The description alone made me want to read this book - I'm so drawn to anything mysterious involving secrets - especially secret clubs at Ivy League universities. Spenser Collins didn't expect to be sought after as a member to one of the secret societies at Harvard, but Delphic wants him. I loved reading about Spenser's journey and the surrounding mystery of the Ancient Nine - the secret club within Delphic - that he is trying to unravel with his friend Dalton. This book reminds me a bit of The Da Vinci Code in terms of all of the secrets surrounding Delphic. Definitely a book I would recommend.

Not 100% sure what this book was about but once I got started and knew it was set in the world of Harvard University and featured the secret societies, I was hooked and in for a good ride. Growing up in New Zealand, we don't have the same outlook on universities as in the US so reading about American Universities and Ivy League schools has always fascinated me. When I was in Boston, I managed to get a Harvard T-shirt and Harvard Pens/Pencils to bring back with me to New Zealand. The other thing that I enjoyed about this book was it was set in firstly in 1920-the 1930s and then in the late '80s. The book starts with this mysterious clubhouse being broken into and a student vanishing in 1928. The book then jumps to 1988 where we meet Spencer who has been invited to rush for the secret society called The Delphic Club. Spencer though isn't the sort they would normally rush a club like this as he's a poor kid from Chicago and African-American. His best friend Dalton though is white and wealthy and the type who belongs with the Delphic Club but hates the whole wealthy and elite institution. During Spencer's rush, we read as he and Dalton start to investigate The Delphic Club and a secret club within the group called The Ancient Nine. Soon the pair will be sucked into solving a 60-year-old mystery - the disappearance of Erasmus Abbot and in doing so Spencer will also learn about his own family's history on his late father's side. I enjoyed this book as the mystery unfolded quite well within the main story. If you love mysteries and secret societies then this 2018 read "The Ancient Nine" is the read for you.

This was such an excellent read and it grabbed me right from the begjnning. Initially set in 1988, the author has woven a story that goes back to the 1920s about families, friends, alliances, and, most interestingly!, secret societies that are within secret societies. What an interesting, wonderful book.

[Took me a while to review this, because the DRC was in a format I couldn't read. I eventually bought it and read it after publication.]

THE ANCIENT NINE is an interesting and well-written campus crime novel. It reminded me a bit of the Skulls movie, but it has plenty to differentiate it from that story. (It's a lazy comparison, probably brought on by the centrality of the secret society.)

The novel is an engaging mystery set in Cambridge and the hallowed grounds of Harvard. It's twisty, gripping, and will keep you guessing. Recommended if you're looking for a new mystery novel. (Also worth checking out Smith's latest series.)

I received a free copy from NetGalley. The plot is good. Poor minority Harvard student from Chicago in the late 80s picked to possibly join an old club where there was a unsolved missing student case years before. The "quotes" when he does research into the club are long and mostly dry. My biggest complaint though is how women are portrayed and treated not only by the club but by the main character as well.

Not my cup of tea. Parts of the book just seemed random and the wild-goose chase reminded me somewhat of Angels & Demons. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of him.
The ending was a let-down that convinced me to give only one star.

Further details will come with the full review:
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I received a free copy via Netgalley.

The Ancient Nine reminded me a lot of Dan Brown's novels. Unfortunately, these are not my favorite kind of stories. Fortunately, the way the characters are told and portrayed hits the nerve of many other people. So, the book should be able to find its readers.

What is it about?
Spenser Collins is a model Havard student who is not only a sports ace but also has a lot to offer when it comes to intellect. His friend, Dalton Winthrop, on the other hand, knows all the more about which doors can be opened with which privileges. And he's heard a lot about Harvard's dark side. The clubs that meet behind closed doors and discuss far more than their own agenda. When Spenser is accepted into the elite Delphic Club, an odyssey begins for the two that will uncover far more than the skeleton in the basements of their own families.

Why didn't I like it?
The book was an ongoing worship of the main character. Starting with his school and sporting achievements as well as his love life. And much of it was more name dropping than it was in any way relevant to the progress of the story. I didn't know why the writer was telling me all of these things - unless it was to convince me how awesome his main character is. I believe the author wrote himself into the story a little too much...
In the end, most of the narrative has nothing to do with the central mystery of the book. Somehow that was resolved very quickly and with many coincidences. Incidentally, this approach reminded me the most of Dan Brown. A lot of things happen and in the end, the divine chance helps that the hero still reaches his goal.

So this really wasn't my cup of tea. On the positive side, I found the topic (secret societies at universities) very interesting and the author had some new information for me. And the book has a good, fluid writing style. Something is happening all the time - no time to get bored.

Personally, I don't like to read more from the author, but I probably wasn't the right reader for the book from the start.

I read about 15% of this book and just couldn’t get into the story. I heard good things, but it started out too slow for me. I’m marking it as DNF and only submitting a two star rating as one is required for netgalley review submissions.

Thank you for the free copy.

I was hooked for the first 100 pages or so, but it quickly went downhill with all of the overly detailed descriptions and factoids about Harvard. It seemed that the author just wanted the reader to know how much he knew about Harvard and how cool he thought that was. It was a bummer and ultimately I DNF'd this. 2 stars

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a free digital arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so long. Entirely too long in my opinion.

Following Spenser Collins, a boy from the Southside of Chicago through the hallowed halls of Harvard, as he gets punched for the Delphic, one of the most exclusive of Harvard's famous final clubs.

Along with his friend, Dalton Winthrop, a Harvard legacy, they set out to unravel the Delphic's secrets and some mysteries surrounding the club, including the disappearance of a wealthy young man, that remain lore on campus.

Yes, that sounds interesting doesn't it? Who doesn't love secret clubs and long-buried secrets and mysteries?

I was excited to receive this as an ARC many moons ago but then never got around to reading it. When I picked it up last month, I had no idea it would be such an undertaking.

What could have been a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery, was instead a tedious and detail-ladened account of the most droll nature, with pages and pages of things such as: a boring romance, that had no bearing on the overall storyline, detailed accounts of basketball practices, including the drills that they went through each day, and unimportant geographical details of each scene.

At one point, I threatened to DNF this but was simply astounded by it all. I had to continue.

The author had a good idea here, the makings of a solid story but who let him go to print with so many inconsequential details dragging the entire book into Bore Town!?

It's really a shame and that's all I am going to say on that.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read an review. I appreciate it, as always.

I am sorry I did not enjoy this more but honestly, the story and the author would have best been served if it had undergone another serious round of editing.

Well-written and a surprising deflection in genre from a medical doctor who became known for health and fitness. I appreciate that he based this on some truth and fictionalized it to make it an exciting read. The novel is set in 1988 in Cambridge Massachusetts, and follows the experience of one man's initiation into one of Harvard's exclusive clubs. The book is not formulaic, which I appreciate, but it also provides a little food for thought.

This book lacked enjoyment. It was the equivalent of listening to someone name drop only about the setup of ivy league schools.

The story was slow to get to the plot and some parts drag on way too long. The main character really annoyed me and the initial scene where he meets the love interest is cringey beyond belief. The writing was great but I couldn't get past how much of A wannabe frat boy the main character was.

Although I like a book set on a campus, and especially Harvard or some prestigious one, this one had all these characters that distracted me from the plot. Shallow and weak, I didn't fall for them. And the plot seemed to lack that gripping trait needed to keep me interested.

I was hoping I would really like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. It seems intriguing, but just not my cup of tea unfortunately.

A secret society that leaves you absolutely spellbound. A great story that draw you closer into the web as Dalton and Spenser look for answers that have historical significance. A great read.

The book definitely reminds me of The Skull. I remember loving that movie when I was younger. I wanted to love this book as much as I loved that movie.......but I just didn't. It was very descriptive, maybe too descriptive and that's what threw me off. I'm not quite sure. I would have thought that a poor kid from Chicago would have made better use of his time at Harvard than he did. As a nontraditional student, that is one thing that bothers me greatly. I went back after 10 years and hate seeing younger people just take it for granted (myself included when I was 18). That could have been what threw me off as well. I was just so aggravated with these boys. I did appreciate the mystery of the book. I kind of wish the author would have stuck more to that than the other elements that he tried to add in, to possibly give it a little more depth (idk?). It took me a while to finish this book. I kept putting it down and coming back to it because I wanted to finish it.

Not my normal genre but sounded interesting so I gave it a shot. It was a little hard to get into, felt like things were drawn out a bit. However, the story was interesting and tied everything together very well. Overall a good read if you like a mystery.

**While a great concept and some people will enjoy the way it's told...it wasn't for me. It's overly descriptive and draggy through most of it. Details the front advance the story are included in a very tell not show kind of way which made it difficult to get invested in the characters or plot.

What a nice surprise! I enjoyed this suspense from Dr. Ian Smith. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect from this book. When I think of Dr, Ian, I think of his weight loss books.
The Ancient Nine follows Spenser, a young black male, who is invited to join a prestigious, yet mysterious club where he is unlikely to even be looked at to join. His invitation leaves him asking questions, as he would be one of a few black members. He and his buddy Dalton, who's great uncle is a member of that same club, join forces to uncover the truth about the club, and also uncover lots of history and truth.

An absolutely fantastic read. Loved it. Truly enjoyable look into a secret Ivy League society with all its darkness and inside information. Can't miss this one. A page turner.