An Education in Malice

Sumptuous and addictive, An Education in Malice is a dark academia tale of blood, secrets and insatiable hungers from S.T. Gibson, author of the cult hit A Dowry of Blood. 

Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.  

On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.  

But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.  

For more from S.T. Gibson, check out A Dowry of Blood. 

• "An Education in Malice is an ode to girlhood; ribbons, blood, poetry, and rage. Gibson’s fang-sharp prose and unflinching honesty create a delicate and fearless exploration of loneliness, love, and—as the bridge between those two absolutes—longing." 
  Sydney J. Shields, author of The Honey Witch
• “From sinful all-night salons to hedonistic Halloween parties, Laura’s world thrums with dark pleasures that will leave you wanting more.”
  Kirkus
• “An isolated women’s college, a Gothic aesthetic that would make the Brontë sisters proud, an all-consuming passion between sapphic academic rivals…what’s not to like here? Light a candle to maximize the moody vibes and dive in.”
  People
• "A Dowry of Blood is an intoxicating perfume that lingers—an undying love story where beauty and horror clasp hands."
  Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author, on A Dowry of Blood
• "A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful."
  Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author, on A Dowry of Blood
• "A thrilling and seductive Gothic rife with spine-tingling tension and dark romance. A Dowry of Blood left me breathless."
  Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching, on A Dowry of Blood
• "Stunningly gorgeous and devastatingly romantic, you won't want to miss this one!"
  Katee Robert, New York Times bestselling author, on A Dowry of Blood
• "Atmospheric and lush...it will haunt you in the best possible way."
  Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart
• "Dark, seductive...A messy, in-depth portrait of emotional abuse that nails Constanta’s complex intermingling of love, pain, fear, and anger in mesmerizing prose. Thorny, fast-paced, and unabashedly queer, this is sure to draw readers in."
  Publishers Weekly on A Dowry of Blood
• "Dark, lush and heartrendingly romantic."
  Lyndall Clipstone, author of Lakesedge, on A Dowry of Blood
• "A powerful take of possession and liberation. This is a Dracula retelling unlike any other—undeniable and unforgettable."
  Rose Szabo, author of What Big Teeth, on A Dowry of Blood
• "A Dowry of Blood is a delectable jewel of a tale, shimmering with dark, beautiful prose. Gibson balances mournful gothic possession with heartfelt emotional authenticity for a thrilling ride from start to finish."
  Tori Bovalino, author of Not Good for Maidens, on A Dowry of Blood
• “Seductive, lyrical, and rich with period detail, this daring retelling casts the Harkers' story aside to follow Dracula's medieval bride and her tangled romance with his consorts over the centuries. The horror—pulsing and beautiful—comes as much from Constanta’s insights into her husband’s psychology as it does from bloodlust. A dark triumph.”
  Mary McMyne, author of The Book of Gothel, on A Dowry of Blood