Oxford Blood coming January 13th, 2026 from Wednesday Books; 320 pages
Content Warning: Death, foul language, racism, sexual assault
About the Author: “Rachael Davis is a mixed-raced Black-British children’s author and book reviewer, who loves the magic of getting lost in a good book. She writes for children of all ages, both fiction and non-fiction, and is passionate about showcasing diversity, mental wellness and the links between science and art. Growing up in a low-income single-parent family, Rachael studied Mathematics at Oxford University before doing a masters in English Literature at Surrey University. Her debut picture book, I am NOT a Prince (Hachette, January 2022), is a twisted fairy tale, illustrated by Beatrix Hatcher. Rachael was a judge for the inaugural Jericho Prize for Black-British children’s writers. She lives with her two young daughters in Hampshire” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Rachael Davis-Featherstone on the following platforms:
Eva Dawkins has just arrived at Beecham College in Oxford for her English Literature interview—the opportunity her late mother never had after choosing to prioritize Eva instead. Her best friend and biggest supporter, George, has also made it, and for the first time they can finally imagine reaching the finish line together. They barely have a moment to settle in before interview week begins, so a late-night party seems like the perfect way to get acquainted with other interviewees. But the next morning, George is dead, and Eva is left suspicious when everyone acts as if it’s just another day at Beecham. Growing up with a father who’s a high-ranking detective, Eva has seen firsthand how questions can linger in the air, never fully resolved. As secrets tighten around Beecham’s corridors, Eva begins to realize just how far people will go to protect their futures and themselves.
I was looking forward to reading this and was not disappointed! I wanted to enjoy the story instead of rushing to find out who the murderer was, but it was so hard to put down. Eva is a really strong character, and Davis-Featherstone does a great job showing both the good and bad sides of Beecham’s new inclusivity plan (access scheme) from Eva’s perspective. The access scheme was created to give students from underrepresented backgrounds a chance to get into Beecham college, but certain characters in the book show how it can also cause stress and setbacks. The “Equity over Inclusivity” idea that Eva brought up to Professor Bernard also made me reflect, as it made me wonder what fairness truly means and, if it were me, how I would give everyone an equal chance. Even though George isn’t in the story for very long, he became one of my favorite characters right off the bat. At first it was frustrating that he lied about his background, but as the book went on, it made sense why he felt he had to keep such a big secret. The twists were amazing and so well put together that towards the end I even felt some sympathy for the murderer, and the fact that the notes they left for the victims were in Ancient Greek made the whole mystery feel even more connected to Beecham’s English and Classics culture. Oxford Blood is the perfect blend of dark academia and mystery, and is definitely a book I will be recommending for a very long time.
Oxford Blood releases on January 13th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Keonte Emerson, Pine Reads Review Writer, Editor, and Social Media Manager