Donna Tartt's novel "The Secret History" is a dark, sophisticated, and absolutely hypnotic story. The plot reads like the best thrillers, while the atmosphere makes you feel like you've stepped into your dream university.
What's it about?
Poor but ambitious student Richard finds his way into an exclusive classics study group at an elite New England college. His professor is a charismatic and mysterious genius, while his five classmates are equally strange — like they've stepped out of an ancient Greek tragedy.Richard feels like an outsider... until he becomes an accomplice to murder.
Why you should read it
This isn't just a detective story — it's a slow descent into darkness. The story begins with murder, and from there you're not searching for "who?" but asking something else entirely: why? What has to happen for a group of gifted and privileged students to do something monstrous?
There's no screen adaptation yet — and honestly, that's criminal. Fans have been dreaming of a miniseries for years, and maybe it'll happen. So definitely worth reading. Yes, it's a hefty book, but trust us: it's worth it. This is one of those novels that shapes your taste.
Plus it's the perfect way to start exploring Tartt's work, since this was the writer's debut novel. Interestingly, the book became a bestseller immediately after publication. According to Wikipedia, the first edition ordered 75,000 copies (compared to the usual 10,000 for a debut novel). And earlier on zoomboola.com we told you about "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" — a creepy fairy tale about a family hated by their entire town.