The premise of this book really drew me in. I love reading about “secret societies “ and watching movies like The Skulls. This book did not let me down. I was really surprised by the ending and think this was a great debut novel.

This is a mystery that will suck you in from pg.1. The secret societies at Princeton, the secrets and mysteries, the drama, the twist…. All of it is exactly what I’m looking for in a campus mystery.

Thank you NetGalley, Lauren Ling Brown, and Bantam for this advanced galley.

This book has everything you could want in a thriller, secret society, murder, corruption, secrets and betrayal. This book is also about sisters and friendships. It’s a very twisty story that has a huge surprise towards the end that I never saw coming. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

This novel is a dual POV between sisters following a similar timeline around their individual experiences at Princeton while we also follow older sister Maya in the present. At times I did have to think about which POV I was following because there are similar names and occurrences. Little sis Naomi digs into the past while we follow Maya’s perspective and then we find the truth from an unexpected source.

It wasn’t the most gripping or fast paced thriller, but I didn’t see the end coming nor did I predict the final twist. I never love when fiction carries political drama over race/covid unless it really adds value, which in this case I don’t think it did. Overall it was good read!

Loved this book!! It reminded me of like the old school lifetime movie thrillers you’d watch in your teens where they were set on college campus.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Not the typical rich kid sorority college novel, this one has more depth. It does just back and forth with time/narrator which is a little confusing in the beginning when you are learning the characters as each timeline/narrator have a lot of the same secondary characters.

I enjoyed the two timelines between the sisters in their experiences with the Sterling Club and the consequences of becoming a part of the exclusive society. From the outside, the best of the best come from the organization, but what hides behind closed doors suggests something much darker that keeps them all tied together. I thought the plot was super intriguing and I loved the gothic campus setting of Princeton, it was all very descriptive. It got to be slow and because it went so back and forth between the sisters, it could be confusing. Overall, it was an enjoyable novel as the reader uncovers the power behind the organization.

Overall this book had a very interesting plot that kept you on your toes the whole time you were reading. I loved the dark and rich world that Lauren created of the Greystone in Princeton and how interconnected those circles are post-graduation. The book leans into the fact that privilege can help you in many situations.

I thought the relationship dynamic between Maya and her sister Naomi was so interesting and layered. Maya had to put herself through so much in order to better support her sister. Naomi never really understands those struggles and does not listen to Maya's warnings about secret societies at Princeton and then gets involved in unveiling and digging deeper resulting in getting her killed.

I thought Maya's pursuit at trying to figure out what happened to her sister was so interesting, and I loved the flashback and flash forward between chapters. I did think the book was very slow paced and I wish we dug a little bit deeper into Maya's marriage and relationship.

I would recommend this book, but keep in mind the slow pace.

When Maya’s sister, Naomi, dies, she can’t get over the feeling that it wasn’t an accident. Maya’s journey to find the truth will expose long buried secrets and instigate grudges anew.

I didn’t love Society of Lies, I simply liked it. It was an interesting concept and I throughly enjoyed the Ivy League setting. I had never heard of dining clubs before so that was fun and new to learn about! The twists were entertaining enough and the main characters, Maya and Naomi, were likeable. I did feel like the book was slightly character heavy and I struggled at times to keep Maya’s college friends straight. I also felt like this story was a little long winded and could have been condensed some.

Overall, Society of Lies is a fine book with good characters and a great setting but lacked an “it factor” that I can’t quite pinpoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the opportunity to read this early ARC before it’s intended release date of August 13, 2024.

4.5 stars - This book was extraordinarily good for a debut novel. A slow burn, dark academia thriller that gave an inside look at the elite at an Ivy League school. There were three timelines with two POVs but it was written in a way that was easy to understand. The characters were well rounded and likable. The twists kept coming and I could barely breathe the last 10% of the book. I definitely will read anything this author writes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6310097752

"Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown is a captivating read that had me hooked from start to finish, earning a solid four-star rating.
Maya's return to Princeton for her college reunion takes a dark turn when she receives the devastating news of her sister Naomi's death. What should have been a nostalgic trip down memory lane quickly transforms into a gripping mystery as Maya delves into the secrets of the exclusive Sterling Club, where Naomi was involved.

Now, I gotta be real – the story starts off a bit slow. But trust me, once it picks up, it's a wild ride! Brown keeps you guessing with every twist and turn, and just when you think you've got it all figured out, she hits you with another surprise. Admittedly, keeping track of the multiple points of view was a bit challenging at times, and some characters felt a little too similar. However, Maya and Naomi's dynamic as protagonists added depth to the narrative, and their sisterly bond was a driving force throughout the story.

And let's not forget about the themes Brown tackles – identity, race, sisterhood, you name it. It adds a whole new layer of depth to the story and makes you think long after you've finished reading.

"Society of Lies" delivers a satisfying conclusion that ties up all the loose ends. While the reveal of the culprit may not have been a total shocker, the journey to uncover the truth was an exhilarating ride. Overall, if you're a fan of mysteries with a touch of dark academia and a sprinkle of sisterhood, this book is definitely worth your time.

I really enjoyed this book and I stayed interested the whole time. When reading thrillers, sometimes I just want to get to the end and find out the ending, but with this one, I was really invested in the characters and enjoyed every part of the story. I liked reading about both sisters, and how the POVs intertwined. Excited to read future work by this author!

I am still new to the thriller genre but I did enjoy this book! It kept me interested and wasn’t TOO scary which I don’t love. I liked the characters as well!

While I enjoyed the darkness of this book, the back-and-forth timeline was hard to track and follow closer to the end. The book didn't really keep my interest like I hoped it would. There was a lot of extra fluff in the book that made it hard for me to want to continue reading. I did finish and I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it.

This book had a very intriguing plot. The characters were very well liked. It was slow at times but I enjoyed the vibe and felt like I was there! At times I would feel frustrated with the miscommunication with the sisters.
The pace was a tad slow at times. I think this was mainly because of the varying points of view.

this was a very solid thriller! i liked the the dark academia vibe while also having main characters that were both pocs. this just added another level of complexity you usually don’t get from these types of books. the pacing was good, and kept me on my toes! i did kind of figure out the ending pretty early on but there were some little tidbits that would make me question myself. i do feel like there was something missing though, the ending felt a little rushed and some scenes felt like they were thrown in last minute for shock value. but overall i really liked it and read it super fast!!

thank you net galley and random house ballantine for the arc!

Thank you to Random Hoise publishing & Netgalley for allowing me to read Society of Lies.
This was such a fun book to read. A real who done it story!
The plot was good, characters were fun to follow, & I didn’t see the ending coming!
I am a huge fan of messy characters, secrets, & revenge. This book had it all.

Society of Lies takes an unforgiving look at privilege and the ripple effect it can have. Maya was a graduate of Princeton and a member of the prestigious Sterling Club, and its inner circle of the Greystone Society. Unbeknownst to her, her younger sister, Naomi, was also a member of these groups and it may have gotten her killed. Maya digs deep to discover why someone killed Naomi and asks the questions she should have asked a decade ago when another girl was found dead. On a ski trip that Maya and other society members were on.

The story is told from multiple points of view, and it can be confusing if you do not pay attention because two of them are Maya – one in the past and one in the present. Several of the characters feature in multiple timelines, as well. Really, many of the events wouldn’t have occurred if there had been better communication between Maya and Naomi. Instead of explaining why she didn’t want Naomi to join the groups, she only told her not to, under any circumstances. This led Naomi to believe Maya just didn’t want Naomi to be involved in her world. When Maya could at least have told her she knew from experience how dangerous the groups are and how she wishes she never would have been involved with them. She carries a lot of guilt for that, together with actions she did and didn’t take back then.

Maya continually laments how unfair it is that the memberships provide all types of advantages, but does she decline? No. Does she report any board members or professors for their favoritism in and out of school? No. Does she use her connections to further her position in any way possible? Yes. So, it’s hard to feel any sympathy for her character. Sure, she has a younger sister to help since their parents passed away, but what type of example does it set using ill-gotten gains?

Nothing in the story may be particularly surprising, especially after the well-publicized admissions scandals, but the author tells it quite well. She has an engaging voice, and I couldn’t put the book down once I started. Even if I didn’t like some of the characters, it didn’t make it harder to get through the story, like with others I’ve read. She’s an author I’m going to watch and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

This book flips between two sisters (and timeframes) which I found disruptive to the flow of the book. But definitely an ending I didn't see coming. I think this is a new author? I would try her next book.

This was Brown's debut novel and she knocked it out of the park.

We follow the two sister's storylines - Maya and Naomi - who are 10 years apart in age. Naomi is currently at Princeton and Maya graduated from Princeton 10 years ago. They both belong to a secret society on campus.

10 years ago, a girl from the secret society is found dead. Now, Naomi is found dead just before graduation. Is it the same killer? Is it linked to the society?

I was 100% into this book the entire way through. Great plot and amazing character development.
Such a fun thriller read.