Name: The Secret History
Rating: 4.6 (18 reviews)
Author: Donna Tartt

What’s in it for me? An unconventional murder mystery.

The Secret History is the story of a murder committed by a group of students at a New England college in the 1980s. That’s not a spoiler, by the way – we know most of those details from the first page.

Donna Tartt’s novel has been described as “a murder mystery in reverse.” The mystery is not “who” or “how” but “why.” Why would a group of students murder their friend?

The motives for the murder emerge gradually, as we learn about the group of friends and their complicated relationships with each other.

This novel is not just an unconventional murder mystery; it’s also a psychological study of friendship and power dynamics. What is it that binds these people together?

There’s also another element that makes this story so unique – the role of Greek tragedy.

The main characters in The Secret History are Classics students, who find inspiration in works like The Bacchae by Euripides – an ancient tale of murder and madness that still shocks today.

The Secret History is dark and disturbing. There are no conventional heroes here. But more than three decades after the novel’s publication, the characters are as fascinating as ever.

So, let’s meet these friends – although you may soon be thinking, “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” In this Blink, we’ll follow their story – as well as offer a series of brief analyses of the character dynamics at play.

By the way, if you’d like to listen to a short plot summary right away, you can also skip to the very last section.

The Classics class

The Secret History begins with a murder. The narrator, Richard Papen, reveals that years ago, he was involved in the death of a man named Bunny – a murder made to look like a hiking accident.

We don’t yet know who Bunny is, or why he was killed. But gradually, all will be revealed.

It began, Richard tells us, with the Classics class at Hampden College in Vermont.

Richard is an ordinary young man from California. When he arrives at Hampden College, he finds himself drawn to the small, somewhat eccentric group of students who are studying Classics.

They seem unapproachable, which only makes them more intriguing. Richard wants to be part of the class – and part of the world they inhabit.

This cliquey group consists of just five students.

First, there’s Francis – an elegantly dressed boy from a wealthy Catholic family.

Then there are Charles and Camilla – an ethereal-looking pair who Richard initially mistakes for boyfriend and girlfriend. They’re actually twins.

Next, there’s Henry. He looks serious, even expressionless. He’s rumored to be a genius.

And finally, there’s Bunny – a loud, cheerful boy who’s often joking around … and who we know will later end up dead.

The class is taught by a charismatic professor, Julian. Although Julian is initially reluctant to admit another student, Richard manages to join the class.

Julian’s lessons are captivating. In one particularly memorable Greek class, he leads a discussion on divine madness and the loss of the self.

These are ideas that fascinate us all, says Julian. There’s something terrifying yet beautiful about completely losing control – just like the worshippers of the wine god Dionysus in The Bacchae, the Greek tragedy by Euripides.

How wonderful, says Julian, to experience the ecstasy of pure being.

The students are left spellbound.

ANALYSIS

Apart from the hints about Bunny’s murder – which we’ll come back to in a moment – The Secret History seems almost conventional to begin with.

Here we have a classic coming-of-age story from the perspective of a fairly average young man, Richard.

He’s at an important stage of his life – starting college, forming his identity, finding his friends, and diving deeper into his interests. This is someone that most of us can probably relate to, even if we’ve never studied Greek.

And we can understand Richard’s fascination. Julian is a gifted teacher whose Greek classes are stimulating and thought-provoking.

When class discussions involve ideas about ritual madness and experiencing total freedom through the loss of self, well, it’s no wonder Richard walks out the classroom feeling dizzy and exhilarated. Tartt shows us just how exciting Greek literature can be, opening up new worlds and possibilities.

We also share Richard’s curiosity about his enigmatic new classmates. Like him, we want to know more about this strange, close-knit group, who dress eccentrically and seem to live separately from the rest of the college.

Who are these people? What are their relationships with one another? And what do they get up to outside of class?

In particular, we’re focused on Bunny and his relations with the rest of the group. We know that he’ll later be murdered by the people who seem to be his friends – but when, exactly? And most importantly, why?

There are still a lot of unanswered questions. And for now, Tartt keeps us guessing.

The bacchanal

Over alcohol-fueled evenings and lazy weekends in the country, Richard gradually becomes friends with the other Classics students.

Even as he gets to know the group better as individuals, he still sees them through rose-tinted glasses. His new friends seem so interesting, charming, and intelligent.

The murder

Bunny appears to be becoming increasingly unstable, suffering from mood swings and picking fights with everyone.

And around this time, another side of his personality emerges – a side which was always there, but which now becomes much clearer. Bunny is mean. Spiteful.

Final Summary

As a young man, Richard Papen goes to college in Vermont, New England, and studies Classics in a course led by a charismatic professor. Richard is intrigued by his enigmatic classmates, who gradually become his friends.

His friendship with the group is transformed when he discovers a shocking secret. Inspired by the Greek literature they’d been reading, four of the friends took part in a ritual that led to the accidental killing of a farmer.

Key ideas in The Secret History