English professor and writer, Connor Nye, has spent years in a fog following the tragic accidental deaths of his wife and son in a kayaking accident. He must publish a book in order to obtain tenure and keep his job but he simply can not get on the right side of his overwhelming grief.

When a student he is advising, Madeline, suddenly disappears and is presumed dead, Conner is left with her novel - an engrossing tale of friendship and murder. Conner makes the decision to edits and publish Madeline's book as his own work. Finally able to obtain tenure and a small bit of writer fame, Conner allows himself to relax and possibly begin to emerge from his life of grief. Until the book releases and Madeline returns!

The book tells a tale which too closely resembles a real life murder in their university town. Suddenly, Conner finds himself in the middle of his book plot, fighting for his reputation, his job and possibly his life because not only is Madeline back demanding the money made off the book which rightfully belongs to her, but the police are looking at Conner as a prime suspect for murder.

Told via multiple timelines and POVs. The truth is exposed through chapters from the past from Madeline’s POV and the present through the POV’s of Connor, Madeline and another writing student, Rebecca Knox who unknowingly finds herself drawn into this web of deceit, cover up and murder.

I enjoyed this book and felt for Conner. Underneath it all he was a good guy who just kept making bad decisions. Loved how grief was explored and how Bell uses that to fuel the plot. Kill All Your Darlings was smart and twisty and had a great message about the abuse of power in the collegiate setting.