Maya returns to Princeton University for her college reunion and to attend her sister Naomi’s graduation. But when Naomi never shows up, Maya discovers that her sister was found dead on campus.

Not the first young woman to be found dead on campus, Maya begins to piece together her sister’s “accidental” death and finds connections to an exclusive social club that she was once a part of.

This book was not what I had expected it to be. While I knew it was in the suspense and murder mystery genre, I felt the plot could have been more substantial. For me, it was lackluster and failed to capture my complete attention. While this will be an excellent read for someone into murder mysteries and secret societies, it didn’t meet my expectations.

Overall, this was just ok. I can’t give a detailed review, as I just didn’t get into it and couldn’t finish the complete novel.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title alone let me know id love this book. And it did not disappoint. This was way too good. I wanted to live in this really wild world but also stay on the sidelines of it because woah does it get crazy. I loved it.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC of Society of Lies by @laurenlingbrown in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 The ten-year reunion is supposed to be a joyous occasion. For Maya, her reunion coincides with her little sister Naomi’s graduation. However, nothing goes as planned when Naomi is found dead. Maya has that gut feeling that something more happened than the police know and Lauren Ling Brown does a phenomenal job creating the same sense in the reader. The story moves seamlessly from Maya to Naomi and from the present to the past, heightening the depth of the mystery surrounding Naomi’s suspicious death. A beautifully written and gripping tale that delves into the darker side of college campuses and secret societies. And the heartbreaking question lingers for Maya, could she have saved her sister from her death?

Review is on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of publication date!

I feel like I need a signet ring now. Dark academia with dual POV and timelines. It took me a few chapters to get characters and timelines straight (each main character comes with a cast of friends, acquaintances, and significant others), but once I did, I was all in. Maya and Naomi quickly become distinct characters. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but you get all the puzzle pieces as the timelines go back and forth and you find out exactly what Naomi is chasing (and who is chasing her). Brown weaves a tense story with a lot of suspense, as well as feeling for the sisters. Maya makes some hard choices, but you have an understanding of why.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I love books centered around campus mysteries, secret societies, frats and sororities. All the dark crime and hidden underbelly of a shiny campus. I had actually never heard the term “eating club” until this book, so I definitely had to look that up to get a better feel for the book’s setting on the Princeton campus.

The book tells the story of two sisters, who both attend the school and join a secret society on campus that gives its members leverage and connections in the real world following graduation. When the younger sister dies, it sets her older sister on a hunt to find her killer. The sisters actually attended ten years apart, the modern murder mirrors an event that occurred when the older sister was on campus herself. This was the only criticism I had with the book, because it flashes back and forth within ten years, and contains a lot of the same characters in both arcs, sometimes I lost track of who I was with in the story- Naomi or Maya. Small price to pay for a twisty mystery that couldn’t put down!

Thanks to Lauren Ling Brown and Bantam/Random House/Ballantine for the advance copy!

The dual pov was very cumbersome and slowed the pacing of the book significantly. The overall premise, characters and writing are strong I think execution fell flat in the overall end result

This is a story going from the present to the past, connecting two sisters lives who are ten years apart in age. Both going to Princeton, both belonging to the same clubs, but how their lives took different courses. An incident that occurred during the older sisters time as a student, was it an accident or murder? You will learn how this "incident" effects their life in very different ways. Reveals the elite society, although probably partly fictional, and how money and power are influencing factors in their lives. How far will they go to achieve what they want in life? How one greedy, manipulative professor shaped the paths they lead. As both girls being multiracial, you will feel a feel gambit of emotions as they struggle to find their place in the world. Suspense keeps building as you read. The twists at the end will knock you off your seat. Was well written and excellent character development. Recommend. Received an ARC from Netgallery and this is my voluntary honest review.

A good mystery—keeps the reader guessing all the way through. I am not a real fan of stories that jump between characters and years, as I feel it slows down the reading. If you set the book down, sometimes you have to back up to see where you are in the calendar of the novel. It didn’t stop my reading to find out who done it!

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown presents an intriguing premise, blending elements of mystery and dystopian fiction to create a thought-provoking narrative. Set in a world where truth is a commodity and deception reigns supreme, Brown crafts a society filled with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. While the concept is compelling, the execution at times feels a bit disjointed, with pacing that could be improved to maintain the tension throughout. Additionally, some character motivations may require further development to fully resonate with readers. Despite these minor shortcomings, Society of Lies offers an engaging exploration of the consequences of a society built on falsehoods, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

I would give this book more than five stars if possible! What fantastic writing and gripping storytelling!! Incredibly layered with suspense, family privilege, campus racism and showcasing that money can pretty much buy anything. I really loved the setting of the story, set within a secret society within Princeton, a well-known ivy league university. Just what will people do to keep their secrets silent, and who can you really trust?

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

This book is out August 13, 2024, DO NOT MISS IT!!!

I really enjoyed this academic thriller! Maya returns to Princeton, her alma mater, to reunite with her classmates and to see her little sister Naomi graduate. Tragically, Naomi is found dead--the authorities are calling it an accident, but Maya doesn't buy it. As she looks for answers, she discovers lots of nefarious goings on dating back to her own time on campus.

I really like that the story was told from the points of view of both Maya and Naomi, although as other reviewers have pointed out, that did get confusing at times because they were similar in many respects.

Overall, a great suspenseful read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am obsessed with books about secret societies on campus settings so o was excited to meet this. I thought the story was ok, but it did leave me with some unanswered questions. It centers on sisters Maya and Naomi, who both attend Princeton 10 years apart and get drawn into the dark underbelly of a corrupt eating club. When Naomi is found dead (which the reader finds out immediately), Maya is convinced there is more to the story and sets out to investigate what really happened.

The book alternates chapters between Naomi’s POV before her death and Maya’s POV in current time as well as from her own college days. Though the chapters were labeled clearly, I did sometimes have to reframe myself to remember which sister’s chapter it was, as they both took place in the same setting but with an entirely different cast of characters. I could empathize with both protagonists at times, though I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions they made. The story itself was twisty, albeit somewhat predictable, and the author did a good job at tying up all the loose ends around how all the different pieces fit together. I did walk away with some lingering questions around how and why Maya even got involved with all of this to begin with, and around some pieces of the scandal.

Overall, it was an interesting read and a well written book, but left me wanting just a little more. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I love the idea of a dark academia thriller and Society of Lies sounded right up my alley! The mysterious beginning pulled me in quickly and I really enjoyed the alternating timelines and POVs. The setting on Princeton's campus and specifically the eating houses of Princeton was intriguing and spooky. I had never heard of eating houses there and found the whole concept fascinating as well as a little spooky. Unfortunately, the book overall fell a little flat for me as I felt the middle was too drawn out and dragged for a while. As well the ending felt a little too over the top for the tone of the rest of the book. A decent thriller, but not one that I will reflect back on later. Would pick up if looking for a low stakes dark academia thriller.

Y’all I know I’m teasing you with this one because it isn’t out until August but I can’t wait to shout about it.

This book needs to be on everyone’s TBR!! My dark academia loving heart just ate it up. A story about a secret society where I didn’t know who to trust and was full of twists and turns? What more could I possibly need? I was not bored for even a second and was finding myself not wanting to put it down. It was such a quick, fun, fast paced read.

The writing of this was also just outstanding, I’m truly shocked this is a debut novel for this author & I just know this is going to be an author to watch out for 👀

I cannot wait to read more by this author and for everyone to be able to get their hands on this one!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end. I read it in one sitting and breezed through it. The dark academia and secret societies were captivating. This story about sisters, friendship, and the outsider feelings of being different from the people you spend all your time around. Overall, while being a thoroughly entertaining book, there’s also an aspect of encouraging conversation about privilege and multiracial identity.

Great book you won’t want to put down!
The setting is on the very prestigious campus of Princeton University. This story is a mystery that uncovers the secrets of private social clubs for the elite. The main characters of the story are two sisters years apart who both attend Princeton and take part in these social clubs. Both sisters have many secrets that come to light. A tale of corruption, drugs, abuse, lies and murder !

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House publishing for this eArc !!

Dual POV with sisters Maya (present) and Naomi (past) sharing their stories separately since Naomi dies right at the start of the book. The pacing takes a minute to get going; there's a lot of background to establish for two separate characters with separate friends and experiences. Once it does starting moving, though, it's good.

I'd never heard of Princeton "eating clubs" but the explanation mixed with what I do know about college experiences, networking, etc all seems to align and add believability to a story that is highlighting dark academia. These elements were all well placed in the story and really kept things moving.

Maya's investigation of Naomi's death doesn't really lead to any jaw dropping twists. Instead, it's pretty easy to stay a step or two ahead of the story all throughout. That's not to say it's not entertaining; it is moreso a compliment to how Brown worked to avoid really glaring plot holes. Secondary characters were fitting for the story. None were particularly likeable or memorable, but they story wasn't as much about them as the themes they helped establish.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, violence/gore/murder, alcohol, poison, suicide, trauma, LGBT+, racism

**Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I love dark academia thrillers, and "Society of Lies" is a good debut. It is a slow burn of a thriller that gets more engaging as you continue to read. The twists and turns were unexpected and enjoyable. All in all, a good, if somewhat slow-paced read. Recommended for fans of suspense in school settings. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #SocietyOfLies

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC..

Society of Lies is a well- crafted and interesting mystery. Princeton "eating clubs" as it isn't even remotely in my world (who knew?).

You will enjoy this very well- crafted mystery with more twists and turns than you can imagine, you will find it hard to put down.

Novel is about a woman who has seen what harm came from her time in a fictional Princeton exclusive "secret" club, and she attempts to prevent her sister's induction into the same, but is unable to prevent the ensuing tragedy that develops when her little sister follows her path.

Great subplots about the societal discomfort caused by other's reactions to you when you are bi-racial, as well as the strong bonds of family and friends.

Excellent read, that I couldn't put down.

This was captivating from the first page. The author takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Naomi and Maya are sisters who experience loss at an early age, which both bonds and alienates them from each other. They both attend the same Ivy League school. The school has secret societies and they both want in. This book is packed with secrets, drama, mystery, college fun, family dynamics, and more. I couldn’t put it down, and 100% recommend reading this book.