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Quick answer: If you loved If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio, try The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Likeness by Tana French, Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld and These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.
If We Were Villains begins in the present, as a man named Oliver Marks leaves prison after ten years and a detective asks him to finally tell what happened. The flashbacks take us to Dellecher Classical Conservatory, where seven fourth-year acting students live and breathe Shakespeare, quote him in conversation and play the same parts onstage and off. M.L. Rio’s debut is a tense, lyrical mystery that blends murder, theater and friendship, and it has become a favorite of readers who love Shakespeare, Donna Tartt and elite campus settings. The picks below share its theatrical drama, secrets and Shakespearean echoes. Most are adult fiction.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love If We Were Villains
Readers love If We Were Villains because the language feels alive. Rio weaves lines from Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet and other plays into everyday conversation, and the casting of each student in a recurring type, the hero, the villain, the tyrant, the ingenue, slowly shapes their real relationships. The friends are close and cruel, the pressure of the conservatory is relentless, and the mystery of who died and why unfolds over five acts. It’s atmospheric and sad, and many readers say it made them want to read or watch Shakespeare again.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about If We Were Villains: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Secret History | Donna Tartt | Literary thriller | The foundational dark academia novel |
| The Likeness | Tana French | Mystery | Tight friend groups |
| Hamnet | Maggie O’Farrell | Historical fiction | Shakespeare’s family life |
| Hag-Seed | Margaret Atwood | Literary fiction | Shakespeare retold |
| Prep | Curtis Sittenfeld | Literary fiction | Boarding school social dynamics |
| The Magicians | Lev Grossman | Fantasy | College and friendship |
| Special Topics in Calamity Physics | Marisha Pessl | Literary mystery | Clever, bookish narrator |
| Bunny | Mona Awad | Dark comedy | Strange cliques |
| Black Chalk | Christopher Yates | Thriller | Games that go wrong |
| The Maidens | Alex Michaelides | Thriller | Cambridge and classics |
| Ninth House | Leigh Bardugo | Dark fantasy | Secret societies |
| These Violent Delights | Chloe Gong | YA fantasy | Romeo and Juliet retold |
| The Raven Boys | Maggie Stiefvater | YA fantasy | Friend groups with secrets |
| Macbeth | Jo Nesbø | Crime fiction | Shakespeare as noir |
| Catherine House | Elisabeth Thomas | Gothic fiction | Mysterious schools |
1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A group of classics students at a small Vermont college commit a murder and then must live with it. It’s the book most often compared to Rio’s, with the same blend of beauty, obsession and doom.
2. The Likeness by Tana French
A detective goes undercover as a murdered woman who looks exactly like her and moves into a house with her friends. It’s slow, intense and full of loyalty and betrayal.
3. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
The story of Shakespeare’s wife Agnes and the death of their son, which inspired Hamlet. It’s lyrical and heartbreaking, and won the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
4. Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood
A theater director, cast out of his job, stages The Tempest with prisoners as a form of revenge. It’s clever, funny and full of theater lore.
5. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Lee Fiora, a scholarship student at a Massachusetts boarding school, navigates class, friendship and first love. It’s a sharply observed coming-of-age story.
6. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Quentin enters a secret magic college and finds that magic does not solve his problems. It’s a dark, witty take on school fantasy.
7. Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
A brilliant teen joins a clique at a new school, and a teacher’s death forces her to investigate. It’s full of literary references.
8. Bunny by Mona Awad
A lonely MFA student is drawn into a cult-like clique of women. It’s surreal, funny and strange.
9. Black Chalk by Christopher Yates
Six Oxford friends play a dangerous game that has lasting consequences. It’s suspenseful and tightly plotted.
10. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
A therapist investigates a murder tied to a charismatic professor and his group of students. It’s twisty and fast.
11. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A troubled girl is recruited by a Yale secret society that oversees occult rituals. It’s gritty and complex. Content note: assault.
12. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
In 1926 Shanghai, two rival gangs and a monster in the river form the backdrop to a star-crossed romance. It’s fast and romantic, and a good pick for younger readers.
13. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Blue joins four private-school boys searching for a sleeping Welsh king. It’s atmospheric and has a beloved friend group.
14. Macbeth by Jo Nesbø
A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s tragedy set in a crime-ridden 1970s town. It’s dark, violent and part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series.
15. Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
At an exclusive college where students are cut off from the world, a girl uncovers a strange secret. It’s eerie and slow.
How to Pick Your Next Read After If We Were Villains
- Want more dark academia? The Secret History and The Likeness.
- Want Shakespeare? Hamnet, Hag-Seed and These Violent Delights.
- Want a magical school? The Magicians and Ninth House.
- Want a quick thriller? The Maidens and Black Chalk.
- Want a young adult option? The Raven Boys and These Violent Delights.
- Reread the plays. Macbeth and Julius Caesar make the book richer.
Do You Need to Know Shakespeare to Read It?
No, but it helps. The book is structured like a play, in five acts with a prologue, and it quotes from several plays that are explained in context. You’ll enjoy it more if you know the plots of Macbeth, Julius Caesar and Hamlet, but a quick summary online is enough. Many readers say they went back and reread the plays after finishing the novel. If you want to go deeper, an annotated edition of Macbeth or a short guide to Shakespeare’s tragedies makes a good companion.
Shakespeare Retellings Worth Trying
Several modern novels reimagine Shakespeare’s stories, and they make good pairings with If We Were Villains. Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed retells The Tempest in a prison theater program. Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet imagines the family life that inspired Hamlet. Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights moves Romeo and Juliet to 1920s Shanghai. The Hogarth Shakespeare series also includes retellings by Jo Nesbø, Anne Tyler and others. Reading these side by side shows how flexible Shakespeare’s plots are.
Theatre Novels for Bookish Readers
Books set in the world of theater, including The Secret History’s Greek-flavored cousin, often share a sense of heightened emotion. Rehearsals blur into real life, rivalries play out in casting and a missed line can feel like a disaster. If you enjoy that world, look for novels about acting schools, ballet companies and repertory theaters, and for memoirs by actors and directors. Many local theaters also offer behind-the-scenes tours or reading groups where you can read a play aloud with others, which can be a fun way to experience what the characters live every day.
A Short Guide to the Five-Act Structure
If We Were Villains is divided into five acts, with a prologue and an epilogue, following the shape of a Shakespearean tragedy. The first act sets the scene and the characters, the second builds tension, the third is the turning point, the fourth shows the consequences, and the fifth brings the tragedy to a close. Knowing this structure can make the reading more rewarding, because you can spot where the book borrows from Shakespeare’s plays. If you enjoy this, you may want to watch a stage or film version of Macbeth or Julius Caesar afterward and compare the shape of the story.
Audiobook and Reading Tips
If We Were Villains is a good audiobook, because the Shakespeare quotations are easier to follow when spoken aloud, and many listeners say the narration adds to the sense of performance. If you read in print, keep a bookmark with the cast list handy, since the seven students and their stage roles can be hard to track at first. Reading the book slowly over a few weeks, one act at a time, is a satisfying way to enjoy it, and it makes it easier to talk about with friends.
Why Readers Return to Campus Mysteries
Novels set at schools, colleges and conservatories offer a perfect closed world: a limited cast, strict rules and high stakes. Everyone knows everyone, secrets spread quickly and a single event can change the whole group. This makes campus mysteries ideal for readers who like character-driven stories and tension without chases or gunfights. They also tap into nostalgia, since most readers remember the intensity of their own school friendships. If you want more, search for campus mysteries, boarding school thrillers and academic suspense, and add them to your list for the coming term.
Related: books like The Secret History and books like Babel by R.F. Kuang.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like If We Were Villains?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is the closest match, with The Likeness by Tana French close behind.
Do I need to know Shakespeare to read If We Were Villains?
No, but a basic knowledge of Macbeth and Julius Caesar helps. The book explains what you need.
Is If We Were Villains a mystery?
Yes, and a literary one. The structure is built around a decade-old death, and the main question is who and why.
Is there a sequel?
No. If We Were Villains is a standalone novel.
Is it appropriate for teens?
It’s an adult novel with violence, drinking, drug use and some sexual content, so it’s best for older teens and adults.