The Secret HistoryThe Secret History
Score Modern
What it's about
Richard Papen, a scholarship student from California, arrives at an elite Vermont college and talks his way into a tiny, exclusive class in ancient Greek, taught by a charismatic professor. His five new classmates are brilliant, rich and strange. On the first page, Richard tells us that they killed one of their own, and the novel is the story of how and why.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and has become a cult classic. It's a murder mystery in reverse, hypnotic and dark, about beauty, privilege and guilt.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's long, with heavy drinking and drug use, incest and violence. The characters are mostly unlikable, which is part of the spell.
By the numbers
- Readers70 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller73 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #45 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #299 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #595 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Donna Tartt
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Quick answers
Is The Secret History worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and has become a cult classic. It ranks #595 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Secret History about?
Richard Papen, a scholarship student from California, arrives at an elite Vermont college and talks his way into a tiny, exclusive class in ancient Greek, taught by a charismatic professor. His five new classmates are brilliant, rich and strange. On the first page, Richard tells us that they killed one of their own, and the novel is the story of how and why.
How long does it take to read The Secret History?
About 14 hours (578 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Secret History?
If you liked it, try The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, The Magus by John Fowles or Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.