The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand
Elin Hilderbrand has built a devoted following with her summer novels set in Nantucket, books that explore family, romance and the delicate tensions beneath the surface of small-town life. Readers who enjoyed Summer of ‘69, The Identicals, or The Hotel Nantucket have come to expect her sharp observations, immersive settings and realistic characters who feel like neighbors or old friends.
With The Academy — co-written with Shelby Cunningham — Hilderbrand trades the island beaches for the snow-dusted quads of Tiffin Academy, an elite New England boarding school where privilege, ambition and secrets collide. The story begins in the aftermath of Cinnamon Peters’ shocking suicide and follows a school year full of drama for both students and faculty.
Secrets and Surprises in the Halls
Tiffin’s sudden jump from number nineteen to number two in the national boarding school rankings sets the tone for a year brimming with suspicion and scrutiny. The ranking, fueled by Cinnamon’s stellar tour guide work, attracts an official investigation even as students arrive buzzing with excitement and unease.
Charley Hicks, a late-admitted junior trying to escape family troubles, lands at Tiffin just in time to get swept up by Andrew “East” Eastman, the charismatic board president’s son. Together they create a secret speakeasy called Priorities in an abandoned bomb shelter beneath the dorms, bribing Chef Haz Flanders to keep it stocked with top-shelf cocktails.
Meanwhile, an anonymous gossip app called Zip Zap ignites campus chaos, spilling everything from Davi Banerjee’s struggle with bulimia to teacher Simone Bergeron’s too-close-for-comfort “extra help” sessions with East. Friendships fracture, betrayals sting, but more importantly, every hidden corner of Tiffin suddenly feels a little less safe.
Characters That Breathe and Evolve
Charley’s attentive voice anchors the book as she navigates Tiffin’s complicated social hierarchies, while Davi, Dub Austin, Taylor Wilson and the rest of the fifth form reveal their own cracks under pressure.
The adults are just as layered: Simone Bergeron loses her job over East, Honey Vandermeid quietly resigns after her relationship with Cordelia Spooner strains under scrutiny and Head of School Audre Robinson struggles to protect Tiffin’s reputation without losing sight of its students’ well-being. Even Chef Haz, with his mysterious willingness to help East, proves there’s more to the faculty than polished smiles and pep talks.
Drama, Heart and Humor
The book has plenty of scandal — a secret bar, messy faculty entanglements, a viral app — but it never loses its heart. It’s as much about grief and friendship as it is about privilege and power. Charley’s bond with Davi, East’s reckless charm and Dub’s quiet grief give the novel real emotional weight. And despite the drama, there’s a current of warmth and sly humor that makes the story irresistible.
A Captivating Narrative That Demands Attention
The rhythm of the school year gives the story its shape, with each season marking new revelations and shifting alliances. By Prize Day, relationships have changed, some characters have been forced out and Charley finally finds a place for herself, while East’s surprise appearance leaves their future uncertain.
The writing is crisp and immersive, the stakes feel real and the characters stick with you long after the book has ended.
Why The Academy Will Stay With You
Hilderbrand and Cunningham create a world that’s glamorous, dangerous and deeply human. Every character has something to hide, every choice matters and The Academy keeps circling back to one truth: “I think most of humankind would agree, the hard part of high school is the people.”
For longtime Hilderbrand readers, this is a refreshing new setting that still delivers her signature insight and warmth. For newcomers, it’s a smart, addictive novel you won’t want to put down.
About Elin Hilderbrand :
Elin Hilderbrand is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. The Academy is her thirty-first novel, and the first co-written with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham. Hilderbrand is the co-host of the podcast “Books, Beach and Beyond” along with @TimTalksBooks creator, Tim Ehrenberg. She is raising four young adult children and likes to spend her free time at the beach and on her Peloton. She’s a grateful ten-year breast cancer survivor.
