The Latinist
A Novel
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4.0 • 45 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
An NPR Best Book of 2022
"Ingenious.…a superb literary suspense novel that calls to mind an earlier such debut, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History." —Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post
A contemporary reimagining of the Daphne and Apollo myth, The Latinist is a page-turning exploration of power, ambition, and the intertwining of love and obsession.
Tessa Templeton has thrived at Oxford University under the tutelage and praise of esteemed classics professor Christopher Eccles. And now, his support is the one thing she can rely on: her job search has yielded nothing, and her devotion to her work has just cost her her boyfriend, Ben. Yet shortly before her thesis defense, Tessa learns that Chris has sabotaged her career—and realizes their relationship is not at all what she believed.
Driven by what he mistakes as love for Tessa, Chris has ensured that no other institution will offer her a position, keeping her at Oxford with him. His tactics grow more invasive as he determines to prove he has her best interests at heart. Meanwhile, Tessa scrambles to undo the damage—and in the process makes a startling discovery about an obscure second-century Latin poet that could launch her into academic stardom, finally freeing her from Chris’s influence.
A contemporary reimagining of the Daphne and Apollo myth, The Latinist is a page-turning exploration of power, ambition, and the intertwining of love and obsession.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Mark Prins’ clever, slow-burn thriller puts an ancient battle of the sexes in a new light. Just as Tessa Templeton is closing in on her doctorate in classics at Oxford University, everything starts to go wrong. Her boyfriend breaks up with her, all the plum teaching jobs she’s applied for start going to her duller classmates—and she receives an anonymous email suggesting that her seemingly devoted mentor, Professor Eccles, is the one to blame for it all. Prins’ debut novel reimagines the myth of Daphne and Apollo and makes us root for the brilliant, determined Tessa as she deploys her considerable research skills to find the truth. You don’t need to know a thing about Greek mythology to enjoy The Latinist, although this story might make you want to learn more. Prins skillfully enlivens the gossipy world of academia with this exciting mystery.
Customer Reviews
The Latinist
I enjoyed it for the most part. At first I was put off by all Latin references, but as the plot evolved there was less of that.