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Extract: The Favourites by Layne Fargo

They Never Learn

Grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go

Will delight revenge aficionados everywhere

A fierce, feminist suspense… Spectacular and propulsive

Darkly hypnotic and intensely compulsive. This is a psychological thriller of the highest order, a story that seeps into your thoughts like blood through floorboards

Deliciously satisfying… The feminist revenge thriller we need and deserve

A gorgeously-written ragestorm of a thriller…will shock readers as much as it satisfies them

They Never Learn is deliciously dark, razor-sharp, and unapologetically wrong in all the right ways. Layne Fargo crafts a story that feels like sweet revenge and brutal justice all wrapped up in one delicious gulp. A must-read for anyone who believes in women’s wrongs as much as I do

Layne Fargo has a background in theatre, women’s studies and library science, so it’s only fitting that she now writes deliciously dramatic, unapologetically feminist stories for a living. She’s the author of psychological thrillers They Never Learn and Temper, as well as co-author on the bestselling Young Rich Widows series, and her work has been translated into over a dozen languages. Layne lives in Chicago with her partner, their pets and an ever-expanding collection of books she’s definitely going to read before she dies.

'Deliciously dark, razor-sharp, and unapologetically wrong in all the right ways' C.J. Skuse, author of SWEETPEA 
 
He wasn’t afraid of me. That was his first mistake. 
 
Read the cult word-of-mouth hit readers are obsessed with: 
 
‘Such an incredible read!’ 
‘Holy hell this book was fun!’ 
‘Included all the things I like in fiction…vigilantism/revenge, cold, calculating women, themes of obsession, queer desire’ 
‘Amazing twists!’ 
‘You guys NEED TO READ THIS!’ 
 
 
Scarlett Clark is an exceptional English professor and an even better serial killer. She’s made it her mission in life to track down predatory men on campus and kill them and she’s preparing for her biggest murder yet. 
 
Carly Schiller is just trying to survive her freshman year at college – keeping her head down and focussing on work. But when her roommate Allison is assaulted at a party Carly becomes obsessed with making the attacker pay. 
 
When police start investigating the spate of local deaths, Scarlett starts to realise it’s only a matter of time before her secret life is exposed and everything she’s built comes crashing down with it… 
 
‘Deliciously satisfying… The feminist revenge thriller we need and deserve’ Megan Collins 
 
‘A gorgeously-written ragestorm of a thriller…will shock readers as much as it satisfies them’ Wendy Heard 
 
‘Grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go’ Samantha Downing

Layne Fargo

Perfect if you’re a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six

Brilliant… will keep you guessing until its very last page

A delight - I was completely hooked

Heart-wrenching, epic and passionate

'The Favourites is a true literary triple axel- a smart and nuanced retelling of a classic, a tense sports drama, and a perfectly twisted romance.'

Rachel Hawkins, author of The Wife Upstairs

‘A glittery compulsive whirl of a book, filled with spite and love and sequins and ambition’

'An addictive read... as shimmering and lethal as ice-dancing itself.'

Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major

'If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they’re not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones And The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance, and will keep you guessing until its last page.'

Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of WISH YOU WERE HERE and MAD HONEY

‘A scorching saga of rivalry, betrayal and love’

Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater’s Daughter

‘As romantic as it is thrilling’

'As a former competitive figure skater, I devoured this... Layne Fargo proves she is the queen of writing complex, fierce and utterly compelling women'

'Layne Fargo is back with another deliciously scathing, sexy novel. You might not have known you needed Wuthering Heights on ice, but trust me, you do. Passionate, cutthroat, and irresistibly fun. You won’t be able to put it down.'

Julia Fine, author of MADDALENA AND THE DARK

'The Favourites is nothing short of breathtaking. The ferocious passion between Kat and Heath leaps off the page'

Margarita Montimore, author of The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart

An utterly compulsive read… Fargo’s experience as a thriller writer…is evident in the breathless pace at which The Favourites unfolds… The Favourites will be your next obsession

[A] perfectly achieved leap into the world of figure skating and the relationship between two of its stars

One of the most heart-wrenching, epic and passionate romances I’ve read in quite some time... I flew through it in a weekend because I couldn’t get enough of their once-in-a-lifetime chemistry, and I already wish I could read it again for the first time.

The Favourites masterfully weaves ambition and obsession into an epic, page-turning love story. Fargo combines compelling characters with dazzling prose to fully immerse readers into the glamorously cutthroat world of competitive skating. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down

Rufaro Faith Mazarura, author of Let the Games Begin

To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession. 
 
‘Perfect if you’re a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six’ Cosmopolitan 
‘Brilliant… will keep you guessing until its very last page’ Jodi Picoult 
'A delight - I was completely hooked' Sophie Cousens 
 
 
***** READERS ARE OBSESSED WITH THE FAVOURITES***** 
‘A true gold medal 5-star book’ 
‘Forever changed me’ 
‘Completely captivating’ 
‘Spectacular drama’ 
‘My book of 2025 – already’ 
‘Get ready to be obsessed’ 
 
The whole world was obsessed with Kat and Heath. 
 
Childhood sweethearts turned Olympic champions, they captivated fans with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style and rollercoaster relationship – on and off the ice. 
 
Until that fateful day. As the world watched, the unthinkable happened. 
 
Everyone saw it. 
 
Nobody knows the truth. 
 
But that’s about to change. 
 
Includes a bonus story told from Heath’s perspective, exclusive to this paperback edition

Layne Fargo

Praise for The Favourites

Perfect if you’re a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six

Brilliant… will keep you guessing until its very last page

A delight - I was completely hooked

Perfect if you’re a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six

Brilliant… will keep you guessing until its very last page

A delight - I was completely hooked

Perfect if you’re a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six

Brilliant… will keep you guessing until its very last page

A delight - I was completely hooked

Books by Layne Fargo

Articles featuring Layne Fargo

Extract: The Favourites by Layne Fargo

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