If we Were Villains

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Rio, M. L., Adult Book / Fiction / Thriller / General / Rio, M. L.
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Pittsfield Branch, Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Rio, M. L.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Thriller / General / Rio, M. L.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Thriller / General / Rio, M. L.	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Thriller / General / Rio, M. L.	4-week checkout	On Shelf

Entreated to tell his side of the story to a detective who put him in prison a decade earlier for a murder he may not have committed, Oliver Marks describes his past as a Shakespearean actor in college whose rivalry with a castmate escalated in dangerous ways.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Library Journal Review
Booklist Review
Publishers Weekly Review
Summary / Annotation
Author Notes

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Better than The Secret History submitted by ctconley on August 4, 2022, 3:27pm Similar vibes to Donna Tart's The Secret History but with more feeling and passion. A good read!

Loved it submitted by zwachtel50 on June 19, 2023, 8:54am This book was amazing, once I started I simply could not put it down. It’s the perfect mix of Shakespeare, mystery, and amazing writing.

I honestly loved this book. submitted by vclinton on July 22, 2023, 9:28pm I recognize that this book is a little over the top, but I also think it's thematically appropriate for it to be over the top. I think you have to love Shakespeare to love this book ❤️

Probably would've been more fun if I were a Shakespeare nerd submitted by apknapp on July 2, 2024, 12:27pm Good story, well written, just didn't grab me.

Vivid submitted by therarestoccasion on August 2, 2025, 4:55pm Well paced with interesting characters, definitely worth a reread.

Fairly good “dark academia” read submitted by bkotten on August 10, 2025, 3:32am As others have said, this book is similar to The Secret History. It is maybe 65% as good at best, but still worth a read. The ending is mostly wrapped up and somewhat satisfying, which I appreciate— I was able to sleep after finishing the book (not the case with TSH!). ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4/5

Loved this book submitted by steph11624 on August 17, 2025, 1:42pm Amazing read. I loved the mystery and didn’t want to put this book down. The characters felt real. While I don’t know a lot about Shakespeare, the use of quotes and plays was great.

Great Shakespearean Thriller submitted by agmanso on August 17, 2025, 8:09pm Great mystery novel with a dark academia tone. The book features numerous Shakespeare quotes throughout, which, if you're unfamiliar with reading Shakespeare or his works, like me, may require a few readings of the quotes to fully understand their depth. However, this does not detract from the story nor the plot. The story is still understandable even without that background knowledge.