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On a beautiful spring day, six college students with nothing in common besides a desperate inability to pay for school gather to compete for the prestigious Hyde Fellowship.
Milo—The front-runner
Natalia—The brain
James—The rule follower
Sydney—The athlete
Duffy—The cowboy
Emily—The social justice warrior
The six of them must surrender their devices when they enter Hyde House, an aging Victorian structure that sits in a secluded part of campus.
Once inside, the doors lock behind them. The students are not allowed to leave until they spend eight hours with a college administrator who will do almost anything to keep the school afloat, and Nicholas Hyde, the privileged and notoriously irresponsible heir to the Hyde family fortune. If the students leave before time is up, they’ll be immediately disqualified.
But when one of the six finalists drops dead, the other students fear they’re being picked off one by one. With a violent protest raging outside, and no way to escape, the survivors viciously turn on each other.
The Finalists is a chilling and profound look at the lengths both students and colleges will go to survive in a resource-starved academic world.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 5, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593592335
- File size: 255315 KB
- Duration: 08:51:54
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 2, 2022
In this lackluster mash-up of Clue and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None from Bell (Kill All Your Darlings), six students compete for a lucrative scholarship at Kentucky’s small, family-funded Hyde College. They must relinquish all electronic devices before being sequestered for one day in a remote, decaying building on campus. From nine to four, overseen by obsequious Troy Gaines, the college’s “vice president for institutional development,” and irascible Nicholas Hyde, a descendant of the college’s 19th-century founder, the six candidates expect to take a written exam followed by interviews judged on “comportment, presentation, and communication.” Early on, one of the front-runners appears to have been poisoned by the welcoming tea and biscuits. When another in the group convulses and dies, the survivors point fingers and plan their escape, though they’re thwarted by shatter-resistant windows that have been nailed shut. Meanwhile, unruly environmental protestors outside the building threaten the safety of the frightened, dwindling band. Bland, unsympathetic characters match the ludicrous plot, which thickens when combustible materials in the basement foreshadow an obvious over-the-top incendiary conclusion. Bell has done better. Agent: Laney Katz Becker, Massie & McQuilkin. -
Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins employs a resolute approach and elicits nail-biting anxiety as this locked-room mystery unfolds during an evaluation for a college scholarship. Hopkins portrays the students, a school administrator, and a wealthy donor with definition and colorful, specific personas. The financial pressure the students and faculty are under is tremendous, with success for the school's future and the students in the balance. Bell explores issues like racism, ageism, and sexism among the six students, the administrator, and the representative of the college's founder. Hopkins's pauses, emphasis, and inflections build tension as the usually routine written and oral exams take on unexpected intrigue. THE FINALIST explores relevant and heartbreaking issues involving opportunity and the high cost of higher education. R.O. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine -
June 10, 2024
The Hyde Fellowship is a prestigious college scholarship that not only promises to pay for your future education and guarantee employment but eliminates past student loans as well. Six ambitious students gather to compete for the award, locked in the historic Hyde House until "the process" can be completed. What they thought would be a day of testing and interviews takes a sinister turn when people begin dying under suspicious circumstances. Has the Hyde family's sordid past caught up with them, or has someone decided that the scholarship is worth killing for? Bell (Kill All Your Darlings; The Request) offers a chilling thriller with twists that will keep readers guessing. Short chapters with cliffhanger endings propel the story forward at an ever-intensifying pace. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins's sedate timbre and unassuming tone belie the frantic emotions of those trapped in Hyde House. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking intricately plotted locked-room suspense with a diverse cast of characters, none of whom seem entirely trustworthy. Recommended for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Peter Swanson, and Heather Gudenkauf.--Lauren Hackert
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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