5 Recommended Suspense Novels Set Within the World of Academia
From Creepy Boarding Schools to Sinister Universities and Beyond
What is it about dark academia that is just so appealing? I can never resist a suspense novel that draws on the world of academia, and if that sounds like your cup of tea, today’s reading list is for you! I was inspired to write this list after reading one of my most-anticipated suspense novels of 2021, THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides, which centers around a murder at Cambridge University. While we wait for the publication of THE MAIDENS in mid-June here in the US, I thought I would round up a few of my personal favorite (and currently-available!) suspense novels that each, in one way or another, dabble in the world of dark academia. From a story of Pretty Little Liars-level drama at a boarding school to a sinister tale of two academics whose work together takes a dangerous turn, this reading list rounds up a few of my personal favorite and most-recommended suspense and mystery novels that incorporate elements of dark academia. As an added bonus, at the end of this blog post I’ve also highlighted three Summer 2021 suspense novels that also put their own unique spins on the world of academic mysteries. Happy reading!
This blog post contains affiliate links. Crime by the Book may earn a small commission for items ordered through these links.
GOOD GIRLS LIE by JT Ellison
Boarding School Setting | Drama & Secrets | Popcorn Thriller
If boarding school mysteries and “popcorn thriller”-entertainment value sounds like your cup of tea, look no further than J.T. Ellison’s deliciously clever and creepy psychological thriller GOOD GIRLS LIE. Set against the backdrop of The Goode School, an elite all-girls boarding school dedicated to educating the daughters of some of the most powerful families around the world, GOOD GIRLS LIE draws readers into a tale of secrets, manipulation, and murder. Ash Carr never expected to be sent across the ocean from her home in the UK to attend high school in the state of Virginia, but what her domineering father wants, he gets--and what he wants is Ash far away. Entering a new school halfway around the world would be hard enough under normal circumstances, but nothing about The Goode School is normal. As she settles into her new life in Virginia, Ash finds herself navigating the complicated environment of Goode: its social circles, secret societies, and strict code of conduct are nothing like Ash expected. And when one of the school’s students is found dead under suspicious circumstances, all the dirty laundry that the school has tried so hard to bury is about to come out. J.T. Ellison is a queen of what I like to call “popcorn thrillers”: those page-turning suspense novels that are lighter in subject matter, jam-packed with entertainment value, and beg to be devoured whole. GOOD GIRLS LIE is a deliciously dark suspense confection that provides the perfect mash-up of dark academia atmosphere and lighter “popcorn thriller” entertainment.
About the Book:
Goode girls don’t lie…
Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond.
But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.
In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder.
When a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.
But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.
THE BROKEN GIRLS by Simone St. James
Boarding School Setting | Dual Timelines | Hints of the Supernatural
Simone St. James expertly blends dark academia with family mystery and touches of the supernatural in her atmospheric suspense novel THE BROKEN GIRLS. This dual-timeline mystery centers around a school for troubled girls, Idlewild Hall, and the mysterious death of a young woman on the school’s campus. In the present day, journalist Fiona is plagued by unresolved questions surrounding the death of her sister, whose body was found on the abandoned campus of Idlewild Hall nearly twenty years ago. When Fiona learns that a developer is set to restore Idlewild Hall, she realizes that this might be her last chance to uncover the truth surrounding her sister’s untimely death, and shine a light on the history of Idlewild Hall once and for all. But the deeper she digs into Idlewild, the more she begins to suspect that not everything about this abandoned school is what it seems. Moving between Idlewild Hall in the 1950’s, as students on the campus cope with the increasingly sinister happenings at the school, and the present day, as Fiona investigates the history of Idlewild and the facts surrounding her sister’s death, THE BROKEN GIRLS delivers a thoroughly chilling and highly atmospheric reading experience. Simone St. James was one of the first authors whose work opened my eyes to the thoroughly enjoyable world of supernatural thrillers, and I loved the way THE BROKEN GIRLS balances elements of possibly-otherworldly suspense with a down-to-earth mystery. Readers will be riveted (and creeped out!) by Simone St. James’ immersive depictions of Idlewild Hall both past and present.
About the Book:
Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants—the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the ones too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall, and local legend says the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their friendship blossoming—until one of them mysteriously disappears....
Vermont, 2014. Twenty years ago, journalist Fiona Sheridan's elder sister’s body was found in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And although her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, Fiona can’t stop revisiting the events, unable to shake the feeling that something was never right about the case.
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during renovations links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won’t be silenced....
CATHERINE HOUSE by Elisabeth Thomas
Boarding School Setting | Mind-Bending Elements | Gothic Suspense
Speaking of supernatural mysteries, if you are a fan of suspense novels with mind-bending and fantastical elements, Elisabeth Thomas’ CATHERINE HOUSE will be your perfect dark academia tale. CATHERINE HOUSE is a lush, sinister work of Gothic suspense set within the walls of a wildly elite and secretive boarding school. Chances are, you’ve never heard of a school like Catherine House. Nestled in the woods, Catherine House is as elite a school as has ever existed. For the very, very few students lucky enough to be admitted, Catherine House provides a one-of-a-kind education: a highly experimental curriculum, near-absolute freedom to explore one’s interests and passions, and, perhaps best of all, if you can get in, it’s all free of charge. For new student Ines, Catherine House is equal parts beguiling and overwhelming. Because for all that Catherine House can offer its students, it takes just as much. Demands on the Catherine House students are steep, and for all the school’s instant-appeal, it also harbors dark and sinister secrets. The deeper Ines goes into the world of Catherine House, the more she begins to fear that she will never be able to escape… and when a tragedy strikes the Catherine House community, Ines begins to suspect that the secrets that the school is keeping from even its own students might be dangerous. I absolutely loved the lush, hypnotic world that author Elisabeth Thomas crafts in this story. CATHERINE HOUSE is a mind-bending suspense tale, a book that puts readers under as much of a spell as its titular boarding school does its students. If mind-bending suspense with touches of the Gothic and elements of dark fantasy sounds up your alley, CATHERINE HOUSE is one of a kind, and a must-read for you.
About the Book:
Trust us, you belong here.
Catherine House is a school of higher learning like no other. Hidden deep in the woods of rural Pennsylvania, this crucible of reformist liberal arts study with its experimental curriculum, wildly selective admissions policy, and formidable endowment, has produced some of the world’s best minds: prize-winning authors, artists, inventors, Supreme Court justices, presidents. For those lucky few selected, tuition, room, and board are free. But acceptance comes with a price. Students are required to give the House three years—summers included—completely removed from the outside world. Family, friends, television, music, even their clothing must be left behind. In return, the school promises a future of sublime power and prestige, and that its graduates can become anything or anyone they desire.
Among this year’s incoming class is Ines Murillo, who expects to trade blurry nights of parties, cruel friends, and dangerous men for rigorous intellectual discipline—only to discover an environment of sanctioned revelry. Even the school’s enigmatic director, Viktória, encourages the students to explore, to expand their minds, to find themselves within the formidable iron gates of Catherine. For Ines, it is the closest thing to a home she’s ever had. But the House’s strange protocols soon make this refuge, with its worn velvet and weathered leather, feel increasingly like a gilded prison. And when tragedy strikes, Ines begins to suspect that the school—in all its shabby splendor, hallowed history, advanced theories, and controlled decadence—might be hiding a dangerous agenda within the secretive, tightly knit group of students selected to study its most promising and mysterious curriculum.
THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
Academic Element | Book About Books | Gothic Suspense
I will never get tired of mysteries about books, and Elly Griffiths’ THE STRANGER DIARIES is one of my favorite examples of this category of crime novel. Though not quite as academic-focused as some of the other books on this list, THE STRANGER DIARIES nevertheless weaves elements of academic intrigue and plenty of bookish appeal into this intricate and engaging mystery novel. Protagonist Clare Cassidy has made a career on her obsession with Gothic literature, particularly the work of a (fictional) writer named R.M. Holland. Now working as a high school English teacher specializing in Holland’s dark and creepy work, Clare finds fact and fiction colliding when one of her colleagues is found dead, a line from Holland’s most famous story written on a piece of paper and lying by her body. Things take turn after very strange turn, and Clare begins to suspect that, somehow, Holland’s story is coming to life. And if that’s the case, then more trouble is to come--because Clare knows how this story ends, and it’s deadly. THE STRANGER DIARIES is an engaging “book-within-a-book” style mystery that invites readers into the shadowy world of R.M. Holland, and into Clare’s desperate race to stop his most famous story from playing out in real life in its entirety. This book’s appeal for fans of stories that incorporate academia can be found in Clare’s profession, and in the immersive descriptions of the school in which Clare teaches. There are a few snapshot moments from this book that will forever be imprinted on my brain, exploring the dark halls and hidden corners of the school in which our story’s first murder takes place. While this story does move outside the world of academia as well, it nevertheless holds strong appeal for readers looking for a dose of academic suspense in their next crime read.
About the Book:
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
THE NIGHT VISITOR by Lucy Atkins
Psychological Thriller | Academic Elements | Complex Characters
One of my personal favorite “hidden gem” thrillers, Lucy Atkins’ THE NIGHT VISITOR invites readers into the complex relationship between two women in the world of academia. From the outside looking in, Professor Olivia Sweetman has it all: a high-profile career as a historian and TV personality, and a new blockbuster book just published. But underneath this perfect exterior, Olivia is a woman on the edge, clinging desperately to all the secrets she is keeping in order to keep her life together. From the outside looking in, Vivian Tester is forgettable: a quiet, middle-aged housekeeper, Vivian has long preferred to keep herself under the radar. But Vivian is also highly intelligent, a shrewd observer of the world around her. And it’s Vivian who made the crucial discovery that sparked Olivia’s newest book: the discovery of the diary of one of the first female doctors in Victorian England. Over the course of THE NIGHT VISITOR, the relationship between Olivia and Vivian twists and morphs, revealing the dark secrets that both of these women have been keeping. This is a story that explores ambition, and examines just how far its protagonists will go to reach their goals. While this book is not set in a university or school, it is steeped in the world of academia through its characters and the project they are working on over the course of the novel. I absolutely loved this book’s razor-sharp character development, its irresistible and complex female protagonists, and the ruthless intensity with which the author explores her characters’ dark corners and rough edges. This is one of my favorite psychological thrillers, and it’s a must-read for anyone who loves stories exploring ambition, greed, and the complexity of female friendships.
About the Book:
She knows your secret . . . and she'll make you pay
As high-flying TV presenter and historian Olivia Sweetman stands before an adoring crowd at the launch of her new bestseller she can barely pretend to smile. Her life has spiralled into lies and if the truth comes out she'll lose everything.
Only one person knows what Olivia has done. Vivian Tester is the socially awkward housekeeper of a Sussex manor who has become Olivia's unofficial research assistant. But Vivian has secrets too, and as the relationship between the women grows more and more tangled, a bizarre act of violence changes everything . . .
Plus: Upcoming Dark Academia Releases
Mark your calendars for these Summer 2021 releases that take place within the world of academia!
THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides
Available June 15, 2021
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike―particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything―including her own life.
FOR YOUR OWN GOOD by Samantha Downing
Available July 20, 2021
Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the prestigious Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest.
He says his wife couldn’t be more proud—though no one has seen her in a while.
Teddy really can’t be bothered with a few mysterious deaths on campus that’re looking more and more like murder or the student digging a little too deep into Teddy’s personal life. His main focus is pushing these kids to their full academic potential.
All he wants is for his colleagues—and the endlessly meddlesome parents—to stay out of his way. If not, well, they’ll get what they deserve.
It’s really too bad that sometimes excellence can come at such a high cost.
IN MY DREAMS I HOLD A KNIFE by Ashley Winstead
Available August 3, 2021
Six friends.
One college reunion.
One unsolved murder.
Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has planned her triumphant return to her southern, elite Duquette University, down to the envious whispers that are sure to follow in her wake. Everyone is going to see the girl she wants them to see—confident, beautiful, indifferent. Not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather Shelby's murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she'd been closest to since freshman year.
But not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone left Duquette ten years ago, and not everyone can let Heather's murder go unsolved. Someone is determined to trap the real killer, to make the guilty pay. When the six friends are reunited, they will be forced to confront what happened that night—and the years' worth of secrets each of them would do anything to keep hidden.
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.