6 Dark Academia Books With Real Historical Settings

The Instrumentalist is something a little different. We know the name Antonio Vivaldi. But very few of us have heard of Anna Maria della Pietà. I know I hadn’t before reading this. Anna Maria is an orphan who was left at  the Ospedale della Pietà as a baby. Anna dreams of being part of their famous ‘orchestra of orphans’, becoming a Maestro and being remembered. A gifted violinist, she is offered private lessons by Vivaldi and we follow her journey as she sacrifices everything to try and reach her dream.

Set at the school where she has her lessons, this detailed and captivating debut transported me back to eighteenth century Venice as the author wove fact with fiction. I listened to this on audiobook and think that Emilia Clarke’s expressive narration added to my enjoyment of the story, so I highly recommend getting the audio version of this one.    

Set in the present day and the 1990s, this is on the cusp of being classed as historical fiction. But I absolutely loved this gothic thriller when I read it recently and had to include it in this post.

This book is also set at an all-girls boarding school, but this time for elite students in North Yorkshire. There’s a chilling legend, mysterious illness, dark secrets and a possible murder. The perfect recipe for an eerie gothic tale.

Erin Kelly perfectly captured the angst of being a teenage girl, the snobbery of an elite boarding school and the cattiness of an all-girls school. Labyrinthine and layered, it delivered twist after twist before that final, big reveal that I am still reeling from weeks later. 

We’re back at Oxford University, but this time the story is based in fact rather than fantasy. Set at St Hugh’s College, Oxford in 1920, The Eights follows four pioneering female students who are among the first women to study at Oxford. It’s a time of change for the university, but change doesn’t come easy after 1,000 years of tradition and the Eights - as they are known - face an uphill battle against misogyny and exclusion and must prove themselves worthy of their place.

Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this delightful story brings the past to life. The Eights are plucky, strong and unforgettable characters with strong bonds of friendship that I loved reading. A sensational debut that you don’t want to miss.

1950. At Idlewild Hall, a boarding school for unwanted and troubled girls, four roommates bond over shared secrets and fears. Then one day, one of them goes missing. But no-one in authority seems to be looking for her.

In 2014 we follow Fiona, whose sister, Deb, was found murdered in Idlewild's overgrown field twenty years ago. Something she can’t let go. During renovations of Idlewild another body is found and Fiona begins to uncover the horrors and dark secrets that have been hidden for decades.

Atmospheric and addictive, this intricate historical mystery had me on the edge of my seat. In the past timeline I was completely immersed in the harsh reality of life at Idlewild and the eerie legends that haunt it, while in the present I was eager to uncover the truth. A haunting gothic tale, this will stay with you long after you turn that final page.

Babel is probably one of the biggest dark academia books of recent years. Set in Oxford in 1836, the story follows Cantonese orphan Robin Swift as he embarks on a university degree at Oxford, the city of dreaming spires.

He is studying at Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation, and the tower from which all power in the Empire flows. But then Robin discovers the sinister truth behind his acceptance into Babel and decides to take a stand.

I was late to the party with this book and had heard all the hype. It is definitely one I’d recommend, as Kuang merges life at an elite university with mind-blowing fantasy and a historical timeline to create an unforgettable story.

This book transports us back to the 90s. 1994 in Vincent, Australia to be exact. It’s a small, crappy town which is the capital of teen pregnancies and absent fathers. Four girls from single-mother families looking for a way to be noticed and get out, decide to form a band and win Battle of the Bands. But when their lead singer, Lily, quits the band and accuses their music teacher of sexual assault, everything falls apart. The three remaining girls have nothing left but a desperate dream they are trying to keep alive. But just how far are they prepared to go to do that?

Gritty, grungy and absorbing, it is easy to see why this book landed its author on the list of the Observer’s Best Debut Novelists of 2026. It’s an electric and emotionally-charged story that will make you feel everything alongside these girls and I was wrecked when it was all over. It’s also a wonderful dose of nostalgia for those of us who were also teenagers in the 90s.