Louise (Lou) is the newer student at an exclusive private club. She becomes friends with a group of wealthy and beautiful classmates. When she tries to learn their , and the school’s secrets, disaster strikes. Now, thirty years later, she tries to make sense of it after a lawsuit begins.

After finishing this one, it’s hard to believe it is a debut novel. I’m excited to read what McPhillips writes next. I feel like I need to sit with my emotions for a bit after turning the last page. This one can be very triggering and if you find sexual assault difficult to read, you may want to skip this one. It was bad men all in it, as well as the girls they victimized and the women they became. The dual timelines adds to the suspense; as we learn a bit more and more as it goes back and forth. The story is also very atmospheric.

“Maybe those of us with secrets are destined to find each other. Maybe there was never any choice.”

When We Were Silent comes out 5/21.

In the 1980s, Lou Manson is a new student at the prestigious Highfield Manor. She actively pursues admission to this school even though her upbringing and family social status is not well aligned with the other students there. She has her reasons for wanting to attend. During Lou’s time at Highfield Manor she is the victim of SA at the hands of a school coach. What happens to her during this time affects the trajectory of her life.

Thirty years later, Lou is brought back into the world of Highfield Manor after new allegations surrounding the school surface.


This book deals with extremely heavy topics, including, but not limited to, #MeToo. It is well written, but readers should know that the nature of the subject can make some parts difficult to read. The alternating timelines helped pull me in and I wanted to find out what happened all those years ago.


Thank you Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Publishing May 21, 2024

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school. Behind its granite walls are high-arched alcoves, an oak-lined library...and the dark secret Lou has come to expose. Lou’s working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, until she is befriended by some of her beautiful and wealthy classmates. But after Lou attempts to bring the school’s secret to light, her time at Highfield ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.
30 years later, Lou gets a shocking phone call. A high-profile lawyer is bringing a lawsuit against the school—and he needs Lou to testify. Lou will have to confront her past and discover, once and for all, what really happened at Highfield.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this e-arc.*

This was a powerful book. I felt nearly overwhelmed by the way the story unfolded and the themes McPhillips explored. This is a complex novel written with delicate prose and a surprisingly emotional plot. In the world of Dark Academia, When We Were Silent is a unique and profound entry into a genre filled with great works.

Set at Dublin’s most exclusive private school, Highfield Manor, the beautifully drawn setting with tall pillars, lilacs, intricate gates, well-manicured grounds, and a dimly lit library full of well-worn books hides a dark undercurrent. It’s hard to believe that somewhere so beautiful and historic could be riddled with secrets, but appearances are deceiving.

Lou Manson arrives at Highfield Manor as a scholarship student. Coming from a humble background, Lou is quite different from her wealthy and privileged peers. Lou struggles to find her place among the students, often snubbed and disregarded by those who look down their noses at her. The times they are kind to her are often part of their power struggle with the other top students in the class. Lou does find a friend in Shauna, whose sunny smile hides deep-seeded pain.

It's impossible to attend Highfield Manor and not know who Maurice McQueen is. A PE teacher and the head of the prestigious swimming club at Highfield Manor, he’s already produced to Olympic athletes and is hoping to coach a third. He also wants to recruit Lou to the swim club, though she does her best to get out of it. Lou has a different reason for attending Highfield Manor—she is seeking justice for her friend Tina, who tragically died.

Several decades after Lou’s time at Highfield Manor, she is working as a literature professor and raising a teenage daughter. When Shauna’s brother reaches out asking Lou to testify in an abuse case linked to Highfield Manor, Lou resists, fearing that everything she’s worked to bury in her past will resurface. Facing her past and the consequences it will bring may mean saving the students from an abuser, if she’s able to let herself go back there.

Dark, intense, and haunting. This is a thought-provoking and gripping story that draws the reader in and doesn’t let up until the final pages. Tina’s suicide looms over the story from the beginning. Lou is seeking justice for what happened to Tina, planning to expose the authority figure who abused her. In the present, Lou is struggling with her teenage daughter who wants to join the very same swim club that Lou tried to avoid. The stories mirror each other at times, and diverge at others.

An emotional, shocking, and suspenseful novel about privilege, justice, power, and class.

Thank you to Flatiron books for my copy. Opinions are my own.

When We Were Silent
By: Fiona McPhillips

5 Stars

The past and present blend in this story about secrets in private schools. Flashing between the then and now sections, this story is one of drama, murder, secrets, and sports, and the lengths kept to hide those "secrets."

When Lou is asked to make a statement for a court case, her past that she has tried 30 years to forget comes knocking with a vengeance. Dealing with her past and facing her own present and challenges with her daughter will lead her on an ever changing journey for redemption.

I think this is a very well written and laid out story. With the then and now sections, I worried it would be hard to keep up, but I did not find that to be the case. It was almost like having two stories in one. The then being Lou as a young woman, and the now with Lou, raising a young woman, similiar to her in so many ways. The two combine to make an amazing story and book overall. The story was full of powerful characters and a storyline that is hard to read due to the subject matter but presents a redemptive ending. I think it's a story that is powerful and needs to be read. While a work of fiction, the truth that this may be a reality for so many gives it that little tug to the heart that needs to be felt.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

It took me awhile to gather my thoughts about this book. I would sum it up as a dark, atmospheric, haunting story that will stick with me. The story was very much a slow burn, taking awhile to pick up, but the dual timeline structure definitely built suspense as the details were slowly filled in. I do think the subject matter of this book is difficult to read at times, but very poignant and important. The author handled sone very tough topics very well. Definitely check the trigger warnings (SA, alcoholism, suicide). Overall, very impressive for a debut novel!

Read this if you like:
🏊‍♂️ dark academia
🏊‍♂️ thought-provoking reads
🏊‍♂️ dual timelines
🏊‍♂️ mystery
🏊‍♂️ coming of age

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips is the kind of novel that sits heavily on your chest, tackling deep issues of abuse within the landscape of systems built upon power and oppression. Set in Dublin in the 80s, we follow Louise Manson, a girl who transfers to Highfield Manor, a renowned private, Catholic school. Although she is labeled as an outsider upon her arrival, Lou soon becomes immersed in the culture of Highfield, a place with dark secrets. Navigating this minefield of secrets takes a rather deep toll on Lou especially as she grows closer to star swimmer, Shauna Power. Jumping to the present time, we see that Lou is still haunted by what transpired in the halls of Highfield so long ago as secrets seem to never remain buried.

Going into this novel based on the synopsis, the theme of "dark academia" seemed to stand out the most given the dark nature by which Highfield is described. Without a doubt, this is a novel that tackles dark topics, but there is an extra emotional emphasis placed on Lou's story that seems to supersede this trope. McPhillips embarks on a rather tricky journey to write these women with nuance and complexity in the face of so much hurt. However, I do believe this is a novel that ultimately sticks the landing regarding the realities of surviving abuse. Lou, Shauna, Melissa, and Joe all share varying reactions when faced with the harsh truths of what is being covered up at Highfield demonstrating the vast impact events such as these hold. There are no clear right or wrong heroes or villains in a story like this, just people doing the best with what they have at the time. Lou's determination to put an end to this abuse is admirable, but her character arc is the perfect example of healing coming in many different forms.

There are many things to love about this book from its distinct sense of character, the intricate plot, and the various needle drops from the 80s, but above all, the most impressive feat of this novel is its ability to make you not only think but feel. When We Were Silent is a book that is supposed to give you pause, to evoke strong feelings of anger, sadness, or contemplation. This is not a light-hearted "whodunnit" or locked room mystery, but rather an exploration into the systems of oppression that allow widespread abuse and what justice looks like to survivors. This is a book with a lot of heart that sheds light on the unthinkable. Fans of novels such as "I Have Some Questions for You" by Rebecca Makkai will enjoy this title.

What a book!! Move this one to the top of your list!! Excellent debut! I love a mystery deep within the walls of an elite private school. When Louise enters Dublin's exclusive Highfield Manor, it is for the sole purpose to expose the corruption within. When her friend Tina went to the private school, Lou attended a public school. Tina dies of apparent suicide, so Lou dives into the social status web to entangle some of the culprits. The book triggers suicide, sexual abuse, and abuse of power.
When Lou connects with some of the most exclusive and privileged students, especially one of the most popular students Shauna, they hesitantly accept her. Shauna is part of the swimming team like her friend Tina was. Some shady things begin to surface with the swimming coach and another body appears. It doesn't take long for them to turn on her.
30 years later, Shauna's brother, an attorney wants Lou to testify against the school for the things she found out. This is a powerful and dark academia that explores exploitation within the shadows of the wealthy and how much can be covered up. It is a lot of emotional abuse fraying relationships between the working class and elite.
I enjoyed both timelines past and future. The escalation in the past is cringe worthy and is shocking. The cover is absolutely stunning.
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron books for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Main Characters:
-- Louise Manson – then, a transfer for her final year of secondary school to Highfield Manor in Dublin from a working-class family; now, a 48-year-old literature teacher married to Alex for three years and mother to teenage daughter Katie
-- Shauna Power – then, a wealthy final year at Highfield Manor who befriends Louise, star of the swim team and Olympic hopeful; now, nothing is really known about her, lives offline with no social media presence
-- Joe Forrester – then, a 19-year-old journalism student; now, an investigative journalist
-- Melissa Courtney – then, a final year on the swimming team at Highfield Manor; now, a television personality who hosts a talent show

Trigger Warning: sexual assault of minors

"When We Were Silent" delves into a tough topic, and there really is no escaping it. Many times, you’ll find a book with sexual assault as a plot point. The event might be mentioned in passing. It might be hinted at. In this book, it is really in your face throughout.

Louise Manson (Lou) works as a teacher at a private academy, not that different in atmosphere from Highfield. She seems to be happily married and has a teenage daughter who competes on the swim team. But when Ronan Power approaches her about testifying in a case against Highfield for the sexual assault of his client, a current student, we realize that Lou has not revealed everything from her past to Alex.

The book begins in the present day when Ronan approaches Lou about testifying. We only get four chapters of Lou’s current life (6% of the book), hints about what she may not have mentioned to Alex, and the seriousness of the secrets is not revealed until much later in the book. The story quickly shifts to Lou’s first and only year at Highfield when what is happening “again” happened then.

This felt like a longer read than it is, I think mainly because the reader keeps getting increasingly deeper into the depravity of what took place when Lou attended Highfield. We learn pretty early that Lou is attending Highfield by choice to get revenge for something that happened to her former girlfriend, who was Joe Forrester’s sister. Considering her age, Lou is definitely too confident that she can singlehandedly eke out her revenge. She knows no one at Highfield, and she certainly doesn’t fit in with the wealthy kids attending with her…until Shauna Power befriends her.

Lou’s relationship with Shauna nearly repeats the history of her relationship with Joe’s sister. I don’t want to reveal much more than that. As readers, we need the back story to appreciate the gravity of the present day, but the book is almost completely in the past.

Nearly 70% of the book focuses on Lou’s short time at Highfield. Considering the huge impact of her secrets on her current life, we needed more time on the “now,” but I don’t think we needed a longer book to get there. There were side sub-plots with Lou’s mother that didn’t add much and their elimination could improve the overall pace. I also would have liked to see a lot more of the current-day trial. It’s the impetus for the whole book, and it is barely mentioned.

All in all, the book makes for a solid read. The characters’ reactions to everything happening to them feels realistic in both timelines, and I especially appreciate how Lou and Shauna basically bury their pasts and try to pretend it never happened. This has all the intrigue and betrayal you would expect. It just takes a little too long to get to what should be a pretty shocking reveal.

When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips is a thriller novel that deals with a tough topic that may be a trigger to some. The story in When We Were Silent is one that is told in a dual timeline fashion with the present and from thirty years before.

Louise Manson is happily married, works at a college and is raising a teenage daughter. When Louise is contacted by a lawyer asking her to testify in another case of abuse she is thrown back in the past to remembering the trauma that she went through thirty years ago and is worried those past secrets will come surfacing into her present.

Thirty years ago Louise became the new girl at Highfield Manor, an elite private school in Dublin. Louise had gotten a scholarship but had an agenda in attending the institute and that was to defend her friend’s memory and bring a shocking secret at the school to light putting herself at risk of being the next victim.

Looking around at other’s thoughts when finishing When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips I see that this one falls into the case of being an outlier in my feelings for this one. Most folks seemed to have loved When We Were Silent but for me I just felt this one didn’t draw me in at all and with the tough topics I found myself rolling my eyes a few times as it seemed for lack of a better way of describing it a bit over the top to me and for the most part a lot of the book just seemed to be dragging on to me. At the end I just thought this was underwhelming to me overall and rated it at two and a half stars but while it wasn’t my cup of tea others do seem to be enjoying it.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This one was a very difficult read at times, as it tackles the very heavy and upsetting topics of grooming, sexual abuse, religious abuse, suicide, and others, as a woman is pulled back into her past when she is approached to testify in a lawsuit at the high school that covered up her own sexual abuse (as well asthe abuse of many other girls) at the hands of a popular swim coach. I found WHEN WE WERE SILENT to be harrowing, heartbreaking, rage filled, and hopeful, and I think that McPhillips does a great job of telling both stories of the past and the present while calling out the all too real way that powerful institutions will hide abusers to keep their power in place. I would advise readers to approach this one with caution, as there are many moments that are very disturbing to read and could be triggering for some, but it's also a necessary story because some things never change. I highly recommend this one and it's an impressive debut.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. This is a dual timeline novel. The 80s story is of a working class teenage girl who goes to the most prestigious girls school in Dublin to avenge her best friend who had been abused, but gets in way over her head. Fast forward to the present where this same school is in trouble for allowing the same kind of behavior and the former student is asked to give a statement for a case. The 80s part of the novel is far more compelling and the dialogue and the descriptions of Dublin's neighborhoods feel very authentic. The protagonist, Lou Manson, is such an outsider that she has no idea what she is up against. The book thoroughly explores issues of gender, class and sexuality during that era. The ease with which a predator could operate is vividly described. The modern portion of the novel leaves something to be desired. The older version of Lou seems to have confused motivations and the daughter's story feels excessive and tacked on. Most of the big events were easily predicted.

Dark academia books are an instant click for me, so the premise of this book really drew me in. Lou has rebuilt her life after a difficult high school career. When she’s asked to testify against her former school where allegations are eerily similar to ones from her past, she’s thrown back into the past and reliving the horrific abuses she thought she’d left behind.

While I enjoyed the book, it is a challenging one to review. There are some really heavy topics addressed, including grooming by a sports coach, the #metoo movement, and sexual abuse. Each topic on their own is heavy, but when combined – and in an academic setting with young girls, no less – this is almost unbearable to handle. Also, being a mom gives it an extra layer of unease.

I struggled a bit to connect with the characters, and found myself drifting from the story from time to time. I wanted to know how things turned out, but some parts of the story felt disjointed for me, and other points felt predictable. I wish the pacing would have been a little bit faster, which would have made for a more twisty thriller. Overall, though, I thought the story was engaging enough and would recommend it for a fun escape.

Thank you to Fiona McPhillips, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

High school student Louise infiltrates an elite private school in order to expose the terrible secrets their hiding. Alternating time periods reveal both Louise’s past and present situations and what she is doing to seek justice. The characters are strong and the writing is good.

"An outsider threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school in this suspenseful debut novel for readers of My Dark Vanessa and Dare Me.

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin's most exclusive private school. It seems nearly perfect: the high arched window alcoves and tall granite pillars, the overspill of lilac at the front gate and the immaculate playing fields, the giggling students, the dusty, oak-lined library, and the dark, festering secret she has come to expose.

At first, Lou's working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, though all that changes when she is befriended by the beautiful and wealthy Shauna Power. But Lou finds out that even Shauna is caught up in Highfield's web, and her time there ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.

Thirty years later, Lou has rebuilt her life after the harrowing events of the so-called "Highfield Affair," when she gets a shocking phone call. Ronan Power, Shauna's brother, is a high-profile lawyer bringing a lawsuit against the school. And he needs Lou to testify.

Now with a daughter and career to protect, the last thing Lou wants is for Highfield Manor to be back in her life. But to finally free herself and others, she has to confront her past, go to battle once more, and discover, for once and for all, what really happened at Highfield. Powerful and compelling, When We Were Silent is an unputdownable, thrilling story of exploitation, privilege, and retribution."

Oh yes, don't keep silent any longer, spill the secrets! Tell me all!

Thanks to Flatiron for the copy of this book! Dark academia is one of my very favorite genres, and I was really intrigued by the concept of this one: an elite school then and now. However, this fell a little flat for me. The "me too" stories are all overlapping quite a bit and I didn't find this to really be a standout.

Louise's sole aim upon enrolling at the school was to gather evidence against the man and institution responsible for her best friend's tragic demise. Instead, she finds herself grappling with decades of stigma, her discoveries seemingly insufficient against the entrenched system. Just when she believes the ordeal is behind her, a lawyer reopens the wounds, compelling her to recount the harrowing details once more. But does he truly comprehend the depths of what her experiences entail?

This book was an engaging read, striking a balance between imperfection and captivation. It unfolds with a realism that, though fictionalized, echoes the haunting realities faced by countless teenagers like Lou and her circle of friends. While I cannot ascertain its fidelity to actual events, its chilling plausibility is palpable.

However, the narrative could have benefited from more meticulous editing. While the storytelling shines as the book's cornerstone, some resolutions to conflicts struck me as naive. These instances, predominantly in the latter portion of the story (to avoid spoilers), stretched credibility—similar to a lone teenager infiltrating a school to ensnare an abuser, an audacious plan that, while central to the narrative's theme, feels improbable in execution. This recurring pattern of half-baked solutions succeeding dilutes the overall "believability" and leaves some threads feeling unresolved, despite no overt loose ends.

Despite these observations, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to friends who appreciate thrillers interwoven with personal drama. It particularly resonates with readers fond of YA narratives, offering a compelling blend of suspense and emotional depth.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

ughhh such a good dark academia/trhiller/mystery vibe???? firstly, i love that she’s an irish author 🥹 gotta support! second of all, the vibes were immaculate. the alternating timelines made it impossible for me to put it down and kept me so invested! i highly recommend checking this one out for a darker vibe

“We thought we understood the light and shade of it, that we could hold hands in the dark” - Lou

This book should be listed under an example for “one more chapter”.

Good gosh, I’m tired .

I pulled a famous “book-binge-all-nighter”

Fiona McPhillips, is in a league all her own .

The language and characterization is on point and executed with perfection . Highfield Manor, is a place of privilege. The girls who attend are young, vulnerable and impressionable.

My skin crawled with McQueen’s touch, my eyes drizzled tears at Shauna’s despair and I felt the determination in Lou’s pursuit to uncover what happened to her best friend. I felt it all.

I’m still in utter shock this was a debut. My mind was completely blown. The writing style “chef’s kiss 💋” both powerful and compelling . There was no way I was putting this one down once I picked it up

Check out this teaser :

An outsider threatens to expose the secrets at an elite private school in this suspenseful debut novel for readers of My Dark Vanessa and Dare Me

Louise Manson is the newest student at Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school. It seems nearly perfect: the high arched window alcoves and tall granite pillars, the overspill of lilac at the front gate and the immaculate playing fields, the giggling students, the dusty, oak-lined library, and the dark, festering secret she has come to expose.

At first, Lou’s working-class status makes her the consummate outsider, though all that changes when she is befriended by the beautiful and wealthy Shauna Power. But Lou finds out that even Shauna is caught up in Highfield’s web, and her time there ends with a lifeless body sprawled at her feet.

Thirty years later, Lou has rebuilt her life after the harrowing events of the so-called “Highfield Affair,” when she gets a shocking phone call. Ronan Power, Shauna’s brother, is a high-profile lawyer bringing a lawsuit against the school. And he needs Lou to testify.

Now with a daughter and career to protect, the last thing Lou wants is for Highfield Manor to be back in her life. But to finally free herself and others, she has to confront her past, go to battle once more, and discover, for once and for all, what really happened at Highfield.

I loved this book and would recommend to my circle of friends but this mystery just did not click or fit all the way together for me in the way I expected it to. With that being said, the book did keep me interested from start to finish and I genuinely was invested in knowing what happened to the victims of this book.