I happily requested an ARC of Society of Lies after receiving a promotional email from NetGalley. I was intrigued by both the description and the fact that it was my first Lauren Ling Brown novel. Overall, I was so impressed with Brown's writing. I loved the setting, loved the characters, and loved the plot. I truly could not put Society of Lies down and am waiting anxiously for Brown's next book already!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance e-copy of Society of Lies in exchange of an honest review.

"While it may take some time to fully immerse yourself in the story, 'Secret of Lies' by Lauren Ling proves to be a captivating dark academia tale worth the investment. Through the use of alternating timelines, Ling skillfully weaves together the past and present, drawing readers into the intricate web of secrets surrounding the Sterling Club and its super secret society. As the protagonist, Maya, delves deeper into her sister Naomi's mysterious death, the author keeps readers guessing at every turn, skillfully planting red herrings and leading them down unexpected paths. Ling's ability to create suspense and maintain an air of uncertainty throughout the book is commendable. Although the pacing at the beginning may be slow, it steadily accelerates as the plot thickens, making it difficult to put the book down. With its unpredictable twists and revelations, 'Secret of Lies' will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the final page." This book was a solid 4.2 Stars!

This book starts off really fast and doesn’t stop. From the very beginning the suspense and mystery pulls you in and I could not put it down. So good.

Maya has a lot riding on her shoulders. Both of her parents have died and she's living across the country from her 11 year old sister Naomi. Maya is determined to get a good education at Princeton so she can care for Naomi. One of the ways she can do this is by joining one of the many social "eating clubs" on campus. Luckily, she has friends who already belong to Sterling, one of the most prestigious clubs, and they help to get her in. Not only that, but there is an even more secretive and selective group within Sterling called Greystone. Maya is thrilled to gain membership in this group as well, since its members tend to help each other out with jobs and other perks of the elite for the rest of their lives. She soon begins to wonder if there is more to the clubs than social standing when another member, Lily, begins trying to warn her away from joining.

Twelve years later, Naomi is also attending Princeton and is looking to join the same groups her big sister did. Naomi has been basically adopted by the brother and sister-in-law of one of Maya's college friends. When Naomi's roommate begins looking into some potentially explosive information involving a professor at the school and a death that occurred when Maya was a student, things turn dangerous for everyone. Soon Naomi ends up dead and Maya must figure out what happened to her sister and what part the events during her own college days might have played in the tragedy.

The story jumps between Naomi's life in the months leading up to her death and Maya's search for the truth about what happened to her. There are plenty of shady characters and while I appreciated all of the twists and turns, it was a bit of a stretch that the main characters in the events could, or would want to, keep secrets for so long.

This was a good one! Liked the secret society setting parts the best and the two timelines. The big reveal could’ve used a little more groundwork-building since I didn’t 100% believe it but overall enjoyed.

Give me an Ivy League school, throw in an elite secret society, a dash of murder and I am ALL IN! It took me a few days to read just because I was busy but I was reading every moment I could.
Society of Lies tells the story of sisters, Maya and Naomi. It is told from both of their perspectives during different time periods, which is something I love. Maya graduated from Princeton and 10 years later, Naomi is there as well.
When Naomi is found dead on her college campus, Maya doesn't believe it was an accident—and her search for answers leads her back to Princeton, the life she had there, and the secret society she had been a part of.
For a debut novel, this was exceptional and I can’t wait to read what Lauren Ling Brown comes up with next. Look for this book when it comes out on 8/13/24 from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc.

Society of Lies follows the two timelines as sisters Maya and Naomi navigate life at Princeton ten years apart. When Naomi is found dead, Maya knows Naomi’s death is no accident. Maya was a student at Princeton the last time a young woman was found dead and the similarities are mounting. Is there a connection? Who can Maya trust to help her solve her sister’s murder? Can you rely on anyone in a secret society where the one common trait is that everyone can keep a secret? It’s hard to know what to expect as Lauren Ling Brown brings to life well written characters in a continuously evolving mystery with new twists and turns around every corner. You will have to read to the end of Society of Lies to answer any questions.

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
Debut
Publishing date - 08/13/24
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this eARC.

This is a mystery thriller set on a college campus. I was so invested in the story and the mysteries that the characters are trying to solve. There are multiple POVs and timelines in this story and I found them all interesting to read. This is a debut author and ; I will definitely be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with in her next book.

If you enjoy secret societies, dual timelines and POVs, murder mystery - then be sure to check this one out when it releases 08/13/24!

An interesting and through-provoking story, if a little difficult to get and stay into.

Following three POVs—Maya as a college student, Maya as an adult, and Naomi—Maya’s younger sister—as a college student—Society of Lies takes you on an insider journey into the world of the Princeton ultra-elite—the Sterling eating club.

It’s graduation weekend but instead of watching her sister walk down the aisle, Maya is trying to figure out how she ended up dead. Naomi followed in her sister’s (Maya’s) footsteps by attending Princeton but she didn’t get the chance to graduate and Maya is fearful that history has repeated itself. Maya is determined to learn what happened to her sister.

The synopsis hooked me immediately—I love a dark academia story! However, the pace of this storyline was a bit slow for my liking. I enjoyed the characters and the rich descriptions but at times got lost sometimes even so. I will say as the story unfolded I was surprised more than once which was fun.

I don't know why as a society we are so obsessed with watching the One Percent behave badly LOL but it seems as though we are, and this book is yet another entry in that genre. It's an entertaining story, albeit farfetched at times, and told in interesting and engaging voices across timelines and perspectives. At times it felt a little over the top, but that was in keeping with the nature of the story so it didn't bother me. It was a dark and twisty tale that was fun to read, although I am wholeheartedly glad it is a world I'm not a part of!

Maya and Naomi are Blasian sisters who both end up attending Princeton and getting involved with a sinister eating club. Getting a peek at the inner workings of elite colleges is always fun for us average folks and I did enjoy that aspect. None of the characters really resonated with me as individuals, though, and they seemed shallow and unfinished. Perhaps that is because they were, but it left me feeling a little un-hooked from the story.
Yet, one can't put the book down without finding out how it ends. Read it for the setting and the sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. One wonders what Princeton will think!

This story was captivating from beginning to end. I completely loved this thriller and was engaged. I felt emotions for both sisters in this story. There was no spice to this book, but mentions of intercourse. So if you are looking for something like that it won’t be there.

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

First of all this cover is gorgeous! That’s what caught my eye for the book in the first place.

This is a mystery thriller set on a college campus. Reading that already hooked me in. I was absorbed every time I went to go pick up this book. I was so invested in the story and the mystery that the characters are trying to solve. There are multiple POVs and timelines in this story and I found them all engaging and interesting to read.

The author’s writing is really easy to read and helps with the immersion into the story! I see that this is the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more in the future!

This book is told from both Maya's and Naomi's perspectives and bounces from the past to the present and initially this was very confusing for me to read and keep characters straight. Maya's and Naomi's college experiences with the exclusive clubs and secret society are so similar which is one of the reasons I think it was hard for me to follow initially.
I will admit that I did not guess the ending which is something I want in a thriller novel. I thought I had the "twist" figured out and I was wrong! That definitely helped me enjoy the last half of this book more than the first half. I feel like the ending felt a bit rushed after the "reveal" and I wish there had been more. More information about the past and the present between Matthew, Cecily, Maya, etc. More information about how deep the secret society went and how the favors happen and people stay in the circle. Just more.

I loved the diversity and representation in this book

3.5 stars rounded up. I love the premise and atmosphere of this book, but it was kind of difficult to follow along at times because of confusion surrounding which main character's voice it was. I did also predict the ending. Overall, it was an enjoyable read after I got into it.

The ending felt totally predictable and I guessed it early on in the novel. I felt more attached to one story over the other, which always suggests to me that a dual timeline or perspective novel is not working. However, I do love campous novels and the setting was a hit for me. Was suspenseful while reading, but will not stick with me.

Society of Lies
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
0/🌶

What I loved:
🔪Secret societies. I love academic settings, and throw in secret societies? Immediate yes.
🔪Biracial FMCs. Representation is so important and I was pleased to see a mystery being told from this POV.
🔪The themes of privilege, racism, and money is power.

I went into this book expecting high tension, suspense and an intricately woven mystery. I will say the bones were there, but the tension dissipated as quickly as it showed up. The suspense was absent and the mystery was a little lackluster.

For example, there were a few scenes Naomi was being followed and the tension started building, but then she made it safely, if shaken, and nothing happened. These were perfect instances to keep that tension and suspense up, but the author let it drop.

This is the kind of novel that wants the reader guessing so the finger gets pointed at multiple characters. The problem is, the character development was nonexistent-poor so when the finger was pointed at certain characters, it didn't make sense. For example, Nate. I have no idea why Nate or Dani even needed to exist because they had no purpose and did nothing. Nate never consoled his wife over her sisters death. Didn't help her investigate. His sole purpose was to help Dani exit a scene. He was a flat, completely undeveloped character, so when the finger was pointed at him is was laughable. There needs to be development and questionable moments so when the finger is pointed, the reader believes it to be possible.

In the case of this book, all the characters were severely underdeveloped. I didn't care for Naomi or Maya. They were incredibly stupid. There were numerous times they were out walking alone at night. What woman actually walks alone at night, especially when involved in the danger these two dumb FMCs were? Naomi was followed on more than one occasion and literally never stopped walking alone! Not to mention Naomi running back to Liam. He loved her when it was convenient for him, dropped her when it wasn't, and she went back every time? Why? Why did Maya start investigating the murder when it was clear the police were? She works in finance and suddenly she's a PI? I think the book was leaning hard on the characters being Biracial so the police obviously won't take the investigation seriously, but this was never explained. I also wonder if Maya wanted to investigate due to guilt of her relationship with her sister being so bad, but again, Maya's reasoning was never clear. Plus, from the interactions Maya had with the police, it seemed they were doing their due diligence, so her investigating didn't really make sense. Maya also claimed in the end the police gave her "hints." Why the hell would police give her hints?? Come on, now. We can't trust the police to do their job so they're giving Maya, an accountant, hints to solve the investigation? Are we for real? Not to mention both Maya and Naomi blatantly walked into dangerous situations, alone, and didn't tell anyone where they were in case something happened? Morons!

The only believable character was Marta. Her motivations were crystal clear.

I will say I liked the end, but again, it lacked proper development for the real killer to be believable as the killer. I wish there was more of that character and mannerisms that showed them capable, or at least hinted. I also wish there was more of Margaret, especially with how important she became at the end. Again, her actions felt unrealistic because she was such a minor, undeveloped character.

The end also left me with a lot of questions. Why did Matthew lie about where he was the night of the wedding? Why was there a need for him to lie? The stalking scenes. Who was following Naomi? Who trashed the girls dorm room? Why was Whitney brought in as a character if he had no role? What happened to Bain? Was Sarah complicit?

Overall, the idea of secret societies pulled me in, but I was less than impressed with the rest. The book relied on academic corruption for the main conflict. As that has happened and is documented irl, there is nothing new in it, and that would be okay, but everything else was lacking. The FMCs were oblivious and dumb as hell. There were a lot of loose ends and plot holes. The author did weave much of the conflict together well, and I did really want to know what happened. I was intrigued by the setting and the secret society, so for that it earned a 3/5.

I tried reading this while I was sick and unfortunately I couldn't get into it enough to keep going. I hate not finishing books but I just didn't find it interesting enough.
I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

This is gripping from the very first page. The two timelines create a lot of tension, and it's also interesting to watch the relationship between the two sisters become clearer. I actually wish I could've learned even more about the Princeton eating clubs, but this book has successful made me fear the powerful nature of elite institutions.

This was a great story spanning 3 separate timelines and several “who done it” murders. I was invested from the get go and constantly trying to weave together my own theories as the story progressed. I only removed a star because there’s one little tidbit at the end that wasn’t explained and I’ll forever wonder about it. … where did Nate go that night? If it was just a drive why not say that from the get go? Why get so pissed when Maya was asking. Then to just act like the fight never occurred when she was in the hospital? I NEED ANSWERS. Was he cheating? Did he help cover up Matthew’s murder? Where did he go?!!