All alone on a college campus, 5 students that study liars are about to be dragged into a game of cat and mouse that might just leave them all dead. Discovering the secrets of deception does nothing to help these students to become honest people, and it's about the fall down on their heads.

When a test goes wrong and someone ends up dead, the students find themselves trapped in the middle of a snowstorm on an abandoned campus with time ticking away. Who will die next? They're hoping that they can figure it out before anyone else has to lose their lives.

I found this novel absolutely intriguing. The idea that they students study lying really gave this book a fun spin, and I love an atmospheric novel in which the background is almost another character in the book. I kept thinking I knew what was going on, but then I'd be thrown for a loop. Jacobs is excellent at keeping you guessing until the very end.

Snow should be flying any time now in my neck of the woods, so if you're ready to cozy up while there's a blizzard outside, this novel is for you.

This is not my typical genre but I really did enjoy this one and watching as the plot unraveled.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

In a North Carolina college, five grad students are working with a psych professor on an experiment about the psychology of lying. During one of the sessions a test subject gets violent, but the group thinks it’s handled. Later, one of them is found dead at the office. Since it’s a locked academic building, it has to be someone from their own group - who has been lying to them all, and why?

I really liked this one - it combined a pretty college campus with a disturbing mystery, a local detective trying to solve it, a once-in-a-decade snow storm, and a race to close the case before anyone else ends up dead.

The beginning of this book moved a little slowly, but the great pacing in the second half saved it. I like when books with a lot of characters start out with the action to hook the reader and then take the time to introduce people and themes. It felt like there was so much explanation up front about who the students were and what the experiment was about, when the book only got interesting at the first murder. Overall I really enjoyed it once the pacing picked up!

Mysteries, thrillers, and I do not always get along.

It seems like, at least for me, too often they give up their secrets too early or go overboard with the drama, especially after the Big Reveal. In my very humble opinion, it’s an awfully delicate balance. And harder still if you mix in dark academia as a backdrop.

Full disclosure, I haven’t read a lot of dark academia but since This Is How We End Things takes place on a college campus and is a mystery/thriller, it seems like it fits for dark academia. I could be wrong.

I can happily say now that R.J. Jacobs’ This Is How We End Things and I did get along, very much so.

Using the specter of a complex, ethically vague psychology experiment, especially one focused on lies and deceit, struck just the right tone to make a pair of murders all the more complicated and interesting. Each of the graduate students involved in running the experiment immediately become suspects and, to his credit, Jacobs makes each of their potential motivations and backgrounds entirely unique and plausible. The novel reads almost like a psychological experiment is being done on the reader, as you can’t help but try and suss out the Lie only to have your emotions and reactions twisted when That was a lie, but This is too.

It probably helps the believability of the story that Jacobs is a licensed psychologist, and they do say to ‘write what you know.’

Even as you, the reader, have your focus on the students running the story, it can be a little hard to feel too connected to them. I think is because you know they’re lying about something and you know you’re reading a murder mystery so it seems more than likely one of them is the murderer. But that lack of a connection also works because it helps with the vibe of the story that the reader is part, maybe the subject, of the experiment and you wouldn’t then get too close to the conductors. Especially after some of the morally questionable things these conductors do.

In the end, it works. Absolutely. The twist is revealed a little too early in my humble opinion, but I never guessed what it was.

If you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller/mystery with wintry dark academia vibes, This Is How We End Things is the book for you.

*****

What’s your favorite psychological thriller with dark academia vibes?

(I received a copy of This Is How We End Things through NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark in exchange only for an honest and original review. All thoughts are my own.)

What a fun book to read! I am such a fan of dark academia books and this book hit all the right notes, especially when it involves psychology students!
4,5 stars

Really like the synopsis, setting and idea of this book. Was an entertaining read but this one fell a little flat for me.
I did not feel connected to any of the characters and guessed early on the who done it.

Loved Britt & Chris friendship.

I really enjoyed Somewhere in the Dark by this author and will definitely read more of his books.

I have a…delicate relationship with dark academia. I always think I’m going to love it, but the last few that I read just did not work out for me. Anyway, I’m happy to say that I enjoyed this one!

This is based heavily in psychology which I found super interesting, especially because that’s my major. The story follows a group of grad students working towards their PhD by conducting a study on deception. Honestly, one of my dream jobs is to just run experiments all day long, so I loved reading about this.

Oh, and then one of the grad students gets murdered. That isn’t part of my dream, but it sure made things interesting in the book.

I will say that I guessed who the villain was pretty early on, but I still liked the explanation and was pretty shocked by that aspect. I do wish that there was a much heavier focus on the villain. I feel that it would’ve made the book even more interesting. But either way, I still enjoyed it!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my gifted copy!

In "This Is How It Ends," RJ Jacobs crafts a compelling tale of intrigue, betrayal, and murder, showcasing the dangerous allure of deception. The atmospheric setting, coupled with the author's keen understanding of human psychology, creates a chilling atmosphere that lingers long after the final page. Prepare to be captivated and utterly engrossed in this dark and enthralling thriller. Set in the chilling backdrop of an abandoned campus in Forest, North Carolina, the novel takes readers on a thrilling journey through the twisted minds of graduate students studying the psychology of lying.

Under the enigmatic guidance of Professor Joe Lyons, the students delve deep into the intricate science of deception, only to find themselves entangled in a web of lies and secrets. As the narrative unfolds, the boundary between truth and falsehood blurs, leading to a fatal experiment and a snowstorm that traps them on the deserted campus. Jacobs skillfully explores the complexities of human nature, unraveling the hidden motives and dark desires of each character.

The tension in the story is palpable, with every page brimming with suspense and foreboding. The characters, each harboring their own secrets, are vividly portrayed, making it impossible to trust anyone completely. The narrative twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats, as the students grapple with the terrifying realization that deception can be a deadly game.

This is how we end things

This is How We End Things is dark academia but it’s more. It’s a murder mystery, it’s a tale of secrets and compulsive behaviour, and it’s deep dive into the art of deception.

Jacobs throws us right into the action, setting on a course following a group of grad students working together on a project to study the psychology of lying. When one of the students is brutally murdered, the most likely suspects are those left standing.

And each one COULD be the killer. They all have secrets. They all could have motives. They all are not what they seem.

Twisty and smart, this one had me hooked throughout. I would have liked a bit more substance to the characters and a bit more into the psychology they were using to explain a bit more of the project but overall, this was a great thriller and worth the ride.

When one member of the graduate team ends up dead; all suspicion is one them as the rest of the campus is deserted. They all have something to hide but some of their secrets are more deadly than others.

I love when there is multiple POVs throughout a story especially in ones written in a locked room mystery style in an academic setting. Each of the graduate students have something to hide and when you learn about the experiment they are working on you instantly become more suspicious of them. I enjoy it when you can’t tell right away who is the guilty party but are eventually able to figure it out when you piece together all the bread crumbs.

If you like dark academia books or locked room mysteries, definitely add this book to your tbr.

Thank you @bookmarked and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Breakfast Club meets The Secret History in mystery author RJ Jacobs’ new dark academia thriller. This is How We End Things, like Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, takes place on an American college campus. In this case, it’s the fictional Hampden College in Shepard, North Carolina. Apart from being a campus novel, it also has the characteristics of a classic closed circle mystery.

Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2023/10/25/this-is-how-we-end-things-rj-jacobs/

I really enjoyed this one. R. J. Jacobs' books are hit or miss for me. This was a hit. I was fully interested in the goings on of this research group and why who was killed was killed! I liked the red herrings, they felt natural. Really good book.

This was the first book I have read by R.J. Jacobs. This a good locked room mystery. This book held my attention from beginning to end. You will feel like you are on a rollercoaster at times with all the twists and turns. I found this to be an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend this book.


Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

"Campus is empty, a winter storm is blowing in, and someone is lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to kill again."

This book is a slow burn. We follow a group of graduate students who are studying the act of lying as they discover that one of their own has been murdered. Each is more determined than ever to hide their own secrets. The premise is fantastic, with an urgency to collect the evidence, peel back the layers of secrets that each student holds, all before the encroaching winter storm hits and buries the truth. And to do this with a group of people who study lying, how do you know who's telling the truth?
For me, this book didn't fully deliver. I thought that some of the students secrets weren't very interesting, the twists weren't very twisty, and in the end I didn't care too much about the characters. With that said, I did keep reading because I wanted to know who the murderer was - I just couldn't figure it out.
It's important to note that I read a lot of thrillers. I think that this makes it harder for me to find one that really stands out. This is a solid story, it just didn't knock my socks off.

Thank you to @netgalley @highbridgeaudio and @scourcebooks for the gifted copy of this book.

A slow burn thriller with lots of twists that will keep you guessing. This was definitely unpredictable and many developments surprised me. This would make an excellent Netflix and parts did read almost script-like. Anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers will love this.. Thank you for the opportunity to read!

A psychology program is in crisis when one of the graduate students assisting with a study is found murdered in the department. After slow-build, pieces finally start to fall into place, dots connect, and the reader is left with a shocking twist at the end I did not expect. I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoy dark academia!

A solid thriller that surprised me with each twists and kept reading. I wasn't a fan of the characters but the excellent storytelling kept me hoooked and guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I’d seen mixed reviews for this one, but I’m glad I ignored them because I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. If you enjoy stories filled with secrets and lies, dark academia and unexpected twists, I highly recommend this psychological thriller. There were one or two loose ends I would have liked to see wrapped up, but they didn’t detract from the story. I alternated between the audiobook and physical book and enjoyed both formats. 4.5⭐️

Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me but unfortunately I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly didn’t work. The plot had great potential, especially because my own background is in psychology. The execution fell totally flat in my opinion and the writing left something to be desired. I never felt like I connected to the story or any of the characters and finishing felt like a bit of a chore.

What causes people to be untruthful?

Professor Joe Lyons has his graduate students performing experiments on fellow scholars, & the tests aren’t exactly following the standards set by modern-day psychology; Joe’s reasoning is that it’s to further the science, to see how stress influences lying. But it turns out that his little research project has unintentionally created some very skilled liars out of his grad students, & then a body is found on campus…

I loved seeing how different each of the experimenters were: Britt, Chris, Scarlett, Robert, & Elizabeth made for some fascinating characters, & I liked discovering the various reasons that drew each of them to the same area of study. Veronica being a late addition to the group definitely made things interesting, too. Detective Larson piecing together how the different players in this story are connected & what they are hiding had me turning pages, & the redacted psych evaluation transcripts were perfectly placed throughout the story. The snowstorm hitting campus just as the investigation was turning a corner added even more suspense - a deliciously twisty new addition to the dark academia genre.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.