track down the needle in a haystack she needs to locate the long lost jewel. She meets the family descended from the original owner in Genoa, prying into their closely guarded history, before following Rose’s research to Florence and Paris, where she continues to dig through the archives looking for clues. Through her quest for the truth, she’s faced with an uphill battle of knowing who she can or should trust, and racing against the clock before someone else dies.

I was totally hooked on this from the first page. Like A Secret History, we open with an incident, with two unidentified people and one has an “accident”. What a teaser! Then we get to know Isabel and her situation before the action really starts. Then we’re left wondering who we meet through Isabel that can be trusted and what they’re motives are. We’re also left wondering how much Isabel herself can be trusted, since there is some hint of medications that may or may not be affecting her mental state. This is the perfect mysterious dark academia for the fall!

I was so intrigued by this premise but the writing style was not my favorite. Parts felt a bit choppy while other areas had too much detail/not enough progression.

Reference to Donna Tartt's The Secret History sets high expectations this book didn't quite meet, but it was nevertheless an interesting gothic-tinged dark academia mystery.

A thriller from an original voice, this book is the story of an American student who arrives in Scotland for a graduate program, fleeing a history that she would like to leave behind. When she arrives, Isabel discovers that the professor who was supposed to be advisor had fallen to her death. From that rocky start, Isabel tries to make a place for herself in the program and in a new country. She reestablishes a relationship with Rose, her former college classmate who is also n the program. When Rose herself goes missing, Isabel receives a message that she can save Rose if she completes Rose's research and solves the mystery of a missing emerald. So Isabel undertakes the research, traveling across Europe and encountering mysterious families and documents that make her wonder what is really true ... and whether she herself is in danger.

This is an intriguing mystery -- full of well-crafted atmosphere and twists that will keep you guessing.

Recommended!

I received a free epub copy from NetGalley!

This book was a whirlwind for me. It started out exceptionally slow. I felt like I was kind of shoved into the middle of the world and told to figure it out. I felt like this should have been categorized as historical fiction with all the information provided that didn't really propel the story along and I got bogged down in.

With Isabel's feelings and whirlwind changes what seemed like every other chapter, this felt more like a YA novel than a standard Mystery.

The author did write the antagonist well and I felt the same whiplash as Isabel when she figured everything out.

Understanding that the author is a historian I had more understanding for the intricate details of history described in the novel, but to me it bogged the book down and made it harder to follow.

When I finished I still had questions and certain things that were brought up weren't answered in the end. That being said it was an interesting book and fit well into the dark academia sub genre that it was going for and why I wanted to read it.

The Bequest is an intoxicating story which takes place in Scotland, Italy and France. PhD student Isabel Henley flees difficulty in America to make a fresh start in atmospheric Scotland. But trouble follows her there, too. She arrives to discover her advisor has had a fatal fall and she is teamed up with another advisor, also revered but not what she wanted. As she is in a foreign country friendships matter...her close friend Rose disappears and leaves a suicide note. That is just the beginning. Secrets, deceptions, letters and clues abound throughout and Isabel learns more about history she is pursuing as well as her value.

My favourite aspect of this story is the Gothic atmosphere with mentions of legends, especially in Scotland, one of the most enchanting countries I've enjoyed. At times the pacing seemed a wee bit off and I did not particularly care about the characters' lives as they did not seem convincing. The premise drew me in but did not completely captivate me. However, it was worth reading.

Do read this book if you are intrigued by Gothic Dark Academia.

My sincere thank you to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this intriguing story.

"After her professor’s suspicious death, a PhD student uncovers dark machinations among her academic associates in this "richly atmospheric and irresistibly readable" (Joyce Carol Oates) Gothic mystery set between Scotland, Italy, and France.

Fleeing a disastrous affair with a colleague in Boston, Isabel Henley moves to Scotland to begin a PhD with a renowned feminist professor - only to learn, upon arrival, that her advisor has suffered a deadly fall. Soon after, Isabel is informed that another scholar at the university is about to publish a book on her dissertation topic, leaving her disconcerted and in search of a new subject, all while struggling to acclimate to her new home abroad.

Isabel needs a good friend during such a rocky start, and finds one when she reconnects with Rose Brewster, her charismatic classmate from undergrad. But when Rose confides to Isabel that she is in trouble, and then goes missing, Isabel's already-unsteady life is sent into a tailspin. A suicide note surfaces, followed by a coded message: Rose is alive but, unless Isabel can complete the research begun before her friend's disappearance, both women will be killed by her captors.

As Isabel follows the Rose's paper trail from Genoa to Florence and, finally, to Paris, she uncovers family secrets, the legend of an enormous cursed emerald, and a chain of betrayal and treason which parallels her own perilous present. If she can put the pieces together soon, she could solve a 400-year-old mystery - and save her and her friend's lives in the process.

Combining epistolary elements, Gothic suspense, and an atmospheric "dark academia" setting, The Bequest is a gripping literary thriller that will appeal to fans of Alex Michaelides' The Maidens and Donna Tartt's The Secret History."

Tasha Alexander blurbed the book as "Intricately plotted, exquisitely written, and brimming with atmosphere, The Bequest is a brilliant debut, as smart as it is compelling." So that's me sold. Well, and plus the whole "dark academia" vibe.

The Bequest is a terrific and atmospheric dark academia thriller,

Isabel Henley just arrived in Scotland to begin her Ph.D. under the supervision of a lauded feminist professor. However, upon her arrival, Isabel learns that the professor died from a hiking accident, even though she was an experienced hiker.

As Isabel settles into her work with a different advisor, she reunites with Rose, her charismatic and brilliant friend from undergrad.

It comes as a shock when Rose disappears but leaves a suicide note. Isabel suffers another shock, when she receives a message from Rose declaring they are both in danger. Rose implores Isabel to switch to Rose’s research and find a missing emerald from the sixteenth century. This new task sends Isabel across Italy and France seeking answers to save both of their lives.

It sounds ridiculous, and sometimes it was (Isabel is the queen of ignoring red flags), but this story wholly captured my attention from the first page. It drips with gothic atmosphere.

An interest in history is probably a requirement to read this novel. Isabel spends a lot of time researching and relaying it to the reader. There are the odd sentences in Italian, French, and Latin. The author does not always provide a translation and context.

My ARC was just over 400 pages, but I noticed that the finished version is around 300 pages. Some parts dragged a bit, so perhaps the finished version will be more evenly paced.

If you like dark academia that is heavy on said academia, then you’ll likely enjoy this twisty book.

CW: sexual assault.

Thank you to Scarlet for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Here, a historical mystery intertwines with a high-stakes academic thriller. These engaging characters paired with a slow burn of a plot that then ramps up precipitously will keep readers racing to the end.

*Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review*

The Bequest just wasn't for me, I guess; it didn't hold my attention at all. It had lots of promise (hence requesting an advance copy), but it's potential wasn't realized. I had zero attachment to any of the characters, of which there were far more than necessary. For me, the historical mystery-within-the mystery (the 16th century Italy/cursed emerald saga) was ultimately (but only slightly) more interesting than the predicament Isabel (the protagonist) found herself in. I came close to giving up on this book several times, but reluctantly picked it up and read a few chapters once in awhile until I finished it. In hindsight, I can now say I wouldn't have missed much by not sticking it out until the end.

This fiction thriller drew me and spat me out the other side drenched in sweat. I never thought the dry world of Historical Academic research could be quite so ‘cut-throat’, and full of insidious people. Joanna Margate, the author, has obviously had fun developing the characters and story. When murder occurs who are truly your friends, who do you trust, and is an emerald worth your life? When it comes down to it who are you going to save your friends or yourself? Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

THE BEQUEST is a academia-themed thriller/mystery from debut author Joanna Margaret.

The premise is intriguing: Isabel, an American scholar, heads to Scotland to begin her PhD—only to find her advisor recently dead from an apparent accident. As she embarks on her research, other unsettling things start to happen: untrustworthy peers, kidnappings, death threats. The threats follow her as she rushes through research in Genoa, Florence, and Paris.

There’s two mysteries in this story: a historical mystery that Isabel works to unravel through 16th century letters and documents, and the present-day mystery that is threatening Isabel’s life.

As a whole, the book felt flat and unemotional. The thrill of the story never really left the ground. I felt zero connection to any of the characters, and especially not the protagonist, who I found contradicting. She’s an intrepid and extremely competent researcher, yet a total fool with her personal relationships. She’s played like a fiddle throughout the book, and as a reader, it all seemed obvious. This is one of those mysteries where I found myself suspecting one person in particular, yet hoping it wasn’t them since the solution would be too simple.

The pacing was slow for me, but others might find it comfortable. I can also see some readers enjoying the dark academia and historical research vibes in this book. But those looking for a deeper connection to characters and plot could find a better thrill elsewhere.

Content warnings: drugging & attempted SA (one scene).

Thank you to Scarlet/Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. I’ve posted to Goodreads and will post the book on Instagram on the pub date.

A PhD student finds herself entangled in a web of lies, mysteries, and the hunt for a lost emerald. Isabel Henley has moved to Scotland to begin her PhD program after a disastrous affair with a married colleague in Boston. She is to work under a renowned feminist professor... except when she arrives she discovers that said professor has just been murdered. Isabel also discovers that another student is about to publish book on her same dissertation topic leaving Isabel struggling to decide what to do next. Another reason for her wanting to go to this specific program is because of a friend she went to school with whom she’s kept in touch with, the beautiful and mysterious Rose. Yet when Rose suddenly disappears and leaves Isabel a cryptic message saying that if Isabel does not take up Rose’s research and find a lost emerald “they” will kill both Rose and her. Now Isabel finds herself traveling between Scotland, France, and Italy trying to locate this lost emerald while decoding letters and clues. Yet the more she discovers the more she begins to question exactly who she can trust and what is the truth. There is also a new romance with another forbidden colleague that might be holding more secrets. This story is definitely a dark academia-esque story, focusing heavily on Isabel’s work and hunt of these old clues. The overall book felt long and felt like it dragged, I wasn’t invested in the mystery or the characters. The book could have been shortened in half and honestly would have felt better. The mystery about the emerald and her life being threatened felt lacking and the ending was kind of “meh” at best. The romance wasn’t really necessary and I found myself checking out of the book constantly, picking it up and then putting it down again. In the end this was an okay book but it just didn’t hit the dark academia mystery spot that I was hoping it would.

*Thanks Netgalley and Penzler Publishers, Scarlet for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Entertaining and atmospheric, this will please fans of dark academia. A recommended purchase for collections where similar thrillers are popular.

DNF at 40%. I just couldn't get into this book, despite how excited I was. I am in the history field, and I love mysteries and dark academia, so I thought this would be the perfect book. Unfortunately, I just could not connect with the characters and the style was as if it were trying too hard to be The Secret History. While a little pretentiousness is too be expected from anything in the dark academia field, this one was just too much for me. I'm sure other people have really enjoyed it, but it just wasn't for me.

The Bequest taps into the dark academia vibe/subgenre that's particularly popular right now (and which I happen to thoroughly enjoy), but despite a premise that sounds exciting and the potential for great atmosphere, it's a dull read. Fundamentally, the whole book feels like a very rough first draft, maybe even an outline waiting for characters to be developed, plot points to be polished, the story as a whole to be fleshed out and revised. The writing is insipid and dialogue flat, and the best written bits feel like they came out of the author's own art history scholarship. A complete disappointment.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinions are my own,.
I enjoyed this very moody atmospheric mystery set in mysterious Scotland in Academia. Isabel leaves America to move to a Scottish College to complete her PHd and work with a mentor she admires in womens studies. Soon after the mentor dies and Isabel is crushed by her death. A friend of hers soon disappears and the mystery deepens amid the mysteries of Scotland.

I love the layers of mystery that the author included . This has many directions and surprises to keep the reader guessing. I enjoyed reading this fun mystery.

I really enjoyed The Bequest and would definitely recommend it to fans of dark academia.

The plot kept me interested and read smoothly - which I did in one sitting on a long haul flight. The different settings were immersive and worked well with the various characters, I especially loved the Scottish parts which were very atmospheric. Overall I’d say it’s a great book for a trip, nothing too complicated but still thrilling.

My only complaint would be the extent of the historical studies, which may of course be enjoyable if you’re interested in renaissance dynasties.