Foresyth Conservatory by A. L. Sterling

Ninth House meets Mexican Gothic in a dark academia, gothic mystery where the cards are stacked against reason-and the price of knowledge is blood. Dahlia Blackburne is a failing bookstore keeper and Tarot reader who relies on deductive reasoning--not magick--to cast her fortunes. When a stranger calling himself the Meister walks into her shop after closing and offers three times her normal rate for a reading, curiosity and her growing debts compel her to accept. But the reading reveals that the Meister has a far more dangerous proposition: infiltrate Foresyth Conservatory, an elite occult arts graduate school, and investigate the alleged suicide of brilliant but troubled student, Julian Earhardt. Desperate to care for her ailing mother after her father's recent death, Dahlia agrees to investigate. But inside Foresyth's rose-thorned walls, Dahlia is thrust into the school's ruthless academic Circle, a cadre of students including the seductive "Trees," Aspen and Sequoia, who are obsessed with creating art that doesn't merely imitate life, but transcends it. As the line between performance and passion blurs, Dahlia must confront the truth about Julian, her peers, and a dangerous form of magick that isn't taught-but inherited. The cards at Foresyth have already been dealt . . . Now it's time for Dahlia to play her hand.

Adult • Fantasy/Dark • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+ • Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense/Supernatural and Paranormal • Horror/Southern Gothic • Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense/Amateur Sleuths

Content Warning: suicide (off page), mild violence, cults, murder, anxiety, lying, deceit, manipulation

Reviewed by Chanelleandbooks on 2026-02-20T18:21:59Z:

Rating: 5/5. Set in 1919 in a magical conservatory filled with tarot and secrets, this story captivated me. Dahlia’s investigation kept me guessing, and her self-discovery added heart. Lyrical, immersive, and perfect for fans of occult academia and slow-burn mysteries

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Reviewed by thegraveyardgal on 2026-02-20T12:45:29Z:

The entire book - from the magic system to the setting - felt SO original. When it comes to 'whodunit' type books, I can usually figure out where the story is headed but Sterling masterfully caused confusion by painting each character as an equally possible suspect throughout.

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Reviewed by Bookishlittlewitch on 2026-02-20T11:16:29Z:

If you like the idea of a beautifully written gothic mystery that mixes magic with science, keeps you guessing at every turn, & is filled with bisexual yearning, look no further than Foresyth Conservatory.

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Reviewed by Tarotcardpoet on 2026-02-20T05:32:21Z:

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Reviewed by Katb on 2026-02-20T04:19:31Z:

This book definitely stood out amongst other dark academia stories, as if Sterling knew when a reader could be like 'well, we all know where this is going' and completely flip it on its head. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark academia and supernatural stories!

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