If We Were Villains

This is the one. If We Were Villains is M.L. Rio’s debut novel, a dark academia thriller about seven young actors at Dellecher Classical Conservatory who are so consumed by Shakespeare that the plays begin to bleed into their real lives, with fatal consequences.

Why Start Here

It is Rio’s breakout novel and the book that defined her voice. The story unfolds in two timelines: Oliver Marks has just been released from prison after ten years for a murder he may or may not have committed, and the detective who put him away wants the truth. The past timeline takes you inside the conservatory, where seven students live, breathe, and destroy each other through Shakespeare.

Rio’s command of Shakespeare is genuine and unforced. The quotations feel like a natural extension of how these characters think and speak, not literary decoration. The result is a novel that works as both a compelling murder mystery and a love letter to the transformative, dangerous power of theatre.

What to Expect

A fast-paced literary thriller with a strong ensemble cast. At 354 pages, it moves quickly. The Shakespeare references are accessible even if you are not familiar with the plays. The emotional core is the friendship between the seven actors, and the mounting tension as jealousy, ambition, and desire push them past the point of no return.