Welcome to the final descent into the marshy madness of Hollow’s Row, where murder is foreplay, philosophy is foreplay, and—let’s be honest—everything is foreplay. Trisha Wolfe’s Lovely Wicked Things, the third and final installment in her Hollow’s Row trilogy, is a dark academia romance that reads like Edgar Allan Poe and Freud got drunk and decided to co-write a smutty murder mystery. And reader, it’s glorious.
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🕯️ Plot Summary: Marshes, Monsters, and Moral Mayhem
Set in the eerie, gothic town of Hollow’s Row, Lovely Wicked Things picks up with forensic psychologist Halen St. James and her morally ambiguous, deliciously unhinged lover Kallum navigating the fallout of their previous investigations. The Alchemist—a new villain with a flair for the theatrical and a penchant for philosophical riddles—has entered the scene, threatening not just the town but Halen’s already fragile grip on reality.
As the mystery deepens, so does the romance. Halen and Kallum’s relationship is a slow-burn inferno of obsession, trauma bonding, and intellectual foreplay. They’re not just solving crimes—they’re unraveling each other. The book is less “whodunit” and more “what will they do to each other next?”
“I’ve created a monster—but he’s my monster.” — Halen
“She was designed for me, the muse to the devil.” — Kallum
If you’re here for plot twists, Wolfe delivers them like a magician pulling knives from a top hat. The story spirals through psychological warfare, philosophical musings, and enough sexual tension to power a small city. It’s a fever dream of dark romance and murder mystery, and Wolfe never lets you wake up.
🖤 Character Summaries: Monsters in Love
🔥 Halen St. James
A forensic psychologist with a tragic past and a penchant for self-destruction. Halen is brilliant, broken, and beautifully written. She’s not your typical heroine—she’s morally gray, emotionally complex, and often her own worst enemy. Her internal monologue reads like a gothic poem dipped in blood and bourbon.
🖤 Kallum
The villain you’ll sell your soul for. Kallum is a former suspect turned obsessive protector, a man who would burn the world for Halen and then write her a love letter in the ashes. He’s philosophical, poetic, and terrifyingly devoted. Think Hannibal Lecter meets Heathcliff with a dash of Nietzsche.
“I’ve become a villain to protect her. Even from herself.” — Kallum
Their dynamic? Toxic, tantalizing, and totally addictive. They’re the kind of couple that makes you question your moral compass—and then throw it into the marsh.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
This book is not for the faint of heart. Wolfe dives deep into the dark, and she doesn’t come up for air. Here’s what to brace for:
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Graphic violence and murder
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Psychological trauma
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Obsession and emotional manipulation
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Sexual content with dark themes
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Discussions of mental illness
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Morally gray decisions (and characters who revel in them)
If you like your romance with a side of existential dread and your mysteries soaked in blood, you’re in the right place.
🧠 Tropes Galore
Wolfe knows her audience and she serves the tropes like a five-course meal at a haunted manor:
Trope Description: Dark Academia Marshes, murder, and moody monologues. Morally Gray Characters. Everyone’s a little bit evil. Some are a lot. Obsessive Love. “I’ll kill for you” is basically foreplay. Found Family (but make it twisted)Trauma bonding at its finest. Villain Romance. Kallum is the devil in a tailored coat. Slow BurnThe tension could cut glass. Philosophical Musings - Nietzsche would blush. Gothic Setting, Marshes, mansions, and murder scenes.
📚 Writing Style: Poetic, Pretentious, Perfect
Wolfe’s prose is lush, lyrical, and occasionally so purple it could join a royal court. But it works. The writing is immersive, dripping with atmosphere and emotion. You don’t read Lovely Wicked Things—you sink into it like a velvet coffin.
The dialogue is razor-sharp, especially between Halen and Kallum. Their banter is intellectual foreplay, full of philosophical references and emotional gut punches.
“When she looks into my eyes with recognition, I’m a man reborn, redeemed by her cleansing fire.” — Kallum
Is it dramatic? Absolutely. Is it over-the-top? Often. Is it addictive? Like dark chocolate laced with arsenic.
🎭 The Verdict: A Wickedly Satisfying Finale
Lovely Wicked Things is not a book—it’s an experience. It’s the literary equivalent of a haunted opera house: beautiful, tragic, and echoing with screams. Wolfe wraps up the Hollow’s Row trilogy with a finale that’s equal parts heartache and catharsis.
It’s not perfect. Some readers found the pacing slower than the previous books, and the philosophical tangents might lose those looking for a straightforward thriller. But for fans of dark romance, twisted mysteries, and characters who bleed poetry, this book is a masterpiece.
🤔 Final Thoughts: Should You Read It?
If you’re the kind of reader who:
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Thinks murder mysteries should come with kissing
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Wants your romance morally questionable and emotionally devastating
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Enjoys philosophical rabbit holes and poetic prose
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Has a soft spot for villains with tragic backstories
Then yes. Read it. Devour it. Let it ruin you a little.
If you prefer lighthearted love stories and clear moral boundaries… maybe go pet a puppy instead.
🧵 Bonus: What to Read Next
If Lovely Wicked Things left you emotionally wrecked and craving more, try:
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Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton (for more stalker romance)
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The Mindfck Series* by S.T. Abby (serial killer meets FBI agent)
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The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake (dark academia with magic and betrayal)
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