by Eli Raphael
First published 2026
Lenny Winter stands accused of murder, but she insists she didn't kill the boy, despite wishing him dead countless times. The fifteen-year-old moved with her parents to a houseboat on Washington's coast, dreaming of studying stars and becoming an astronomer. Then tragedy strikes and destroys her quiet world. Lenny finds herself at Blanchard, a prestigious boarding school where the Pacific Northwest's wealthy children learn among old traditions and hidden secrets. The school revolves around the Pascalianum Club, a secret society that has shaped generations of powerful alumni and extends its reach far beyond campus. Desperate to find her place, Lenny gets pulled into the club's world, though she recognizes it preys on the weaknesses she wants to conceal. Her grief meets the school's privilege in dangerous ways. Loyalty becomes obsession. Lenny makes choices that lead to someone's death and a murder investigation. She must face questions about guilt, power, and who she is becoming when the desire to belong overwhelms everything else.
Genres: mystery, crime, young-adult, boarding-school, psychological-thriller, academic
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Blanchard, Pacific Northwest, Washington
Period: 21st-century
384 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: murder