Books like Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Alex Stern, raised by a hippie mother in suburban Los Angeles, faced a bleak trajectory—early school dropout, troubled relationships, and a mysterious surviving homicide. In her final days, she receives a life‑changing offer: a full scholarship to Yale University. Assigned by a shadowy benefactor, Alex is charged with monitoring the university’s clandestine societies—eight clandestine "tombs" that have long attracted America’s future leaders in politics, finance, and entertainment. Within these dark halls, Alex discovers occult rituals far more sinister than she could have imagined, forcing her to confront both the hidden magic that envelops Yale and the forces that brought her there. The novel blends thriller suspense with paranormal intrigue, exploring themes of survival, privilege, and the unseen power structures that shape society.

First publish date: 2019