It's back to school time, the first hints of fall are in the air, and our thoughts turn... darker.
Let's explore the world of dark academia. Take a stroll with us through the shadowy halls of ivy-covered institutions where knowledge comes with a price, friendships turn dangerous, and the pursuit of truth can lead to deadly consequences.
What is the dark academia book genre?
First, what exactly is "dark academia"? While there's no official definition, there's a definite vibe to dark academia, with elements including:
- Boarding school, college or university setting (the older and more elite, the better!)
- Dark themes, often including murder
- "Spooky" atmosphere - think dim lighting, old buildings with Gothic or Victorian architecture, antiques with a lot of patina, dark wood interiors, dense forests or overgrown gardens, etc.
- Interest in (or obsession with) the humanities: art, literature and poetry, theater, philosophy, etc.
- Characters with questionable moral values
- Often (but not always), fantasy or supernatural underpinnings
- Secret societies or other exclusive groups a plus
Dark academia book picks
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The book that arguably started the entire genre, Tartt's novel follows a group of classics students at an elite Vermont college whose pursuit of beauty and transcendence leads to murder. Told as a reverse mystery, it remains the definitive exploration of privilege, amorality, and the dangerous romance of classical education.
If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
Seven Shakespeare students at an elite arts conservatory blur the lines between stage and reality until their final year ends in tragedy and murder. Rio crafts a love letter to Shakespeare while exploring themes of performance, identity, and the toxic dynamics of artistic competition. The novel examines how deeply we can inhabit roles—both theatrical and social—and what happens when the boundaries between performance and reality dissolve entirely.
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
When her niece's friend is murdered at Cambridge, psychotherapist Mariana becomes obsessed with proving that the charismatic Greek tragedy professor Edward Fosca is behind the killing. Michaelides (author of The Silent Patient) weaves Greek mythology throughout this psychological thriller and delves deep into the psychology of manipulation within the hallowed halls of one of the world's most prestigious universities.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Galaxy "Alex" Stern is tasked with monitoring Yale's secret occult societies, wielding her ability to see ghosts in service of the mysterious Lethe House. When a girl is murdered and the Alex's mentor goes missing, Alex must navigate Yale's hidden world of ritual magic, ancient power, and deadly secrets. Be warned: this is the first adult novel from Bardugo, the author of the popular YA Grishaverse series, and it gets intense!
Madam by Phoebe Wynne
Set in a remote Scottish boarding school for girls, this gothic thriller follows Rose Christie, a new classics teacher who discovers the school's sinister purpose. Wynne creates an atmospheric tale of feminist resistance against patriarchal control in a chilling setting.
They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
A deliciously dark and twisty thriller that follows Dr. Scarlett Clark, an English professor who moonlights as a killer targeting men who abuse women. Fargo (author of The Favorites) explores women's rage and vigilante justice against the backdrop of a prestigious university.
Bunny by Mona Awad
A wickedly surreal dive into the toxic world of an elite MFA program, where Samantha finds herself drawn into the bizarre rituals of her classmate clique known as "the Bunnies." Awad crafts a fever dream of literary pretension, female friendship turned sinister, and the blurred lines between reality and artistic creation. A sequel, We Love You, Bunny is set to be published in September 2025.
Babel by R. F Kuang
Set in an alternate 1830s Oxford, this dark academic fantasy follows Robin Swift, a Cantonese boy brought to study at the Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Kuang brilliantly explores colonialism, language, and power through a magic system based on translation, creating a devastating critique of how knowledge and education can be weaponized. This is dark academia at its most politically conscious and intellectually rigorous.
The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw
A dark fantasy horror novella set in the library of The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted, the grimmest of magical schools. Alessa Li is trapped there with a group of her classmates, hiding out from the faculty's graduation day rampage. Khaw takes dark academia and then splatters gore all over it.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
After her mother's death, Bree enrolls in an early college program at UNC, where she discovers a secret magical society based on Arthurian legend. Deonn brilliantly reimagines the King Arthur mythos through a Black teen's perspective, addressing systemic racism while delivering fantasy adventure.
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever
Set in the 1970s, this psychological thriller follows two college students whose intense intellectual and sexual relationship spirals into obsession and violence. Nemerever crafts a devastating portrait of masculine toxicity, queer desire, and the way academic environments can nurture dangerous obsessions.
Noticadia by Keri Lake
A steamy dark academia Gothic romance set in a mysterious college off the coast of Maine that mixes a student-teacher relationship with a deadly virus and a haunted atmosphere. Lilia lost her mother to a mysterious disease. Four years later she is invited to attend the prestigious Noticadia Academy, where the enigmatic and brilliant "Doctor Death" teaches the midnight lab.
Discovery of witches by Deborah Harkness
Oxford historian Diana Bishop's quiet academic life is upended when she calls up an enchanted manuscript in the Bodleian Library, awakening her dormant magical powers and attracting the attention of vampires, witches, and daemons. Her forbidden romance with vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont unfolds against the scholarly backdrop of Oxford and Yale, blending historical research, supernatural politics, and academic intrigue.
Dark academia romance books
If you want some lust and love with your dark academia, consider these titles:
- Noticadia (steamy)
- Legendborn (primarily fantasy, but with a strong central romance)
- Discovery of Witches
Dark academia fantasy books
If you want to make sure your dark academia pick includes supernatural or magical elements, consider these titles:
- Ninth House
- Babel
- Legendborn
- The Library at Hellebore