Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for the advanced reader copy.

Daphne is one of the few people of color on faculty at Harrison University, as she is finishing up her first year as an assistant professor, and is mostly trying to keep her head down and work toward tenure. When she receives a strange text from Sam, a star in the anthropology department (and someone Daphne tries to avoid) she dismisses it. But then Sam is found dead and Daphne finds herself in danger over something that he thrust her into. Trapped between wanting to go back to being nearly invisible and wanting to find the truth, Daphne goes down the rabbit hole of figuring out exactly who Sam really was.

HISTORY LESSONS is done a disservice by comping it to Ali Hazelwood. This isn't a straight romance, nor is it steamy. It is an adept campus mystery (there are some debut novel missteps) that was fun to read. If you read and liked Elise Bryant's IT'S ELEMENTARY, then HISTORY LESSONS is for you.

History Lessons is out July 1, 2025

If you're looking for a mystery that's more layered than a cozy but a step below a thriller, History Lessons hits the sweet spot. Featuring an intelligent, witty heroine and a campus setting steeped in both academic drama and real-world injustice, this book is a standout in the mystery genre—especially for those who love a detective with a PhD instead of a badge.
Professor Daphne Ouverture's titles are as intriguing as this mystery. An assistant professor of European history, a scholar of modern French imperialisms, and a semi-professional rambler on the horrors of colonial medicine, she has built a quiet life for herself: grading papers, enduring terrible dates, and keeping to the predictable rhythms of academia.

But when a colleague—brilliant but insufferable anthropology professor Sam Taylor—is murdered at the top of our story, Daphne finds herself tangled in a dangerous game.

Someone believes she has something that belonged to Sam, and they’re willing to kill for it. With the help of local detective Asma Ahmed and the intriguing ex-detective-turned-bookseller Rowan Peterson, Daphne is thrust into an investigation that unearths long-buried secrets, both in the present and in the historical injustices she studies.

There is so much to love about Daphne, but one of the most intriguing aspects of Daphne’s character is her photographic memory—though she’s never entirely known how to explain it. As she puts it:

“All she knew was that lines would get stuck in her head like baby ducklings trapped under a storm grate, no matter the source. An academic article on the transformation of the agricultural laws in eighteenth-century France? A gossip page claiming that Tyler the Creator had eloped with some twink? Everything she'd ever read was lodged in her brain like melodies. Earworms. Each sentence had its own rhythm, its own fluctuation in tones. They were so easy to sing back.”

This ability becomes key to the mystery when she recalls that Sam had called her four times before his death and sent her a cryptic text in “shitty-ass French,” referencing a book that has now mysteriously vanished from her library. As Daphne brilliantly pieces together the puzzle, she realizes that personal and institutional history has a way of repeating itself and that some secrets refuse to stay buried.

One of the things I loved about History Lessons is how seamlessly Wallbrook weaves in sharp social commentary alongside the mystery. Fans of Queenie will appreciate her astute observations on campus culture and racial bias, all delivered with the same wit and nuance that make Daphne such an engaging protagonist. The novel also has a fantastic cast of supporting characters, from Daphne’s fiercely loyal friends to her loving (and often hilarious) family. And, of course, there’s the added fun of watching a history professor unravel a modern mystery through the lens of the past—who better to spot repeating patterns than someone who studies them for a living?

Wallbrook, a professor herself, brings authenticity to Daphne’s academic life, making the setting feel lived-in and real. And her voice—sharp, funny, and insightful—makes me wonder just how much of Daphne’s wry internal monologue mirrors her own.

I can’t wait to see where Wallbrook takes Daphne next, as it appears book 2 is already in the works. If you love a smart, engaging mystery with depth, History Lessons should be on your list.

Daphne is a junior history professor at an elite university. She wants to keep her head down, but is drawn against her will into the murder case of a well-known colleague. I would call this a semi-cozy murder mystery that investigates many themes of social justice. For a debut, this is a really solid effort, and there were many things I liked, but there were also things I didn't like.

Let's start with the things I enjoyed:

- Both the primary and secondary characters in this book felt well-developed and distinct. They were dynamic people, and the ones we were meant to like were genuinely likeable. The 'villains' of the story were a little cartoonish at times, but the vibrancy of the rest of the cast made up for that. I appreciated that so many of the supporting characters were also BIPOC, from the MC's immigrant family, to her best friends, to the Iraqi detective on the case. They make the narrative feel truly multicultural, which was not a given in such a white setting as an elite university.

- Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the author's insights into what it's like to be a person of color in elite academia in the US. This portrayal felt realistic, and it was woven well into the rest of the narrative. The author also says really interesting things about how BIPOC women are often fetishized and objectified rather than seen as legitimate romantic options.

- I also really appreciated the other themes that were explored in the novel. Throughout the story, the author focuses on many abuses of power and privilege, whether it's gender, race, or class. That made the story feel very pertinent to our current society.

- The reason why I feel that the story can be classified as 'cozy' despite its sometimes very dark themes, is the fact that all of the people who abuse their power in the story get their comeuppance, and most of the victims get justice. This felt a little unrealistic, but honestly, it also felt very refreshing and satisfying, so I'm listing it with the positives.

Now for a few things I didn't enjoy as much:

- Debut authors have a tendency to put 'too much' into their first novels, and that was definitely the case here. The first part of the book deals with corruption and abuse in prisons, but that storyline is wrapped up almost completely around the 60% mark. The book then pivots hard, and the second part of the story is about sexual harassment and assault of women. This causes the first and second half of the book to feel disjointed -- it almost feels like two different novels.

- My major issue, unfortunately, was the writing. Writing style is a question of personal taste, of course, so this may not bother other readers, but to me the writing often felt stilted. The dialogue didn't feel natural, and the author employs words and turns of phrases in ways that just felt strange to me. This is an ARC, so I can't quote any examples because the text could still change, but the word choices of the author were often so jarring that they took me out of the story.

- Finally, the romance. I know for so many readers this will be a plus, but I really didn't enjoy the romantic subplot. A particular literary pet peeve of mine is insta-love/lust, and we had that in spades here. I also can't help but roll my eyes when the MC's life is in serious danger, yet she just can't stop salivating over how attractive the love interest is. Get your priorities straight! I also didn't enjoy how clichéd the romance writing was, from releasing breaths she didn't know she was holding, to the MC thinking how she wants to climb the love interest like a tree. Not my thing.

To end with, I want to give some trigger warnings, because some of the book gets pretty dark: <spoiler> rape (lead-up and aftermath only), child sexual abuse (mentioned), sexual harassment, stalking, murder, gun violence, racism, misogyny. </spoiler>

On the whole, this is a solid debut novel with many enjoyable aspects. The writing and romance will probably work better for other readers than they did for me.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

I very much enjoyed this mystery about a Black academic who trying to establish herself at a prestigious university but finds herself caught up in a murder investigation when she gets a strange coded text from a celebrity anthropologist who she barely knew. The funny, earthy voice of the protagonist is a nifty way to experience the contrast between her values as a historian and the pretentiousness and privilege of the institution.

The plot was just a tad too busy for me but it moves quickly and is spiced up with vignettes of university life (the verbose progressive student is a hoot, but it's a kind and funny poke at youngsters who are in over their heads with theory) and the contradictory nature of the anthropologist laid beside the protagonist's experience of marginalization is thought-provoking and sharp.

I look forward to reading more from Zoe B. Wallbrook.