The silver spot for the best books of 2025 goes to a book in one of my favorite genres, dark academia. It goes to For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing.

What is it about? Teddy is an English teacher at a prestigious school where the standards are high but Teddy’s are impossible to meet. He doesn’t like many of his students but in particular he can’t stand Zach. But Teddy can’t deal with him right now. After a student’s mother dies during a school function it’s all hands on deck in trying to catch the killer. But Teddy isn’t the type to sit idly by. He has his own plan. Unfortunately for him, so does Zach in this game of cat and mouse.

Why did I love it? I love a good game of cat and mouse and For Your Own Good is a highly elaborate take on it. The narrative perspectives switches back not just between Teddy and Zach but with some other supporting characters as well, creating a tangled mess that the reader tries to unravel before the next body appears. I loved that there was endless possibilities to who could be responsible for what crime and the messiness of everyone involved is nothing but a good time. If you love the dark academia genre or just want a good mystery to sink your teeth into, this would be the book for you.