5 Campus Mystery Novels

I misunderstood dark academia when I first heard the term. Instead of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, I immediately thought of mysteries that take place in academia. Not only mysteries that require research, but a murder in a library, or another dramatic moment in the hallowed halls of academia. Campus mystery novels—a subcategory of dark academia—are such an enduring trend because of their seasonal flair. Windswept campuses covered in leaves are great settings for mysteries, so spooky campus mystery novels are perfect fall reading. From creepy high school boarding schools to magical institutions of higher learning, these books provide the perfect backdrop for diving headfirst into research in musty libraries and sorting through the clues. Get 15% off annual All Access memberships for a limited time in celebration of Book Riot’s 15th anniversary! Savings amount to more than 3 months of free unlimited access to our entire content archive, plus features like Collections and the New Release Index. Claim your savings and start leveling up your reading life. Book Deals Sign up for our Book Deals newsletter and get up to 80% off books you actually want to read. High School Detectives A...