Dark Academia is not a genre I have read widely. Dark anything is not really my reading matter of choice at the moment - the world has plenty darkness without me pressing on the tender places in my reading, too. But this book and the author has been everywhere on my (Scottish-heavy) feeds recently, and I adored the cover. And let’s face it, it doesn’t take much more than that for me to be opening up the Portobello Books website.

So: These Mortal Bodies. Ivy has moved from her Scottish coastal hometown, leaving behind tragedy and a difficult home life, to attend university deep into England. Arriving at an ancient institution of segregated colleges, Ivy is free to explore her new world of woods and rivers, agèd buildings, drinking societies and elevated academic expectations.

These Mortal Bodies - Elspeth Wilson. Simon & Schuster, 2025

Perpetually the outsider, and aware of her lack of both wealth and life experience, Ivy is immediately drawn to the vivacious Martha. Over time, she is pulled into the secretive and glamorous world of the societies, with their links to historic feuds and rituals.

There is plenty of foreshadowing here, of the echoes of historical tragedy casting a pall over the choices the students make. Glossy manners and elegant dress belies the fragility of many of the social structures. Violence, betrayal and destruction always seem right around the corner.

But even as the summer term rolls around, warm sunny days are not enough to chase away the shivers down the spine. Threats are looming everywhere, and not always from the sources Ivy might expect. But no one ever knows what they might do in extremis, and Ivy is being pushed to the limit in more ways than one.

The book resonates with the terrified excitement of first freedom, of growing into your full power and adult self; of love and belonging, disloyalty and ambition. The descriptions of blossoming friendships and first love are sensitive and passionate, redolent of the heightened senses that characterise this period of life. An evocative and confident debut.