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Description
A vivid and compulsive story of obsession, control and guilt, set in Nineties Dublin – perfect for fans of dark academia
**An Irish Times Book of the Summer**
'A campus novel with a twist; a blisteringly real story of control and vulnerability, desire and ambition. A propulsive read' ROISÍN O'DONNELL
'Arrives to fill the Secret History-shaped hole in your lives ... Gloriously entertaining' Observer, Books to look out for in 2025
'A searing exploration into our deepest desires and insecurities. I adored it' Heather Darwent
'I was gripped by this dark and thrilling fable' Dominic West
'I was hooked from the very start' Rachel Joyce
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Jessica and Linda are closer than sisters. Jessica has always been the lead; Linda, the supporting role. When they arrive at Wilde, an elite university at the heart of Dublin, it seems like nothing will change.
But then Mark enters the picture: an older, brooding, compelling philosophy student. When he and Linda start dating, tensions between Jessica and Linda spill over. And as the true extent of Mark's control is uncovered, tragedy becomes inevitable – and eventually strikes.
Years later, Jessica is still grappling with her role in what happened. But when an opportunity to set the record straight arises, can she make things right?
Product details
| Published | 09 Apr 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 9781526672926 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Dimensions | 198 x 129 mm |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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With pitch-pure dialogue, and a plot that weaves in and around the theatre until the edges of reality blur, Lisa Harding presents us with a psychologically gripping story about personal manipulation and the imbalance of power in intimate relationships. A powerful performance
JANE URQUHART
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Harding's style of writing is direct and intense, giving her novel a raw and emotional tone. It's a compelling read, one which will be hard to forget
IRISH EXAMINER
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A deliciously dark psychological mystery
IRISH TIMES, The best books for summer 2025
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Remarkable, shocking ... The characters all stayed in my mind long after I'd turned the last page
IRISH EXAMINER, Books of the Year
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Lisa Harding is at her best when she is fearless. She writes with defiance and impudent energy, at the centre of which is care for a person's soul. And The Wildelings is alive with this. It's a carefully merciless portrait of what it's like to be in the thrall of parasitic charm, double-edged with warning: beware yourself, creative vampires, of those whose skins you leave empty
CYNAN JONES
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The Wildelings is a shiver-inducing delight. I found myself reading when I should have been doing a million other things, unable to tear myself away from these bewitching characters, Harding's beautiful prose, and the prickly suspicion that a dark surprise was waiting for me on every page
LAUREN GRODSTEIN

























