Dark Academia set in St Andrews

Submitted: 15th March 2025

When We Were Killers – C F Barrington

Went back to university today. Back to halls and read this book imagining it all. Well, THAT was a visit to a past experience very different to mine thank goodness!

If you love dark academia then, sit back and brace yourself….

Map of literary locations in When We Were Killers

BOARDING PASS INFORMATION

Destination : St Andrews

Author guide: C F Barrington

Genre: Dark Academia

Food and drink to accompany: Well, illegal substances apparently1 POSTCARD-1

#Bookreview

@thebooktrailer

A novel to transport you to St Andrews University

Map of literary locations in When We Were Killers

Ooh I enjoyed this one. Lots of darkness going on and dark characters doing dark things….

Finn arrives at university and is immediately befriended by a group of odd bods – students who are there to read history or similar. They all have an interest in the myths and legends of ancient Scotland and the unknown. Well THAT causes quite a stir and Finn soon finds himself more absorbed into this than he might have planned.

Not content with real history, they go wandering in strange places and test boundaries with drugs and all manner of experiences. It’s very Secret History and Flatliners in many ways and I didn’t know where it was going. Seems like what ever substances they use are infused in the pages as I felt I was getting up to everything they were such was the immersive and compelling scenes.

The group as I said were an odd bunch but that’s the strength of the novel. Pleased to say the first people I met at my university were totally the opposite but I did enjoy meeting these guys and getting up to all kinds via the safety of a book. There are lots of rivalries and rituals which were interesting. And they are on a very serious search for an ancient drug. Blimey.

I like the fact this is set at a real university and one I actually visited before choosing where I would go. So I can totally imagine the grounds and the local area which elevated the reading experience.

Read this in one mad fuelled day.