'There’s a doozy of a murder in Kate Weinberg’s hypnotic debut mystery, THE TRUANTS, one that might have met with the approval of the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie...Weinberg has created complex, unpredictable players, each with a fully drawn history, and all of them, in one way or another, deeply untrustworthy....the plot {which] keeps taking surprising, even startling twists and turns, ending up — in a switch that would please Christie — on a remote, almost deserted island.' The New York Times Book Review
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“Weinberg’s ‘truants’ are skillfully drawn, compelling and complicated in equal measures….Weinberg is a crackling good writer. The Truants is a novel worth skipping class for, and Weinberg’s writing marks the arrival of a sure talent.”
—USA Today

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“Weinberg’s clever, involving debut channels [Agatha] Christie in more ways than one.”—People

“The Truants emulates a nigh-on perfect slow burn, generating a pace that makes room for unexpected tragedies as well as silly student antics, drawing out multiple threads of deceptions and lies and a nearly unending river of narrative twists.”
—The Boston Globe

“[A] moody, well-wrought debut, heavy on shades of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.”
—Entertainment Weekly

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“One of the best thriller debuts in recent years, with all the cleverness of Ruth Ware (and, yes, even Christie herself) and a dash of Donna Tartt’s edgy darkness. Though Christie fans may be particularly delighted, this propulsive, pitch-perfect thriller has something for everyone.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A gripping debut about friends who fall under the spell of their maverick teacher….A well-crafted page-turner full of love triangles and vicious circles, secrets and suspense. Escapist fiction of the highest order.”
—Minneapolis Star Tribune

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‍“[A] deliciously creepy addition to the campus-mystery catalogue…[Weinberg] exhibits some of the queen of crime’s best traits.”
—The Economist

“A twisty tale….Great characters, lots of deceit, messy love triangles, and several intriguing asides for Christie lovers, this is an enticing read.”–Forbes.com
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“As much a coming-of-age tale as a murder mystery…An impressive debut.”  
—The Times (UK)

“In addition to plot and character, Weinberg is adept at place. Her descriptions of the British university, small towns in the countryside and especially the remote Italian island are captivating. Like Christie, she seems to know the value of placing unpredictable characters in exotic settings….The Truants gathers momentum and finishes with several climactic moments that even veteran mystery lovers probably won’t see coming.”
—The Columbus Dispatch

“[A] sizzling debut novel…Kate Weinberg gets an A.”—Newsday

“Echoes Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, Tom Wolfe’s I Am Charlotte Simmons, Richard Russo’s Straight Man, and Katie Lowe’s The Furies. The mystery at the novel’s core befits Agatha Christie [and] unravels at a nearly perfect pace…This slow burn of a novel explores the headiness of favoritism and the danger in meeting one’s heroes.”
—Booklist (starred review)‍

“Intriguing. . . After surprising twists, Weinberg provides a satisfying conclusion while asking the question: does a mystery lose its magic once it’s solved?”
—The Guardian

“Weinberg writes incisively and evocatively about infatuation, heartbreak, and grief.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Jess is eminently sympathetic and likable, and Weinberg skillfully depicts the headiness of the transition to college life.”
—Library Journal

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‘Plenty of secrets lie under the surface glitter … A coming-of-age story and campus novel rolled into one, it is given greater depth by the shadow of Christie, who stalks the pages. With deft characterisation, plenty of mystery and twists in the tale, it had me gripped’ Daily Mail (UK)