The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies

A September 2026 Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Book Pick

An irresistible debut–set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University–that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives.

He’s brooding. She’s brilliant. Together they’re Oxford’s secret weapon.

Oxford, England, 1951: The Honorable Ginevra Bishop likes red lipstick, clever retorts, and earning top marks in her tutorials. She’s following her mother’s footsteps by studying at Oxford, eager to prove she’s more than a debutante.

Sidney Braithwaite likes brooding, Latin, and ignoring his nightmares. He’s determined to forge a new life for himself at Oxford, far from his childhood mining village and free from memories of the war.

Though Gin and Sidney have little in common, the British Security Service is keen to unite her charm with his espionage experience: there’s a Soviet spy at the university, and the agent tracking them down was poisoned. MI5 wants Gin and Sidney to pick up the trail and identify the informant before more sensitive information is compromised. As a team, the pair of undergraduates clash in personality, upbringing, and taste––but have a connection neither can deny. Gin and Sidney must unite their respective talents to follow the clues before they’re caught in the traitor’s crosshairs…if the sparks flying between them don’t blow up the operation first.