Review By: Stephanie Kenific
School: Solvay High School
Published: 2025
Genres: Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Young Adult
Audience: Grades 11–12, New Adult
Number of Stars: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Goodreads Link: The Scammer
Content Warnings: Drinking, violence, sexual content, psychological manipulation, and mentions of incarceration.
Publisher’s Summary
New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.
Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends? Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.
Review
Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller. The story follows Jordyn, a freshman pre-law student at an HBCU in Washington D.C., whose newfound independence is quickly overshadowed by a sinister presence. When her roommate’s brother, Devonte, moves into their dorm after being released from prison, the dynamic shifts from typical college excitement to a claustrophobic nightmare.
Devonte is a master manipulator; he is older, intelligent, and charms the students under the guise of being a mentor. Jordyn’s intuition tells her something is wrong, and her fears are confirmed when a roommate disappears. The novel expertly explores the “scam”—not just a financial one, but the psychological scam of a predator infiltrating a safe space. To solve the mystery, Jordyn has to form an unlikely alliance with the university’s only white student, navigating a web of lies that threatens her future and her safety.
As with Jackson’s previous works, the suspense is high and the social commentary is sharp. The setting of a prestigious HBCU provides a rich backdrop for themes of community, systemic issues, and the pressures of Black excellence. While the plot is “edgy” and contains mature themes like drinking and violence, it is a gripping page-turner that will resonate deeply with older teens preparing for the transition to “New Adult” life.
🧠 The Anatomy of a Psychological Thriller
The “Scammer” in this novel uses specific tactics to gain control over Jordyn and her roommates. Understanding these can help students identify red flags in real-world relationships.
- The “Foot in the Door” Technique: Devonte starts with a small ask (a place to stay) before escalating his control.
- The Mentor Persona: He uses “helpful” advice to establish a power imbalance, making the students feel dependent on his approval.
- Isolation: By moving into their private dorm space, he physically and socially isolates the girls from their support networks.
🏛️ Curricular Connection: The HBCU Experience
This book serves as a great jumping-off point for discussing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs):
- History: Discuss why these institutions were founded and their role in producing leaders in law (like Jordyn’s pre-law track).
- Social Dynamics: Explore the concept of the “safe space” and how the violation of that space by an outsider creates the central tension of the book.
- Media Literacy: Analyze “ripped-from-the-headlines” storytelling. How does Jackson take real-world news and turn it into a cautionary tale?
