The Secret History

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • A contemporary literary classic and "an accomplished psychological thriller ... absolutely chilling" (Village Voice), from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Goldfinch.

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years


Under the influence of a charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at a New England college discover a way of thought and life a world away from their banal contemporaries. But their search for the transcendent leads them down a dangerous path, beyond human constructs of morality.

“A remarkably powerful novel [and] a ferociously well-paced entertainment . . . Forceful, cerebral, and impeccably controlled.” —The New York Times

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Published Sep 1, 1993

512 pages

Average rating: 7.21

618 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

jnaegele
Sep 05, 2025
8/10 stars
Gorgeously written and engrossing story that builds up suspense and drammatic tension. One of the most compelling and engrossing books I’ve read in years.
Nanizee
Aug 25, 2025
6/10 stars
Everyone in this book is insufferable.
@weirdoftheopera
Aug 04, 2025
1/10 star
DNF
Ly
Jul 22, 2025
Tom
bycourtneybellush
Jul 03, 2025
10/10 stars
Hands down the best book I’ve ever read.

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