They Never Learn
From the author of the “raw, ingenious, and utterly fearless” (Wendy Walker, USA TODAY bestselling author) Temper comes a dynamic psychological thriller about two women who give bad men exactly what they deserve—perfect for fans of Killing Eve and Chelsea Cain.
Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she’s even better at getting away with murder.
Every year, Dr. Clark searches for the worst man at Gorman University—professor, student, or otherwise—and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she’s avoided drawing attention to herself…but as she’s preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Dr. Clark insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge. Everything’s going according to her master plan…until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure.
Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident—everything Carly wishes she could be—and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay...and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality.
“A gorgeously written ragestorm of a thriller” (Wendy Heard, author of The Kill Club), They Never Learn is a razor-sharp feminist serial killer story that you won’t be able to put down.
Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor. But she’s even better at getting away with murder.
Every year, Dr. Clark searches for the worst man at Gorman University—professor, student, or otherwise—and plots his well-deserved demise. Thanks to her meticulous planning, she’s avoided drawing attention to herself…but as she’s preparing for her biggest kill yet, the school starts probing into the growing body count on campus. Determined to keep her enemies close, Dr. Clark insinuates herself into the investigation and charms the woman in charge. Everything’s going according to her master plan…until she loses control with her latest victim, putting her secret life at risk of exposure.
Meanwhile, Gorman student Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year. Finally free of her emotionally abusive father, all Carly wants is to focus on her studies and fade into the background. Her new roommate has other ideas. Allison Hadley is cool and confident—everything Carly wishes she could be—and the two girls quickly form an intense friendship. So when Allison is sexually assaulted at a party, Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay...and turning her fantasies about revenge into a reality.
“A gorgeously written ragestorm of a thriller” (Wendy Heard, author of The Kill Club), They Never Learn is a razor-sharp feminist serial killer story that you won’t be able to put down.
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *They Never Learn* is a dark, psychological thriller praised for its complex female lead, Scarlett, and its dual timelines that cleverly i...
I never seen the twist of this!!! It took me to places that I could relate with on many levels and one day hope no one will ever have to relate to again. The beauty of the insight into all of the characters were well developed.
They Never Learn was a dark, compelling read that surprised me in the best way. Even though I went in knowing one of the major twists (that the two POVs are the same person), the story still pulled me in and held my interest throughout.
The dual perspectives, one seemingly timid and innocent, the other confident and calculating, created a fascinating psychological contrast. Watching that transformation unfold kept the tension high, and the writing itself was smooth and engaging without unnecessary fluff or procedural detours.
What really made this book stand out was the ending. For a story about a killer, it managed to be surprisingly heartwarming. I loved that it didn’t fall into the tired trope that vigilantes must be punished or broken by the end. Scarlett was morally complex, yes, but she was also fully human, and she deserved happiness. The final pages gave me full closure and left me with a genuinely good feeling.
This wasn’t quite a 5-star obsession for me. I wasn’t completely consumed, but it was a solid, satisfying 4-star read that I’d absolutely recommend to fans of dark psychological thrillers with strong, morally gray female leads.
The dual perspectives, one seemingly timid and innocent, the other confident and calculating, created a fascinating psychological contrast. Watching that transformation unfold kept the tension high, and the writing itself was smooth and engaging without unnecessary fluff or procedural detours.
What really made this book stand out was the ending. For a story about a killer, it managed to be surprisingly heartwarming. I loved that it didn’t fall into the tired trope that vigilantes must be punished or broken by the end. Scarlett was morally complex, yes, but she was also fully human, and she deserved happiness. The final pages gave me full closure and left me with a genuinely good feeling.
This wasn’t quite a 5-star obsession for me. I wasn’t completely consumed, but it was a solid, satisfying 4-star read that I’d absolutely recommend to fans of dark psychological thrillers with strong, morally gray female leads.
I love a good women's rage story, and this one was entertaining, but there wasn't much emotion behind the plot. Some men were murdered for beating their gfs or cheating on their wives?? Every single man in this novel was terrible, a cheater, rapist, women-beater, entitled etc. It was just over the top on the man hating
I think this was an ok book. The plot felt thin at points and I don’t know that I fully agree with her actions and general disposition. Her ethos and the reality of her behavior don’t honestly make sense to me. I don’t think it’d be possible for her to actually do what she did. But hey, that’s why it’s a fiction novel, right? Generally enjoyed it tho, read it in <24 hrs.
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