Madam by Phoebe Wynne

There's a phrase - too good to be true, and usually, it turns out to be the case. This is quite a fitting phrase for Rose, who gets offered a job teaching the Classics in Scotland at an elite girl's school where they only turn out the best. She's torn at the start of the book on whether to take it, the flashy brochure not sitting comfortably with her own background but with her mother in care and spiralling costs, it seems a good move.

Although Rose is welcomed, she very quickly finds herself out of her depth and in particular, one student forms an unhealthy attachment to her that lead to dire consequences for all involved. As Rose becomes more and more ensconced within the school, we discover that all is not as it seems. Although I could see where things were leading, the reveal is still shocking and disturbing, in my opinion. Rose forms a closer relationship with three of her students and realises she has to help them escape their future. She, too, wishes to do the same, yet the school has made it clear that the consequences won't be good if she tries to leave.

I'll say no more, other than I thought this was a great read. I loved the slow build of how Rose forms some alliances within the school only to find they are not all as trustworthy as she believed. I also liked the way the author drops in some elements of Greek and Roman history and mythology which give an authentic feel to the book as well as being an analogy to the happenings in the school. 

This is a debut novel by Phoebe Wynne but I'd love to read more of her work as she did a great job of building the tension in the novel, she created a marvellous gothic setting for the school and she gave us a main character to really get behind and who you definitely want to win the day.