The Truants marks Weinberg out as a natural storyteller, in the vein of Agatha Christie herself. Startling
Irish Times
A coming-of-age story and campus novel rolled into one . . . With deft characterisation, plenty of mystery and twists in the tale, it had me gripped
Daily Mail
As much a coming-of-age tale as a murder ... Read moremystery . . . An impressive debut
The Times
Smart and exciting and funny and mysterious
Dawn O’Porter Like a wickedly brilliant Donna Tartt, Agatha Christie and Liane Moriarty all mixed into one
Scarlett Curtis Weinberg's debut is a page-turning tale of love, death and betrayal on a university campus that riffs on Donna Tartt's The Secret History while exerting a subtle pull of its own
i, Books of the Year
After surprising twists, Kate Weinberg provides a satisfying conclusion while asking the question: does a mystery lose its magic once it’s solved?
Guardian
Think The Secret History meets Agatha Christie
Red
A must read for fans of mystery novels . . . Cleverly written and relentlessly intriguing, The Truants is the perfect novel for inquisitive minds to escape into
Marie Claire
In this mesmerising debut, Kate Weinberg confidently combines literary suspense and deftly executed narrative, slowly unravelling a tangled tale about first love, obsession and the boundaries of self-identity . . . A riveting read
Scotsman
This satisfying coming-of-age novel jives to a thriller-like beat. It’s a debut, though you wouldn't necessarily know it from its assured tone. While Donna Tartt’s The Secret History is a clear influence, it’s Agatha Christie whose work is most explicitly referenced, stoking an ominous sense of impending calamity
Mail on Sunday
There are more than a few nods to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History here – the band of student misfits with dysfunctional backgrounds, the professor with oddly intimate student-teacher bonds, plus an overall sense, skilfully seeded by Weinberg, that things are about to take a wrong turn … Threaded into the story are references to Agatha Christie’s novels, with their mysteries and murders and love triangles. The Truants borrows some of these murder mystery tropes, leading us to a dark conclusion that feels satisfying to reach
Evening Standard
Set to be the book of the summer
Town & Country
The book you’ll fall in love with. With a small band of overly intimate students, a mysterious-yet-inspiring tutor, obsession and a whodunit, there’s much to place it in the same bracket as Donna Tartt but there are also nods to a much-mentioned Agatha Christie. There’s also an ending that’ll leave you thinking and thinking about this plot for weeks, if not months, later; one of the standout books of the summer
Stylist
You know those summer books which draw you in immediately and unyieldingly into their world? That bury you into the characters so nose-deep that when you’re finished, they leave you yearning for the intimate world you’ve just left. Well, The Truants, a debut novel by Kate Weinberg, is exactly one of these. We couldn't put it down
A Little Bird This is a remarkably assured debut, deftly plotted and with vivid, compelling characters that leap off the page. I had no idea where it was going to end up – but I knew I would be satisfied, and I was. I look forward to seeing what Kate Weinberg writes next
Jojo Moyes
In this mesmerising debut, Kate Weinberg confidently combines literary suspense and deftly executed narrative, slowly unravelling each thread that tangles first-love, obsession and the boundaries of self-identity. The Truants is as charismatic as the characters within. A riveting read
The Herald
Weinberg weaves intrigue worthy of Agatha Christie – you'll love getting lost in The Truants' web of mystery, desire and deceit
M. L. Rio, author of If We Were Villains
The Truants teases, seduces and thrills but ultimately it's about the best kind of love affair – allowing for the freedom to be yourself
Miranda Hart
Lays bare the lengths to which we will go to feel seen … At once thrilling and heartbreaking
Meghan MacLean Weir, author of The Book of Essie
Reminiscent of Muriel Spark and Donna Tartt. A stunning debut!
Carol Goodman, author of The Lake of Dead Languages and The Night Visitors
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