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The Academy

the new gripping novel from the author of The Perfect Couple

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The Academy

By: Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham
Narrated by: Erin Bennett
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About this listen

 'Discovering the secret world of American boarding schools for both teaching staff and pupils was endlessly entertaining. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the sequel!' JILL MANSELL

NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Secrets, rumours, and dangerous liaisons - at an elite New England boarding school, they come with the territory.

It's move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It's a seventeen-spot jump - was there a typo? The dorms are dingy, the sports teams always come last and Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. But the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by a New York chef. And they do have lots of fun . . .

But as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, scandalous bulletins begin to appear on phones across campus, thanks to a new app called Zip Zap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, queen bee and international influencer, to Simone Bergeron, the young new history teacher; to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, it seems everyone has something to hide.

As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin's students and staff are changed forever.

Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of The Perfect Couple, teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to deliver a fresh and buzzy look behind ivy-covered walls.

'The perfect back-to-school read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review
'Pure nostalgia' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review
'Prep meets Dead Poets' Society' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review©2025 Elin Hilderbrand Family Life Genre Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Student

Critic Reviews

The Academy has all of Hilderbrand's breezy storytelling, roving points of view, and effortless characterization that her readers love. It adds up to a panoramic view of nine months in the life of a New England prep school, on which her co-author, daughter Cunningham, offers personal expertise. Addictive, dishy fun, with enough loose ends to suggest a sequel might be in the works. . . Hilderbrand's first post-Nantucket novel, written with her daughter, will draw in her legions of readers
The authors employ catchy narrative devices, such as the gossipy collective voice of a clique of Tiffin girls and SAT-word-riddled posts from Davi, and they give the main characters plenty of depth. Readers are in for a treat
Delicious. . . A boarding-school fantasia, with Hilderbrand's signature upgrades to the cuisine and decor. Sign us up for next term
A juicy mix of scandal and coming-of-age moments. Fans of Hilderbrand's signature ensemble dramas and readers who enjoy stories about secrets in privileged worlds will likely appreciate this buzzy take on boarding-school life
The beach-read queen has teamed up with her daughter for this fun tale about a drama-filled year at a New England boarding school
Welcome to The Academy, a captivating light-academia novel . . . Prepare to be intrigued by secluded campus life, attain fly-on-the-wall access to the administration's inner workings and learn the social hierarchy. The impact of secrets-both kept and exposed-shapes the lives of nearly every character
The book has plenty of scandal-a secret bar, messy faculty entanglements, a viral app-but it never loses its heart. It's as much about grief and friendship as it is about privilege and power . . . And despite the drama, there's a current of warmth and sly humor that makes the story irresistible . . . The writing is crisp and immersive, the stakes feel real and the characters stick with you long after the book has ended
A wonderfully salacious and fun world...It will engage and delight readers who want a side of scandal with their school tales . . . Reading The Academy is time well-spent
Praise for Elin Hilderbrand: I just LOVE her books, they are such compulsive reads
Deliciously escapist
Discovering the secret world of American boarding schools for both teaching staff and pupils was endlessly entertaining. I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to read the sequel!
All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed this and the way the characters interacted. I was a bit shocked at some of the goings on, and what students and staff got up to. There were various "political" moves that characters made of course with their own reasons. I do look forward to the next book and meeting the crew as they hit the sixth form. I guess there will be as much gossip and carry on as in this year. I want to see where Charlie ends up after another year.Although Charlie is not the only one. And then who will replace the staff that have been let go.
Erin Bennett was able to keep all the characters differentiated and she made the book all the more enjoyable.

Very engaging

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If you're under 18 you may like this. I normally like Elin Hilderbrand's books but this one, although it had the same formula as the others, was too YA for me. Boring plot about a bunch of spoiled brats.

Didn't realise it was YA fiction

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