Review of For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

For Your Own Good, published in 2021, is a novel about revenge.  However, it’s much more than just a revenge story.

Belmont Academy is a private high school somewhere in New England.  Belmont’s last headmaster killed himself before the novel begins, but more deaths follow during the story.

Teddy, who teaches literature at Belmont, has just become teacher of the year.  Teddy hates most of his students because he thinks they’re smug little bastards.  In particular, he hates Zach.  Teddy doesn’t think Zach is a good person, so he will never give Zach an A on any assignment no matter how well Zach does.  Zach doesn’t really care.  However, Zach’s parents, who basically control his every move, do, and their inevitable interference only causes Zach more trouble.

Teddy’s students hate him as well.  Teddy’s wife recently left him, and unbeknownst to him, a previous student named Fallon was the cause.  After an overly-involved parent and an overly-cheerful teacher are poisoned and die, Fallon returns to Belmont to replace the dead teacher.  It wasn’t enough that Fallon ruined Teddy’s marriage.  She also wants to get him fired.

Then there’s Frank, who teaches math at Belmont.  Frank is both guilt-ridden and pious.  When Belmont’s new headmaster becomes the third victim to die by poisoning, Frank leaves teaching to become an ordained minister.

Each of these four people – Teddy, Zach, Fallon, and Frank – use revenge in different ways.  Teddy’s episodes of revenge are sometimes for stress relief and sometimes to help his students.  Zach seeks understanding, and revenge is an impulsive by-product.  Fallon wants power, and revenge is one tool she uses to get it.  And Frank’s revenge is steeped in righteousness.