Lauren Ling Brown’s debut novel, Society of Lies, is a riveting dive into the dark side of elite academia, blending mystery with a haunting exploration of privilege and secrecy. From the moment Maya returns to Princeton for her reunion, the story grips you with a chilling sense of foreboding.

The novel excels in creating a suspenseful atmosphere that keeps readers on edge. Maya's journey, from the excitement of a family celebration to the nightmare of her sister Naomi’s mysterious death, is both compelling and emotional. The narrative weaves through layers of deceit and hidden truths with masterful pacing, making it hard to put down.

What stands out is Brown’s portrayal of the exclusive Sterling Club and its secretive nature. The tension builds as Maya uncovers the darker aspects of her past and the society she once revered. The parallels between her experience and Naomi’s fate add a profound depth to the story, raising questions about the true cost of belonging and the secrets we keep.

Society of Lies is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone fascinated by the complexities of privilege and secret societies. Brown’s skillful storytelling and intricate plot make this debut a remarkable and unforgettable read.

The world of secret societies in colleges. That’s some scary stuff, I love reading about that. We have story of 2 sisters, who went to the same school, but different times, and we get their input on what they have gone through in Princeton, and also being women of color in that type of school is already a challenge. Between trying to fit in and Maya trying to provide for her sister Naomi, its a lot to take in when it. There is a ton of corruption in this school like we all suspect that goes on in real life, and after a while it was going in circles and I wanted this book to desperately end. Sadly Maya is back in that school to try to solve her sisters murder and I seriously started to dislike Maya’s friends more and more, thank goodness that Maya was a character worth rooting for while she was trying to solve everything, she was so badass for that.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. WOW, this book is fast paced and fantastic. I couldn't put it down and finished it within a day.

Slow burn of a story. We bounce back and forth between the two sisters, Maya and Naomi. Maya had to leave Naomi with a relative when their mother died and she tried to improve her situation so she could eventually help Maya realize her dreams, but intentions don’t always translate to impact. She has to leave her behind as she goes to Princeton, but Maya’s situation improves as she is taken in by friends and VOILA, she ends up getting into Princeton.. Maya has a dual celebration returning for Reunions and double bonus, her little sister, Naomi, is graduating, but before the festivities can begin, Naomi is found dead. May isn’t buying the easy explanations and starts to try to determine what really happened to Naomi. What unfolds is a great whodunnit and I really enjoyed the fact you don’t know who to trust, who to believe and who to root for. Great fun.

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this book. The premise sounded so intriguing, but when I started reading it, I felt bored most of the time. It didn’t live up to the expectations and left me wanting more. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy

This book was just not for me. I read to the half-way mark and decided I was not going to waste any more of my time on a book I was just not enjoying. There are too many characters along with a very convoluted story line which made it confusing. I am sure a lot of people will enjoy this book, but just not me.

This wasn’t my favorite book, but still kept me hooked and never made me want to dnf. It has a lot of comparison to “The Maidens”. Like… very similar. Overall a very average but easy read.

The plot is intriguing--that and the cover art were enough to get me to request the book--and I enjoyed the dark academia tropes and ambiance combined with the White Lotus-esque rich folks acting unhinged. But the pacing is maddeningly slow and hindered by the alternating POV, and there are several dropped storylines and plot points that left me feeling frustrated.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this. I trusted absolutely no one, and after weeks of not having decent arcs to read this book was amazing and I couldn't get enough. I had so many guesses as to who could be responsible for what happens in the book, the one guess seemed to easy and the others I was thinking "no it can't be that person!" 4/5 and will definitely be recommending it to everyone

Ten years after Maya graduated from Princeton, where she was a member of an exclusive social club called the Sterling Club, her sister, Naomi, ends up dead. Naomi followed in her sister’s footsteps and attended Princeton, where she also joined the Sterling Club and was tapped for the Greystone society, the corrupt secret society within it, despite Naomi’s warnings to stay away. What was supposed to be an enjoyable reunion weekend for Maya, who was going to celebrate Naomi’s graduation, turned into a quest to uncover the secrets that lead to Naomi’s sudden death.

This story is told from the points of view of both Maya and Naomi in the past and of Maya in the present. I enjoyed the dark academia premise. I really felt like I got a feel for what life would be like as a member of a social club in an elite school like Princeton. As the title suggests, this truly was a “society of lies” and I really didn’t know who to trust. It’s definitely a page turning thriller filled with secrets and deceit…It’s hard to believe that it’s a debut thriller! I’ll definitely be looking out for more books by Lauren Ling Brown in the f

This was an ARC from NetGalley. Secret societies at an elite institution mixed with secrets, money, and murder, this had all the makings to be a twisted tale full of surprises. Yet, it missed the mark. The story moved at a very slow pace, and all the secrets were lacking and who dun it, exposed from the very beginning. There was nothing to bring the reader into the story. The alternating timelines with every chapter had very similar characters in the same setting, experiencing the same thing. They often blurred together. Overall, this was not memorable or unique. #netgalley #societyoflies #randomhouse #murdermystery #secretsociety

A solid debut, with a great dark academia, secret society concept. The opening 25% really had me hooked into the mystery and disappearance of Maya's sister, Naomi. I really liked the Princeton setting, and learning more about the elitist secret organizations on the campus. But it felt like the remainder of the book just stalled. There were dual timelines, which I typically enjoy, but in this context, I just kept waiting for anything to happen in either timeline. This is definitely a slow burn, and while I found the ending satisfying, I'm not sure if I think the middle section was worth the journey. However, I plan to give this author another read in the future!

If you like to read somewhat seasonally and tend to gravitate towards dark academia in the fall this would be an excellent choice for you! I love a campus novel and add in secret societies, sisters and some mysteries and I’m hooked. This flips between sisters Maya in the past and present and Naomi in the months leading up to her death and while the chapters were mostly short, the pacing was more steady. This isn’t a one sitting type of read, it’s the kind where you wanna sink your teeth into it and spend some time with it which is exactly how I read it. Though there is one core mystery there are several other threads making this such a multifaceted read and the author also explored race and privilege in this setting in such a smart and gripping way. It had a ton of depth and substance so if you like mysteries with layers try this.

Ohhh this one was good! It was a fast-paced engaging story about the secret societies at Princeton University filled with lies and manipulation by using wealth and powerful connections. I found this topic fascinating and was googling to learn more about these societies. The dual POVs and timelines from Maya and Naomi kept me hooked and I couldn’t wait to learn more about each of their backstories. There were a few surprising moments and because so many characters were questionable, it kept me guessing. Overall, Society of Lies has a unique and interesting plot with a suspenseful, dark tone throughout! A fabulous debut by Lauren Ling Brown! 👏🏻

This book took me on a ride. There was a lull for me and I wasn't sure but once it picked up I couldn't put it down and read the last 50% in a day. If you like a twist I would read this one.

I think this was an interesting study in friendships, sacrifice and yes secret society life. The Greystone society had so many shady dealings, but the tmfriends had even more.
I look forward to more from this author!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is a slow-burn mystery with a lot of buildup and little action in the first half. The plot revolves around two sisters, Maya and Naomi, who are ten years apart and both have ties to Princeton. After Naomi, the younger sister, is found dead, Maya, the older sister, takes it upon herself to investigate.

The narrative unfolds from three perspectives: Maya in the present, Maya in the past, and Naomi in the recent past leading up to her death. Maya’s past scenes are written in past tense, while the present-day and Naomi’s perspectives are in the present tense.

The story had me going down a rabbit hole of eating clubs at Princeton as I was reading. I loved the depiction of the secret society. Just when I thought I had one piece of the puzzle figured out, Lauren Ling Brown added another one seamlessly.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! The dual stories and the way they converged, the heart-pounding action, and the secrets all came together so well. I couldn’t put it down!

This book felt like a mash up of In My Dreams I Hold A Knife and The Secret History. I try to go into thrillers not knowing much, so I was really pleasantly surprised by this one. It had a great thriller/mystery at its heart but also really genuine explorations of class, race, and privilege.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I really enjoyed this book! The suspense definitely kept me turning pages. I loved the different povs.

This book follows two sisters Naomi and Maya who have lost their parents and end up attending college at Princeton (at different times) both being in this secret society with murder and mystery. When one sister dies the other knows it was no accident.