No Place Left to Hide

No Place Left to Hide is a mystery thriller that falls under the dark academia subgenre of young adult (YA) literature. In general, “dark academia” is an aesthetic that can apply to anything: Clothing, décor, music, art, food, and photography can all include scholarly, moody, gothic-themed elements that represent dark academia. In literature, dark academia comprises a subgenre of plotlines centered on class, ambition, and mystery within academic settings. Though many examples of dark academia literature use neo-gothic tropes inspired by Ivy League schools, upper-class boarding schools, and traditional school uniforms, these elements aren’t essential. 

The main elements of dark academia in fiction include a somber, moody atmosphere and a romantic focus on school or literature. Plots often include horror and the supernatural, like 18th- and 19th-century gothic fiction, from which the aesthetic draws. In Lally’s novel, Brooke and her friends attend a prestigious preparatory school in the Pacific Northwest, with its somber, moody atmosphere. Brooke intends to attend Yale, evoking another gothic, scholarly setting. Coupled with the mystery of Brooke’s past and the book’s focus on family class, wealth, and status, the novel offers all the key elements of the dark academia subgenre.