Press & Media
Patrick O’Dowd’s debut novel A Campus on Fire has been featured in national and regional outlets, with early praise from critics, interviews, and book roundups. Explore reviews, features, and interviews below.
Library Journal (December 2024)
“O’Dowd’s debut is a stunner, with a devastating ending.”
— Library Journal
(Full review available here)
Writer’s Digest — Essay (May 3, 2025)
“It’s easy to say, ‘Write what you know.’ But often, I think the more important advice is: Write what unsettles you.”
— Patrick O’Dowd, in Writer’s Digest
Highlights from the essay:
Explains how unease, not a manifesto, was the spark behind A Campus on Fire
Argues that fiction should disturb, provoke, and avoid “cartoonish evil”
Reflects on sobriety as a foundation for honesty and self-examination in writing
Advises emerging writers: “If it scares you to write it, you’re probably on the right track.”
Emphasizes discomfort as a compass—where the most urgent fiction lives
New York Public Library — Dark Academia: New Campus Thrillers Make the Grade (August 13, 2025)
A Campus on Fire was featured on the NYPL blog as part of its roundup of new Dark Academia novels.
Highlights:
Recognized by NYPL in its curated list of campus thrillers
Featured alongside other contemporary works in the genre
Spotlights A Campus on Fire as a standout example of modern Dark Academia
San Francisco Book Review — April 2025
“A gripping, razor-sharp novel that captures the volatile collision of truth, power, and ideology in today’s polarized world… Timely, provocative, and unflinchingly bold.”
— San Francisco Book Review
Highlights from the review:
Praises the novel’s sharpness and urgency
Notes the suspenseful investigation into cult-like secrecy and a far-right student movement
Calls A Campus on Fire a “masterful exploration of institutional rot and the peril of seeking truth in a post-truth age.”
American Book Fest – 2025 American Fiction Awards
Finalist in Thriller: Political Category
A Campus on Fire was honored as a Finalist in the Thriller: Political category at the 2025 American Fiction Awards, part of American Book Fest’s 8th annual awards dedicated to literary excellence in genre fiction.
Highlights:
Honored by American Book Fest, which celebrates both mainstream and independently published fiction across a wide range of categories
Chosen from hundreds of submissions, highlighting the book’s strength in political suspense and narrative ambition
Recognized alongside other standout works across numerous genres
Novels Alive — 5-Star Review (April 30, 2025)
“The writing was sharp, the characters well-developed, and the dialogue was snappy… Dark and brooding A Campus on Fire highlights life in a prestigious university where not everything is as it seems.”
— Novels Alive
Highlights from the review:
Awarded a full 5-star rating
Praises the sharp writing, realistic dialogue, and strong character work
Notes the novel’s dark, brooding tone and campus setting
Union News Daily — Interview & Feature (April 20, 2025)
“My fingers couldn’t move fast enough.” — Patrick O’Dowd, on writing A Campus on Fire
Highlights from the feature:
Previewed his appearance at the Cranford Public Library author panel (April 30)
Shared how the idea for A Campus on Fire came to him while at Montclair State
Reflected on his Cranford roots, childhood trips to the library, and support from his teachers
Spoke about the role of his partner Cassie in encouraging his writing
Compared writing to cooking: both refined slowly until everything comes together
Hasty Book List — Author Interview (April 19, 2025)
Highlights from the interview:
Talks about Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley as a major influence
Describes his drafting process
Shares how sobriety helped him fully commit to writing
Reflects on childhood trips to the library with his mom as the spark for storytelling
Names Randy Newman as a favorite artist for his wit and satirical edge
Shelf Awareness — Reading With… Patrick O’Dowd (April 30, 2025)
Highlights from the feature:
Current reads: Daddy by Emma Cline and Before the Storm by Rick Perlstein
Favorite childhood book: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Top five authors: Ernest Hemingway, Hilary Mantel, Joan Didion, Patricia Highsmith, Kazuo Ishiguro
Life-changing book: Postwar by Tony Judt
Book he wishes he could read again for the first time: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Dream dinner companion: Tom Ripley (The Talented Mr. Ripley)
Fresh Fiction — Author Q&A (April 30, 2025)
Highlights from the interview:
Chose a university setting as a microcosm for exploring larger societal tensions
Describes Tess as ambitious, insecure, curious
Research included student uprisings and Greek mythology
Loves cooking—especially homemade cheeseburgers and buns from scratch—for Cassie and family
Calls Patricia Highsmith the author he most admires; cites The Road by Cormac McCarthy as life-changing
Favorite film: The Third Man, which he calls “perfection”
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb — Author Interview (April 30, 2025)
“At its heart, the novel isn’t just about how to deal with right-wing demagogues or cultish writing programs; it’s about power… what a person must give up, morally or personally, to reach their goals.”
— Patrick O’Dowd, in interview with Deborah Kalb
Highlights from the Q&A:
Talks about the inspiration behind A Campus on Fire (January 6 and experiences at Montclair State University)
Shares how Tess Azar “came alive from the start” as a character
Reflects on power as the central theme of the novel—who has it, who wants it, and the costs of keeping it
Discusses outlining as a “roadmap” while still leaving room for discovery
Reveals details on upcoming projects: a haunted house satire, a Heart of Darkness reimagining, and a historical novel about the early Church
Book Junkie Reviews — 5-Star Review (May 25, 2025)
“The characters are provocative and well-developed… fact and fiction become blurred with intense and divided ideologies… This is a provocative and complex story that will surprise you in the end.”
— Book Junkie Reviews
Highlights from the review:
Awarded a 5-star rating by guest reviewer Frannie
Praises the sharp dialogue and well-developed, provocative characters
Notes how the novel mirrors national power struggles through clashing student groups
Calls A Campus on Fire “a provocative and complex story” with a surprising conclusion
he Writer’s Blog (Evelyn Dortch) — Feature & Excerpt (May 13, 2025)
“A Campus on Fire is a timely and unsettling novel that exposes the fractures in academia, the complexities of ambition, and the murky line between truth and manipulation.”
— The Writer’s Blog
Highlights:
Full excerpt from Chapter 1 (“Tess Azar’s notes on Rose Dearborn”)
Lists pub details (Regal House Publishing; April 29, 2025; Literary Fiction / Campus Thriller)
Includes buy links and brief author bio
Wayne Public Library — Author Talk with Patrick O’Dowd (August 2025)
Video event featuring Patrick O’Dowd in conversation with Janette Pardo about A Campus on Fire, writing, and the creative process.
Highlights from interview:
Hosted virtually by the Wayne Public Library
Discussion of finishing a novel and navigating the publishing journey
Insights into the themes and characters of A Campus on Fire
Audience Q&A on writing craft and inspiration
Cranford Public Library — Local Author Panel (May 2025)
Video of a panel discussion at the Cranford Community Center featuring Patrick O’Dowd alongside authors Janelle Shiecke and Ben Chewey.
Highlights:
Hosted by Cranford Public Library at the Community Center
Panel discussion on writing, storytelling, and the creative process
Patrick O’Dowd spoke about A Campus on Fire and his path to publication
Interactive Q&A with local readers and aspiring writers
Additional Features
A Campus on Fire has also been featured in:
@BoneChillingBooks (92k followers), Thriller Roundup post — March 5, 2025
Brit + Co, April Books Roundup — March 28, 2025
New Jersey Stage, feature — April 4, 2025
Crime Cafe Newsletter, mention — April 17, 2025