In "Society of Lies," Lauren Ling Brown delivers a captivating dark academia thriller that will keep you hooked from start to finish. The Ivy League setting is vividly portrayed, and the exploration of power, privilege, and corruption is both timely and thought-provoking.

The story follows Maya, a young woman of color returning to her alma mater, Princeton, to investigate the mysterious death of her younger sister. As she delves deeper into the secret society she was once part of, she uncovers a web of deceit and betrayal that shakes her to the core.

Brown skillfully weaves together multiple storylines, creating a suspenseful and engaging narrative. The characters are well-developed, and their motivations are believable, even when they are morally questionable. The relationship between Maya and her sister is particularly poignant, adding an emotional depth to the story.

While the plot is gripping and the pacing is excellent, the ending felt a bit rushed and could have been more impactful. However, this minor flaw does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Overall, "Society of Lies" is a well-crafted thriller that will appeal to fans of dark academia and suspenseful mysteries. It raises important questions about the nature of power and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. I highly recommend it.

This book is difficult to rate and explain. I was really into the set-up and the dive into secret societies. The pacing was a little bit slow for the first 80% and then ramped up at the end. I thought about DNFing it a few times but I was enjoying the story so I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. The points of view were a little tricky because they contained the same characters and the same problem, just in different years. It wasn't hard to keep up but it did require some focus. Overall I thought it was good and wouldn't hesitate to read from this author again. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Maybe I’m biased but a thriller set at my alma mater was a guaranteed winner. The characters were well-developed, the setting was perfect, the plot had me on the edge of my seat, and I was legitimately surprised by the ending. If you enjoyed Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, I can guarantee you’ll love this one.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Frightening and fascinating. Could be real, could be storied non-fiction, or completely made up. I couldn't decide until the end.

It's a mystery and a thriller. Recommended if you like exploring possibilities of what lurks under the surface of good intentions and philanthropic investments. And if you like to speculate about secret societies, you'll love this one.

Fan of campus fiction, secret societies, and murder mysteries absolutely need to add Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown as a Must Read this summer!

This dark academia novel, centered around
Princeton and society eating clubs, opens with the murder of student Naomi. The story and point of view alternates between the months prior to Naomi’s death, her sister Maya’s journey in uncovering the truth about her sister’s death, and Maya’s own past at Princeton.

This debut novel will keep readers turning the pages late into the night.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine/Bantam books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Just finished Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown. Maya’s return to Princeton for her reunion turns into a heart-wrenching investigation when her sister Naomi dies under suspicious circumstances. The suspense is intense as Maya uncovers dark secrets about the exclusive Sterling Club and its hidden society.

Brown weaves a thrilling tale of deception and belonging, filled with unexpected twists and emotional depth. A gripping read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Highly recommend for mystery lovers! #BookReview #SocietyOfLies #LaurenLingBrown #Thriller #MustRead

These dark academia-type stories are hit or miss with me. This one was mostly a hit. Maya graduates from Princeton and ten years later returns for her sister, Naomi's graduation. When she gets there, she learns that Naomi is dead. It's ruled an accident, but Maya knows things the police don't and starts poking around, beginning with an exclusive, secret society that Naomi belonged to as did Maya, back in the day. The story is told both from Maya's and Naomis POV and the author does a good job of weaving the two stories together. I really liked Maya. There are a lot of topics and layers with this story, although I did figure out the twist pretty early on, I still enjoyed reading about everything wealth and privilege can get you. Or not.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Lauren Ling Brown and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon publication of August 13th.

This is a story about the in crowd.

I’m super torn on this book. On the one hand, I liked both narrative voices and I’m a big fan of posthumous narration… on the other hand, I felt like there was a lot of build up to a conclusion I didn’t feel crazy about. Overall, definitely worth the read if you enjoy thrillers, secret societies or good mysteries!

3.5 rounded to 4:

Thank you so much @netgalley & @ Bantam for the eArc!

Thank you for letting me read this story! I so enjoyed it! Twisty and dark! Didn’t overwhelm me like some other dark academia books do. The only struggle I had was remembering which sister’s chapter I was in, which could be helped by including “maya” or “Naomi” at the top of each page. I hope to read another book by this author someday!

4 parts, 2 timelines, 2 POVs - it sounds like a lot but it does help an intricate story move more easily as there are A LOT of important players.

Fun fact - I had no idea there were 11 eating clubs at Princeton. In fact bickering as described in the novel is true as well. True to my self - I had to dig a little bit. Not to prove anyone wrong or debunk a fiction book but I had to know if this weird society is real. It is.

This story shows us how corrupt and/or elusive and protective of their own these secret societies or clubs can be.

I will follow this author along her writing journey. She has brought a secret society trope and placed in a real world setting.

Set among the culture of the secret eating societies of Princeton University, Naomi, graduate of that Ivy League school, sacrificed a lot of herself to enable her younger sister, Maya, to also attend. Visiting the University for Maya’s graduation, Naomi is shocked when her sister is found drowned on campus. Did her death have anything to do with actions taken or not taken when Naomi was a part of those private clubs?

Written from two POVs with three timelines, this debut, multilayered novel touches on dark academia, the corruption of money, power and privilege, young people trying to find their place in the world while dealing with the social aspects of the multiracial experience. The suspense and twists are there yet slow to develop. Usually I find different POVs and timelines easy to follow; with this book, I needed to often remind myself who was speaking when starting new chapters.

This is a worthy first novel and I look forward to future works by this author.

When Maya returns to Princeton for her sister's graduation, a celebratory weekend curdles into chilling suspicion. Naomi, it seems, has been entangled with the alluring yet enigmatic Sterling Club, and the whispers surrounding their exclusive inner circle hint at something far more sinister than scholarly pursuits. With a wry smile and a knowing glint in her eye, Brown weaves a tale of legacy, obsession, and the price of belonging, leaving you to wonder just what lurks beneath the polished veneer of campus life.

I love higher education secret society vibes. This meets all of that and highlights the inequity in the social classes in these societies. Enough money and favors can make ALL your problems go away.

The end: it’s the goal. Readers have to go through page after page to figure out where the story is going. It finally becomes clear when we make it to the last chapter of a psychological thriller.

It’s not easy for an author to create a plot that can keep someone’s interest without giving away too many secrets. Lauren Ling Brown was able to keep a constant movement with two timelines providing readers with a believable story. It takes place at Princeton with a secret society which has an edge of stepping into a private, somewhat dangerous place with wealthy students.

The day before graduation from Princeton, Maya got distressing news. Her younger sister, Naomi, was discovered in Lake Carnegie: drowned. It was a shock to Maya and her friends. The book goes back seven months to explain what happened while Maya was investigating in the present time.

Naomi followed her sister’s footsteps as a part of the Greystone Society. Why did she want to do this? It wasn’t easy for the sisters being biracial. Plus, their parents had died leaving them without financial help. They felt like they needed to fit in and friends played an important part of their lives. Is it possible that Naomi couldn’t take the pressure and took too many drugs?

While the setting is at Princeton with high-profile players, this story could take place a number of other schools or even politics where competition and fear makes people do unexpected things. This is a good discussion book with lots of layers. It’s likely that this book may stay with you as it relates to investigations of bribes, gifts and unfair practices which too often is in the news.

My thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of August 13, 2024.

Dark academia, secret societies, murder, secrets, and betrayal.
A fun but sometimes confusing read.
Loved the characters and their development; but the constant jumping around between narrators and timelines overly complicated things at times. The pacing for the second half of the book also seemed too slow, which caused my interest to wain a few times.
I also figured out the “twist” about 20% into the story. However, I still enjoyed this book and the relationship between the sisters!

Brown really pulled me in with this story! Love the character development and the multiple POVs. I’m a huge sucker for academic settings fully of mystery and intrigue and Society of Lies was right up my alley.

I cannot wait for you to read this!

Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies is an enthralling debut that masterfully weaves together themes of secret societies, sisterhood, and privilege within the prestigious halls of Princeton. From the moment Maya returns for her college reunion, only to confront the shocking death of her sister Naomi, the story grips you with its intensity and suspense. Maya's quest to uncover the truth about Naomi's involvement with the Sterling Club—and its mysterious inner circle—pulls readers into a dark, atmospheric tale where every revelation raises more questions.

The dual timelines and multiple perspectives are seamlessly integrated, enriching the narrative and adding depth to the characters. Brown's vivid descriptions make you feel as if you're walking alongside Maya through Princeton’s storied campus, while the unraveling of past secrets keeps you on the edge of your seat. The exploration of race, privilege, and the dark side of elite institutions is both thought-provoking and timely, adding layers of complexity to the mystery.

Society of Lies is a compelling read that fans of dark academia and twisty thrillers will find hard to put down. Lauren Ling Brown has crafted a captivating and atmospheric story that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Lauren Ling Brown for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I made it halfway before giving up. A book told in multiple perspectives and timelines, the voices are too similar and make it difficult to tell apart. The pacing is too slow and the mystery aspect suffered greatly for it. Not only can I not finish it, I kind of don’t care who turns out to be the killer.

I found this book good, overall! I think that the characters were well developed and the writing was easy to follow. Would recommend.

I had super high hopes from this book because of the plot. The characters were well developed and I found myself rooting for them. I felt like the book was stalling though and it was very confusing because of the repetition of characters and settings. I found myself having to go back and read and confirm things which I don't love doing.