‘Deliciously twisty….A heady mix of dark academia, spiraling stakes, and tangled loyalties.’ —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author
A group of Harvard alums have played a secret game for decades but as the stakes rise, deadly consequences emerge from old lies. An unputdownable debut thriller for readers of the suspenseful novels of Julia Bartz and Katy Hays.
Harvard promised them everything.
Ambitious futures, peers who pushed each other toward their absolute best, and an education that would open doors for the rest of their lives. And though they started out as roommates, Sara, Bee, Dina, Allie, Wesley, and Claudine soon became family. They had their whole bright lives ahead of them—until their senior year, when a shocking tragedy changed everything.
Twenty years later, five of the roommates still indulge in a secret tradition they’ve kept alive since their campus days: the Circus, a harmless elimination-style ‘killing’ game played across the private rooms and hidden alleys of New York City. The game is a nod to their younger selves and a tribute to the sixth roommate they lost too young. But this year, Sara wants out of the game—until she discovers there is a small fortune awaiting the winner of this final round.
As the Circus unfolds, Sara begins to suspect that the others aren’t playing by the rules, and as the danger turns real and the old friends start pointing fingers, she discovers that even those closest to her harbor secrets of their own…secrets that could kill.
Genre: Mystery
A group of Harvard alums have played a secret game for decades but as the stakes rise, deadly consequences emerge from old lies. An unputdownable debut thriller for readers of the suspenseful novels of Julia Bartz and Katy Hays.
Harvard promised them everything.
Ambitious futures, peers who pushed each other toward their absolute best, and an education that would open doors for the rest of their lives. And though they started out as roommates, Sara, Bee, Dina, Allie, Wesley, and Claudine soon became family. They had their whole bright lives ahead of them—until their senior year, when a shocking tragedy changed everything.
Twenty years later, five of the roommates still indulge in a secret tradition they’ve kept alive since their campus days: the Circus, a harmless elimination-style ‘killing’ game played across the private rooms and hidden alleys of New York City. The game is a nod to their younger selves and a tribute to the sixth roommate they lost too young. But this year, Sara wants out of the game—until she discovers there is a small fortune awaiting the winner of this final round.
As the Circus unfolds, Sara begins to suspect that the others aren’t playing by the rules, and as the danger turns real and the old friends start pointing fingers, she discovers that even those closest to her harbor secrets of their own…secrets that could kill.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Readers of Dark Academia, take note: Alissa Lee is a bold new voice to watch. With captivating prose, she spins a tale of privilege, ambition, and buried secrets as former Harvard classmates find themselves caught in a dangerous game long after graduation. WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE left me breathless until the very last page." - Lauren Ling Brown
"An intricate, tightly plotted thriller that explores the complexities of female friendships stretching over decades - and the long-lasting impacts of a dangerous game. WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE will enthrall fans of Dark Academia, but at its heart are the relationships that shapeshift with tragedy, time, and distance. Alissa Lee expertly weaves themes of identity, ambition, and regret into her immersive, page-turning debut." - Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
"WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE hooked me with its stunning prose and kept me up late with its simmering tension. . . . Smart and satisfying, I flew through this debut and can't wait to read more from this breakout author!" - Carinn Jade
"In Alissa Lee's fast-paced debut novel, WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, what's supposed to be a game among friends spirals into something sinister when the stakes are raised by a million-dollar prize pot. Fault lines in these friendships are revealed, buried secrets surface, and misplaced trust proves deadly in this slick thriller you'll read in one sitting." - Francesca Serritella
"A terrific debut, the kind of smart mystery that grows ever more suspenseful as we watch a group of longtime friends begin to confront a haunted past." - Jess Walter
"I loved this deliciously twisty tale of friendships unmoored and a game gone way too far for comfort. A heady mix of dark academia, spiraling stakes, and tangled loyalties." - Ruth Ware
"An intricate, tightly plotted thriller that explores the complexities of female friendships stretching over decades - and the long-lasting impacts of a dangerous game. WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE will enthrall fans of Dark Academia, but at its heart are the relationships that shapeshift with tragedy, time, and distance. Alissa Lee expertly weaves themes of identity, ambition, and regret into her immersive, page-turning debut." - Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
"WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE hooked me with its stunning prose and kept me up late with its simmering tension. . . . Smart and satisfying, I flew through this debut and can't wait to read more from this breakout author!" - Carinn Jade
"In Alissa Lee's fast-paced debut novel, WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, what's supposed to be a game among friends spirals into something sinister when the stakes are raised by a million-dollar prize pot. Fault lines in these friendships are revealed, buried secrets surface, and misplaced trust proves deadly in this slick thriller you'll read in one sitting." - Francesca Serritella
"A terrific debut, the kind of smart mystery that grows ever more suspenseful as we watch a group of longtime friends begin to confront a haunted past." - Jess Walter
"I loved this deliciously twisty tale of friendships unmoored and a game gone way too far for comfort. A heady mix of dark academia, spiraling stakes, and tangled loyalties." - Ruth Ware
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