I loved the premise of this book, sold as a mystery/thriller about Oxbridge hopefuls competing to win a multi-million pound inheritance. The YA novel draws attention to various injustices, including the struggles of surviving in poverty and striving to live up to hugely competitive academic aspirations, the pressure of trying to bring value to those you love (and who are supposed to love you, unconditionally), the challenges of being queer and a person of colour, and the whitewashing of British history.

After the unexpected death of a beloved professor and his wife, both mentors of five Oxbridge candidates, a carefully selected assortment of young adults are welcomed to the historic residence of the late couple: Kenfield house, to hear the reading of a will, which determines that whoever successfully completes a series of challenges (concocted by the Darnley’s themselves), will inherit their multi-million pound estate. Throw in the complication that several of the students are direct relatives of the Darnley’s and the book’s themes of entitlement and justice are brought to the foreground, as the plot develops.

This was a book layered with detail, that initially built slowly, but then really took off after around the sixty percent mark, where I raced through to the conclusion of the book, which felt both poignant and satisfying, especially after twists that I didn’t see coming, despite my best detective work!

Overall, an entertaining read that I’d recommend if you like a mystery surrounding intelligent characters with complex backgrounds. Perfect for teens!

4⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Scholastic for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book!

I really wasn't expecting this book to hit me the way it did, it wasn't just a story it was thought provoking in so many different ways and I really enjoyed it.

It was full of the complexities of human and familial relationships, and the strengths of those bonds. It had LGBTQ+ rep very much part of the story and the characters, interwoven into their relationships both past and present.

It explored whitewashing of history both in the larger context and within the specific story. It made for thought provoking reading and I especially liked the what ifs that were peppered throughout.

An inheritance up for grabs for those that can solve the games and a disgruntled disinherited family was always going to make for a tense story but having the other aspects of it really sets this one apart from other titles in this genre.

I'm intrigued to read more from this author.

Thank you to the author, Scholastic and Netgalley for my copy.

In Winners and Liars by Aleema Omotoni, you get to enjoy an exciting and fast-paced mystery full of twists, turns, and competition. The author does an amazing job of incorporating suspenseful elements alongside social issues, making the book interesting and reflective at the same time. You will relate well to the protagonist, Derin, who has a tough inheritance test to undergo. This book has everything from an engaging cast, captivating atmosphere, and lots of unexpected reveals.

Omotoni is a name to watch in YA. Her work is sharp, slick and stylish. I thoroughly enjoyed Everyone’s Thinking About It, finding it a fresh, entrancing and enthralling read. It really dug into the typical Dark Academia story and unveiled the structural inequality it ignores. Omotoni offers another Dark Academia murder mystery here but with a brilliant new angle. As soon as I heard about the concept for this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I mean, it’s almost a mix of Bridgerton and The Inheritance Games but something entirely new and exciting at the same time.

This really delves into the darker side of history and the way those in power can whitewash a narrative to remove the bloodshed. Omotoni directly discusses racism, classism, homophobia and sexism and how these various forms of hatred can interact and overlap. She traces a line through history to draw parallels to the modern day. This is a book with something to say and I can only hope that readers are listening.

At the heart of it all, we have Derin who is a fantastic protagonist. She is driven to change her life and pull those she loves up with her. Her voice really connected with me and I was cheering her on throughout. She is smart, passionate and deeply loving. The grief she is experiencing is portrayed in a sensitive way and you can see how it has affected her worldview entirely. I also really enjoyed the gameplay and these scenes really shone. They were intricate and demonstrated Derin’s intellect, love for the series and ability to adapt to a situation. You were glued to the page as they played out and I have to commend Omotoni’s attention to detail. I was completely immersed and would happily have read more and more games. They told you so much about the world of this series but also insights into each character and how they navigate the world, mirrored in the way they approached the games.

Winners & Liars is a brilliant YA murder mystery that would be a crime to miss.

Derin has earned her place at Cambridge and thinks she's attending Professor Darnley's summer ball to celebrate with the rest of the Kenfield Set. Instead, there's a will reading, his aristocratic children are disinherited and a group of students suddenly have the chance to compete for an enormous inheritance and the Kenfield estate. I mean... how could I not want to know what happened next?

I really liked Derin and quickly became invested in what winning could mean for her and her family. But it was the dynamics between everyone at Kenfield that made this so much fun. You've got competitive students, furious relatives, an attractive intern, suspicious behaviour and a family history that becomes increasingly questionable the deeper Derin digs.

The Victorian literary-inspired challenges were such a good idea too. I had the best time following the clues and trying to work things out alongside Derin, especially as more secrets started appearing. Even the little flashbacks involving Professor Darnley added something rather than feeling like interruptions to the main story.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.