History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook Narrator: Jasmin Walker
Series: Daphne Ouverture #1
Published by Recorded Books on July 1, 2025
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Contemporary Mystery
Length: 10 hrs 27 mins
Pages: 384
Format: Audiobook
Purchase at Bookshop.org or Audible
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A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague's murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.
As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.
The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get.
Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.
This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.
I am torn about History Lessons; some things I loved, a lot I didn’t. Our main character is history professor, Daphne Ouverture, who is trying to solve the murder of another professor, Sam Taylor. Sam’s text to her the night of his death was strange, as is the fact that one of her books is missing. It all must be connected to his death and she needs to find out how.
I want to love Daphne. She’s smart and tough and I appreciated her thoughts on race and feminism and society. I didn’t like the way she instantly smitten with Rowan, the police consultant/bookstore owner. I didn’t like how unsure she seemed of herself in the beginning, especially after we meet her family and see how she deals with some situations later on in the book.
I love the language in the book and the literary and historical references. You could make a whole reading list based on this one. I liked the glimpse into faculty life and academic politics.
The mystery was engrossing, with well-placed clues and plenty of suspects. It also felt like the author had to great ideas and just had to combine them both. I do wish it the blurb had been written differently. This one deals with some heavy topics and was not as light-hearted as I expected going in. I actually almost DNFed it. It turned out I’m glad I didn’t, even if I wasn’t thrilled with the case’s wrap-up. Hopefully, the next one will be a bit more enjoyable, both because I assume it will deal with a different topic and I’ll know more what to expect.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did a great job bringing Daphne to life. The personalities she brought to the characters was great and took a bit of the dark edge off.
About Zoe B. Wallbrook
Zoe B. Wallbrook is a writer of witty, charming, and occasionally snarky mysteries with characters you want to root for. In 2019, author Elizabeth Little selected History Lessons for the prestigious mentoring program Pitch Wars. In 2021, Wallbrook was named a runner-up for the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award. Her Daphne Ouverture mystery series debuts with Soho Press in 2025. When she’s not writing, she’s trying and failing to memorize Beyoncé choreography, cooking some kind of spicy curry, or watching old episodes of Parks and Rec or RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges: