The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Rio, M. L. If We Were Villains. Flatiron Books, 2017.

Joseph Colbourne, a detective, convinces Oliver Marks, a prisoner, to finally tell his story. Oliver is around 30 years old. He has been in prison for a decade but is finally getting out.

Oliver’s story begins in 1997: his final year as a drama student at Dellecher Classical Conservatory. Oliver and his friends—Alexander, Wren, Richard, James, Filippa, and Meredith—sit in the Castle library and wonder who will receive what role in Dellecher’s production of Julius Caesar. Meredith and Richard, who are dating, say goodnight and head to their room. Oliver returns to the room he shares with James, where they continue to speculate and joke.

Oliver and his friends take turns auditioning in front of their instructors, Gwendolyn and Frederick. They grab drinks at their favorite bar afterwards, The Bore’s Head, before going skinny dipping.

The next day, Gwendolyn has them discuss their insecurities in class. The group is surprised to learn that Meredith fears her good looks mean that people don’t take her seriously. While in Frederick’s class, Oliver feels grateful to be a student. He attends the convocation assembly with his friends, where Dean Holinshend gives a speech on living boldly.

A week later, the group attends a combat class. Their instructor, Camilo, gives a lesson in play slapping. James accidentally hurts Oliver. The first rehearsal of Caesar goes poorly. Richard yells at his friends for not knowing their lines.

On Halloween, the friend group performs Macbeth. They were each assigned their roles in secret, so the precise casting is a surprise to everyone. At the after-party, Richard sulks because the lead went to James in Macbeth. Chicken fights start in the lake. Meredith asks Oliver to be her partner. After the first round, Richard steps in to order them to stop. When they refuse, he tries to pick a fight with Oliver. James steps in. Richard nearly drowns James.

In the present moment of the story, Filippa picks Oliver up from prison. She consistently visited him over the past decade. She brings him to Dellecher, where she now works and where Colborune is waiting for Oliver. She leaves the men alone together so Oliver can continue his story.

During a photoshoot for Caesar, Oliver spots James playing with a strand of Wren’s hair and wonders whether they are an item. After the dress rehearsal, Oliver notices James look upset. After some prodding, he gets James to confess that Richard has been hurting him on stage. James shows Oliver his bruises. James is convinced Richard is injuring him on purpose.

During another rehearsal, Richard throws Meredith onto some stairs, making her elbow bleed. He warns her not to make a scene. Gwendolyn yells at everyone to take a break before making Richard apologize. Wren shouts at Richard and warns him they will not put up with him for much longer. Meredith waits for Oliver in the dressing room and tries to seduce him, saying she is in need of a distraction. Oliver offends her by saying that she is not worth Richard’s wrath.

James warns Oliver not to get involved with Meredith during their morning jog. On opening night, Richard goes off-script and nearly chokes James on stage. At the after-party, Richard beats up a male student who was talking to Meredith. When Oliver goes to comfort Meredith, she kisses him. They have sex on their room. Richard bangs on their door, screaming that he will kill them. Later, Filippa interrupts them to hurry to the dock. The whole friend group is there, staring at Richard’s mutilated face as he floats in the water. They realize he is still alive when he raises a hand toward them.

Alexander argues that they should not save Richard. The group consents to this. That day, Detective Colbourne interrogates them. None of them speak out about Richard’s recently violent behavior.

At the memorial, Wren—who is Richard’s cousin—calls Richard a difficult person to like but an easy one to love. The group parts ways for the Thanksgiving break. Oliver’s parents tell him they can no longer fund his education because his sister needs rehab for her eating disorder. Dean Holinshend agrees to let Oliver stay on if he agrees to work as a janitor. James shows up unexpectedly. He and Oliver share a bed and wake up cuddling.

Back at school, Meredith and Oliver have difficulty defining what they are to each other. During auditions for Romeo and Juliet, Wren faints. At the performance of Romeo and Juliet, Oliver feels jealous watching Wren kiss James.

During Christmas break, Oliver leaves home to visit Meredith in New York City. They spend a blissful week together. At school, Oliver finds a torn piece of bloody fabric in the fireplace while cleaning. He quickly hides it when Colbourne enters. Colbourne asks him to inform him of anything unusual.

James receives the part of Lear in King Lear. He deliberately gives Oliver a bloody nose during rehearsal, angering the group. Oliver forgives James, who explains that he is hurting inside.

Alexander overdoses one afternoon. Oliver calls the ambulance, then has a panic attack. A few days later, Gwendolyn has James and Meredith—who notoriously hate each other—rehearse kissing in class. Oliver feels sick while he watches.

At the King Lear after-party, Oliver notices Meredith look upset. She disappears from the party shortly after. He finds James alone, drunk, reciting Shakespeare. He chases James around the Castle. James smashes a mirror. The next morning, Oliver finds something hidden in James’ bed while he cleans. It is a bloody boathook. Oliver hides the boathook along with the scrap of fabric in a locker of the drama building.

During the final performance of Lear, Oliver confronts James about murdering Richard. James explains how while Oliver was having sex with Meredith at the Macbeth after-party, Richard had thrown Wren across the lawn. Richard stormed off into the forest. James followed him. Richard started taunting him and was begging for a fight. Richard shoved him into the boathouse. Reminded of the time Richard nearly drowned him, James grabbed for the nearest weapon—the boathook—and hit Richard. He did so out of self-defense.

After the performance, Colbourne arrives, ready to arrest James. Someone—Meredith—tipped Colbourne off. Oliver steps in and takes the blame instead.

In the story's present moment, Oliver and Colbourne shake hands and part ways. Filippa informs Oliver that James drowned himself four years prior, which is why James stopped visiting Oliver in prison. The guilt was too much for him. Filippa drives Oliver to Meredith’s home in Chicago, then leaves them together. Meredith and Oliver spend the whole evening reminiscing. Oliver sobs when they discuss James. Oliver feels he is still in love with him.

Oliver moves in with Meredith. They enjoy a quiet existence together. One day, Filippa mails Oliver the letter James left for him. It contains a passage from Pericles describing a shipwreck. Oliver recalls James reciting it on the beach at the start of their senior year. Afraid to hope, Oliver looks up the details of James’ death on the Internet. James’ body was never found.