What Boys Learn
What Boys Learn
What Boys Learn
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Description
Description
A twisty, jaw-dropping psychological thriller that unravels a mother's worst nightmare--that her child is capable of terrible violence--when her teenage son becomes a suspect in the murder of two classmates, from the author of The Deepest Lake. "Timely and terrifyingly real, What Boys Learn is not to be missed."--Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of It's Not Her Over one terrible weekend, two teenage girls are found dead in a wealthy Chicago suburb. As the community mourns, Abby Rosso, the girls' high school counselor, begins to suspect that her son was secretly involved in their lives--and possibly, their deaths. Abby doesn't want to believe Benjamin hurt anyone. But she's seen the warning signs before. Two decades ago, her brother was imprisoned for a disturbing crime--he was only a little older than Benjamin is now. And Abby has more troubling memories from her own adolescence that confirm what boys and men are capable of. As Abby searches for the truth about what happened to her students, she's forced to face the question: Has she been making excuses for Benjamin for years? Swirling with sharp questions about family and masculinity, What Boys Learn unravels a mother's worst fears.
About the Author
About the Author
Andromeda Romano-Lax is the author of six novels translated into eleven languages, including The Spanish Bow, a New York Times Editors' Choice; Annie and the Wolves, selected by Booklist as a Top Ten Historical Novel of the Year; and The Deepest Lake, a Barnes & Noble Monthly Pick. Her novels reflect her interest in topics as varied as art acquisition during the Nazi era (The Detour), psychological scandals of the 1920s (Behave), and artificial intelligence and the future of eldercare (Plum Rains). Born in Chicago, she lived in Alaska (where she co-founded 49 Writers), Taiwan, and Mexico before settling on a small island in British Columbia, Canada.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
Praise for What Boys Learn
"Admirably nuanced... Its worthy themes (generational trauma, criminal psychopathy, toxic masculinity, the uses and abuses of therapy) are tucked inside a plot that initially seems sleepy but then roars into gear."
--The New York Times
"An urgent and uncompromising take on parenting in the age of the manosphere."
--CrimeReads "A propulsive, horrifying psychological thriller rife with ambivalence, suspense, and maternal guilt."
--The BC Review "Timely and terrifyingly real, What Boys Learn is not to be missed. Andromeda Romano-Lax has created an emotional, page-turning mystery that's both chilling and thought-provoking; it will keep you reading late into the night."
--Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She's Not Sorry "What Boys Learn is wholly original, addictively suspenseful, and beautifully written. Both an exploration of a mother's unconditional love for her only son and a blazing critique of toxic masculinity, this thriller is nothing short of spellbinding from beginning to end."
--Caitlin Mullen, Edgar Award-winning author of Please See Us "At once tender and terrifying, Andromeda Romano-Lax has created a propulsive portrait of a mother and son locked together in an all too believable nightmare of doubt, generational damage, and inescapable love. Simply yet beautifully written, What Boys Learn is the sum of all parental fears."
--Peter Nichols, nationally bestselling author of The Rocks "A mother-sleuth out to protect her son begins to question if she's ignored signs that he's the one to fear. A zeitgeisty novel about unreliable memory, complicity, and the difficulty of parenting boys, What Boys Learn is the perfect thriller for our times."
--Donna Freitas, author of Her One Regret "Hypnotizing, terrifying, and so damn smart, What Boys Learn cements Andromeda Romano-Lax is an autobuy author for thriller readers. Just when you catch your breath, Romano-Lax pulls the rug again, delivering twist after twist, as a deeply likeable mother is pitted against a devil in disguise. What Boys Learn is an instant classic."
--Caitlin Wahrer, author of The Damage "Nothing can prepare readers for the running-against-the-clock action of the last few chapters, which, in retrospect, Romano-Lax has set up beautifully. A stunner."
--Booklist, Starred Review "Romano-Lax has spun another thriller not to be missed, with twists aplenty and enough questions about psychopathy and toxic masculinity to keep the chattiest of book clubs discussing long past meeting's end."
--Library Journal, Starred Review "Meticulous characterizations, thoughtful plotting, and unforeseen twists are only part of what make this novel so successful. As it explores the nature of unconditional mother-love and human psychopathy, Romano-Lax's book also offers a chillingly on-point portrait of masculinity at its most toxic and perverse."
--Kirkus Reviews "Romano-Lax delivers a tense, twist-riddled exploration of toxic masculinity, parental insecurity, and generational trauma. It's a thought-provoking suspense tale."
--Publishers Weekly "What Boys Learn is a powerful novel about family, mental health, a mother's love, masculinity and toxic masculinity, and forgiveness... Romano-Lax's writing is superb."
--Bookreporter "The psychological tension is masterfully sustained . . . What Boys Learn doesn't offer easy answers. It only asks uncomfortable questions about complicity, protection, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive."
--Crimespree Magazine "A fascinating spin on the difficulty of raising boys in a world where masculinity itself is in a state of flux."
--Crime Fiction Review
"Admirably nuanced... Its worthy themes (generational trauma, criminal psychopathy, toxic masculinity, the uses and abuses of therapy) are tucked inside a plot that initially seems sleepy but then roars into gear."
--The New York Times
"An urgent and uncompromising take on parenting in the age of the manosphere."
--CrimeReads "A propulsive, horrifying psychological thriller rife with ambivalence, suspense, and maternal guilt."
--The BC Review "Timely and terrifyingly real, What Boys Learn is not to be missed. Andromeda Romano-Lax has created an emotional, page-turning mystery that's both chilling and thought-provoking; it will keep you reading late into the night."
--Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of She's Not Sorry "What Boys Learn is wholly original, addictively suspenseful, and beautifully written. Both an exploration of a mother's unconditional love for her only son and a blazing critique of toxic masculinity, this thriller is nothing short of spellbinding from beginning to end."
--Caitlin Mullen, Edgar Award-winning author of Please See Us "At once tender and terrifying, Andromeda Romano-Lax has created a propulsive portrait of a mother and son locked together in an all too believable nightmare of doubt, generational damage, and inescapable love. Simply yet beautifully written, What Boys Learn is the sum of all parental fears."
--Peter Nichols, nationally bestselling author of The Rocks "A mother-sleuth out to protect her son begins to question if she's ignored signs that he's the one to fear. A zeitgeisty novel about unreliable memory, complicity, and the difficulty of parenting boys, What Boys Learn is the perfect thriller for our times."
--Donna Freitas, author of Her One Regret "Hypnotizing, terrifying, and so damn smart, What Boys Learn cements Andromeda Romano-Lax is an autobuy author for thriller readers. Just when you catch your breath, Romano-Lax pulls the rug again, delivering twist after twist, as a deeply likeable mother is pitted against a devil in disguise. What Boys Learn is an instant classic."
--Caitlin Wahrer, author of The Damage "Nothing can prepare readers for the running-against-the-clock action of the last few chapters, which, in retrospect, Romano-Lax has set up beautifully. A stunner."
--Booklist, Starred Review "Romano-Lax has spun another thriller not to be missed, with twists aplenty and enough questions about psychopathy and toxic masculinity to keep the chattiest of book clubs discussing long past meeting's end."
--Library Journal, Starred Review "Meticulous characterizations, thoughtful plotting, and unforeseen twists are only part of what make this novel so successful. As it explores the nature of unconditional mother-love and human psychopathy, Romano-Lax's book also offers a chillingly on-point portrait of masculinity at its most toxic and perverse."
--Kirkus Reviews "Romano-Lax delivers a tense, twist-riddled exploration of toxic masculinity, parental insecurity, and generational trauma. It's a thought-provoking suspense tale."
--Publishers Weekly "What Boys Learn is a powerful novel about family, mental health, a mother's love, masculinity and toxic masculinity, and forgiveness... Romano-Lax's writing is superb."
--Bookreporter "The psychological tension is masterfully sustained . . . What Boys Learn doesn't offer easy answers. It only asks uncomfortable questions about complicity, protection, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive."
--Crimespree Magazine "A fascinating spin on the difficulty of raising boys in a world where masculinity itself is in a state of flux."
--Crime Fiction Review
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
Soho Crime
Pub date:
2026-01-06
Length:
464 pages
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