Wretched Young Things (Paperback or Softback)

Oxford, 1947. When first-year students Jules and Geoffrey meet during a wine-soaked evening, their worlds collide. Charismatic but elusive, Geoffrey has everything he could wish for except love. Jules meanwhile is reckless and blunt, defiant of the elitism that surrounds him. What they share is a passion for literature, a contempt for convention, and a growing infatuation with each other.

Tasked with maintaining century-old family connections, Geoffrey joins the unscrupulous Clarendon Club. The club's members are willing to wreck innocent lives to protect their own privilege, and Geoffrey must align with their values or expose his parents to financial ruin. Yet one of the Clarendonians bears a fierce resentment towards Jules. As Jules and Geoffrey's relationship deepens beyond academic rivalry, it becomes a secret threatening to derail their futures-and soon they have another, far more grisly, secret to conceal.

Saga Hillbom is the author of several historical novels, including Princess of Thorns (2021). She holds a BA History from the University of Oxford and currently works at the Bodleian Library.