Smart Suspense

Gentlemen & Players, by Joanne Harris, is a look inside a private boys' school in England that will keep you guessing and gasping until the last page is turned. Harris is an expert at leading the reader along a path that can take sudden sharp turns. Nothing is quite as it seems in the world of St. Oswald's. The cast of characters that Harris has created are fully drawn and full-dimensional. Even if the world of British boys or private schools is not familiar to you, the author's descriptive skills will make you feel as if you're sitting in Mr. Staightley's classroom witnessing the story unfold. The novel was also recently nominated for the 2007 Edgar Allan Poe Award as Best Novel.