Society of Lies

I don't want to say too much because Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown is a murder/mystery thriller.
The beloved Princeton setting drew me in: the setting is mostly authentic (Sterling Club is made up) and I enjoyed all of the Princeton references.

The story is told in alternating timelines (2012-ish and 2022-ish) and point of views (older sister Maya and younger sister Naomi).
It was interesting to have two multi-racial sisters attend the same school ten years apart to compare/contrast their experiences.

What irked me and never left and which probably was the uber-subdued reaction of Maya upon learning of Naomi's fate. Was she in shock? It just came off as weird to me and made her unlikeable/unfeeling.

Also, both Maya and Naomi do what I show more hate over and over again (I know it helps progress the story), what I classify as "stupid/foolish stuff": Why walk/drive around alone if you suspect you're being targeted? Why accept drinks from ANYONE? Why not TALK to each other? Why x? Why y? Why z? Why? Why? Why? So aggravating. show less

Promising Debut. This is one of those debut books where it absolutely shows flashes of brilliance... yet also doesn't fully come together. But not in any objective-ish sense, just more of a more nebulous "there should probably be more *there* there". And because it isn't objective-ish and because I can't really put a finger on exactly what my ultimate issue is here, the book by default retains its full 5* in my own rating system.

Ultimately this *is* a reasonably solid mystery-thriller (part of the issue is the tension between the two and the book constantly switching gears and never really settling on one or the other, even just in a "this genre is dominant and that one is a touch secondary" manner) that keeps fans of both genres show more reasonably satisfied throughout. Set at Princeton among its real life eating clubs, and featuring such real world issues (even well outside Princeton at State colleges) as tutoring a kid getting particularly preferential treatment due to being a Legacy, this is one of those tales that will excite some and turn off others, but I thought it worked well enough for what it was. Far from a Dead Poets Society, this is really more of a The Skulls level tale, but primarily featuring 2 sisters each in two different timelines each.

And I think, ultimately, that is the key to enjoying this tale - if you approach it ala The Skulls (and if you haven't seen that movie from current Dr. Odyssey Joshua Jackson's Dawson's Creek years, you should) - you'll likely have a great time with this tale. If "Dark Academia" is 100% not your thing... you likely won't have such a great time here.

Very much recommended. show less

What an utter vicious look at Princeton University and the life of the privileged students that party all the time and then pay someone to take their tests. The story revolts around the death of two female students ten years apart. Maya Banks, a poor, but brilliant student hopes to receive membership into the exalted Sterling Club. This “eating club” propels its members into an elite society. No rules apply to this membership. A fellow student, Lila James, supposedly falls into a ravine and dies during a ski trip that Maya attended. Now, ten years later, Maya’s young sister, Naomi, drowns on the eve of her graduation. The suspense increases as Maya and Daisy attempt to figure out what happened and is happening again. Lauren Bing show more Brown creates an exciting mystery, but one filled with troubling events. Do power, wealth, and greed control college life and the life after college? show less

4.5 Stars (rounding up) This year has introduced some remarkable debuts, and "Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown is certainly one of them.

The narrative follows Maya, who returns to Princeton after a decade because her sister Naomi is graduating. Maya had hoped to leave behind her experiences with the exclusive secret society, Sterling Club, but things take a dark turn when she discovers that her sister's body has been found at the lake.

The book presents numerous layers and twists, creating an emotional rollercoaster that encourages readers to contemplate that everything occurs for a reason, even when it's challenging to accept. "Society of Lies" is a compelling and intense read, rich with emotional depth, and definitely deserving of show more attention.

Thanks to the author and Random House Publishing/Bantam for this gifted ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#SocietyofLies #LaurenLingBrown #NetGalley #Bantam #randomhousepublishing #ARC show less

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 show more 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. show less

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. show more 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.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse #Ballantine #Bantam for the DRC. show less

This book has everything you could think of for a thriller: dark academia, secret societies, money flowing, intense relationship problems, drugs, and a dead body. Following in her sister’s footsteps, Naomi gets into Princeton. Not only does she get into Princeton, she gets into the same eating house: Sterling. But when the Greystone society starts to reveal too much, Naomi thinks it’s time to investigate. Was that the reason she was found in the lake days before her graduation? It’s up to her sister Maya to find out.
I tore through this book in just a couple of days. Brown does such a good job switching back and forth between Naomi’s and Maya’s perspectives, between the past and the present. The short chapters kept me going at show more a breakneck pace, and I couldn’t put it down until I knew exactly who did what. If this is what Brown’s first novel is like, I sooooo look forward to seeing what the future looks like for her! Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam publishing for allowing me access to this ARC! show less