**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Society of Lies is the debut novel of Lauren Ling Brown. A dark academia novel set at Princeton, Society of Lies draws upon Brown's experience with being of mixed ethnic heritage in predominantly white spaces. The novel is told in fractured timelines, bouncing between Maya when she was a student at Princeton, her sister, Naomi, as a student at Princeton ten years later, and the Maya of the present. Lila Jones was a student who died during Maya's final year at Princeton. When Naomi begins investigating Lila's death, Naomi is found dead shortly thereafter. Maya is left to find out the truth of what happened to both Lila and Naomi and what the eating club Sterling Club and the secret society Greystone have to do with their deaths.

I wanted to love this book. I love dark academia in theory. But somehow there are quite a lot of dark academia books that just aren't for me. This was one of them. I wanted to give up around 30% due to pacing being far too slow for me and not being invested in the characters. I find that a successful dark academia book, for me, requires me to care very much about the characters. When I don't, it's incredibly difficult to achieve more than three stars because it doesn't matter what stakes are introduced at that point. It isn't that I didn't believe Maya was in danger. I simply didn't care.

Let me be clear, this book was written well. I can see this being adapted successfully into a movie. Especially learning that Brown has experience screenwriting. This would do well in a cry_wolf type film. One of my favorite films. Unfortunately, this was just a miss for me.

I still think this is worth a read if it sounds interesting to someone, and I hope this book finds its audience.

This book is perfect for fans of dark academia, mystery, and secret societies! This book is told in alternating timelines, and being able to piece together the mystery alongside the two main characters slowly was so fun and gratifying. The plot twists keep coming to the end of the book and keep you guessing repeatedly. The pacing of this book was incredible and kept me turning pages to find out what happened sooner rather than later.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for giving me an E-Arc of this book.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley.

Maya returns to Princeton for what should have been a joyful reunion weekend, only to be plunged into a nightmare when she receives devastating news: her younger sister, Naomi, has been found dead on campus. The police are quick to rule it an accident, but Maya's instincts tell her there's more to the story. As she begins to dig into the months leading up to Naomi's death, Maya discovers her sister had secrets—dangerous ones tied to the elite and enigmatic Sterling Club, a social circle Maya herself was once a part of.

The novel deftly weaves together two timelines, unraveling Maya's own dark experiences at Princeton alongside her quest to understand what happened to Naomi. While this dual narrative adds depth and suspense, it can also be challenging to follow, as the shifts between past and present sometimes blur, making it difficult to keep track of which sister's story is unfolding.

Despite a slightly drawn-out conclusion, the novel keeps readers hooked with its tantalizing clues and unsettling revelations. Maya's journey forces her to confront the shadows of her past, revealing that her sister's death may be tied to secrets she thought were long buried.

This compelling book explores the dark underbelly of privilege, power, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. It may feel a bit lengthy toward the end, but the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the final page.

When I tell you that this book had me in a chokehold from the beginning, I can’t find the words to explain. The plots, twists, turns, and characters had me on the edge of my seat. This was definitely a world wind so get ready for the ride. I highly recommend.

Society of Lies is a mystery/ thriller about two sisters, Maya and Naomi. Maya and Naomi are sisters who attend Princeton ten plus years apart from each other. When Maya learns her sister has died right before graduation, she is believes this wasn't an accident. She knows too much about the secrets and lies from her own time at Princeton. As Maya begins to investigate Naomi's college life, she learns her sister was hiding more than she led on. Throughout the story, we learn about the corruption, lies and what money can do within Princeton's eating clubs and secret societies, Maya will stop at nothing to find answers and it might just get her into trouble too.

The story is told from the perspectives of the two sisters. There are three different timelines, one of which is the Maya present day, As well as two in the past, from the points of view of both Maya and Naomi. So this was the only thing that was slightly confusing. There also was some plot points that were left hanging. Not big ones luckily.

This was a good thriller and I was very into it. I had no idea who the murderer was and when it was revealed I was very surprised. Then the very last twist was perfect. I give this a solid 4 stars.

This book evokes so many emotions. Especially on the familial level between Maya and her sister. Maya is a deep character that is looking to make sense of things that have happened and put all that she has into it. I read this book quickly as I needed to know what would happen next. Nice, quality story by Lauren Ling Brown. I am so thankful I read it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. This one could not hold my interest. The timelines of the two sisters doing the same things with similar friend groups in the same place only ten years apart was too confusing. Because the stories were so similar, I kept forgetting which sister was being described. Neither sister was fleshed out as a character. The author repeatedly emphasized their less privileged backgrounds but kind of forgot to create characters. The rich kids they befriended were similarly stereotypes. There were many unnecessary scenes that seemed dropped in from bad movies that did not move the plot forward.

Maya finds out her sister has died. She is determined to find out what happened to Naomi. The way this book was written was very confusing for me to follow. It was a decent thriller but very confusing. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just finished Lauren Ling Brown's debut novel, Society of Lies. Set against the intriguing backdrop of Princeton, this dark academia thriller dives into the world of eating clubs and secret societies. The story follows sisters Maya and Naomi. Maya, an alumna, returns to Princeton for Naomi's graduation, only to find out that her sister has been found dead.

I blew through this book so fast! The story alternates between past and present, revealing the corruption, lies, and cover-ups within the university and its secret societies. Just when you think you've figured it out, you don't actually. The Sterling Club, the most prestigious eating club at Princeton, and within it, the elite secret society known as Greystone, play central roles in the narrative. The dual perspectives were a bit tricky at times, and I had to backtrack occasionally to keep up. If you're not a fan of multiple POVs, this might be a challenge.

That said, I was totally hooked! If you love dark academia, you'll definitely enjoy this one. My only wish? An epilogue from Ben's perspective. He just disappeared after Naomi's death, and I wanted more closure on his character because I loved Ben!

This is a debut novel by this author and I think it was very well done. I would 1000% read another book by her if she were to publish more. In the words of the author herself, this book is an entertaining story that also encourages conversation around friendship, sisterhood, class, and multiracial identity. She did just that, this book talks about hardships, finding one’s identity, trying to find one’s place in love and become better than they were.

This book is told in dual timelines with POV. The stories take place in 2022/2023 and flips back to the past in 2010 and goes forward 10 years in time. The POVS are told by Maya and Naomi which are two sisters. The girls lose their parents at a young age and Maya is trying her best to be a patently figure to Naomi and to make sure she is well taken care of at the time as getting her college education.


This book goes through a ten year time span and bounces from past to present. It talk about the hardships, finding one’s identity, trying to find one’s place in love and become better than they were. A biracial woman trying to fit into the world around her and how money and who you know can get you anything you want.

Just when you think you have the twist figured out in this book. You are wrong, you will find yourself flipping through the pages and unable to put this book down. The last section of this book had my face in a big smile. Revenge is never so sweet or is it? I can’t wait to read the next book by this author.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

This was a lovely atmospheric thriller with elements of dark academia and a slow burn whodunnit. We follow Maya as she learns of her sister, Naomi’s, suspicious death, which brings her back to places she had hoped to leave behind for good.

I was intrigued from the start! It sets the scene and quickly jumps into the plot, setting a solid pace that kept me interested and entertained throughout. The dual POV and timeline took me a couple of switches to get used to, but once I adjusted I looked forward to hearing both sisters’ perspective (and from both timeline’s of Maya’s).

The atmosphere in this book was phenomenal. I could feel the mood and emotions of each scene. The secret societies, the lavish parties, the investigations- they were all written so viscerally and vividly. The writing also had great depth- it explored themes of sisterhood, belonging, race, privilege, and friendship.

The plot twist was great. Definitely not one I saw coming until right before the end and it worked well! It did feel a little rushed and I would have loved a bit more exploration into certain aspects. I also found myself curious on some of the characters and wanting to learn a bit more about them to understand their role in everything. These are relatively minor critiques though, and overall this was a solidly enjoyable read that I looked forward to picking up at every opportunity!

This was a great debut by Lauren Ling Brown and she is definitely an author I’ll be excited to read again! Thanks so much to Ling Brown, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC! I greatly enjoyed getting to read and provide my honest thoughts and review!

Great storyline. Definitely shows sister's love towards one another. Shows also the price of keeping secrets. Maya absolutely loved, protected, and would do everything to protect her sister Naomi. But what happens when the one secret she thinks she's protected her from is the one that puts her in danger? Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. #netgalley #ARC #societyoflies

4⭐️

“Did my silence allow the same thing to happen to my sister?"

Maya was excited to return to Princeton for her ten year reunion not just to see everyone, but because her sister, Naomi, is supposed to graduate that year as well. But
the weekend of the reunion, Maya gets the worst news; her sister was found dead on campus. As she starts to look into her sister's death, Maya realizes that her and Naomi may have more in common than she original thought; they were both members of the most exclusive club on campus, Sterling Club, and that comes with it's own dangers.

I really liked the way this story was told. We have alternating POV's between Maya and Naomi, then we also have alternating time lines for Maya's POV and they all fit together so well. I always love a story about secret societies made up of out of touch rich people and less privileged people who have had to work for everything, and this one ends up being a secret society within a secret society which was a nice twist.

This covered a lot of of big things like grief, race issues, guilt, and privilege. It showed how easy it was to get caught up in the 'easy life' made available to others. My biggest sticking point between Maya and Naomi was the fact that Maya just kept things from Naomi. Yes, there was a ten year age gap, but Maya spent so much time telling Naomi not to join Sterling Club without telling her why. That's just teenager 101: if you say no without explaining why you're saying no they're obviously going to try to do it. Keeping secrets from someone you care about about something this important doesn't protect anyone.

Thank you Netgalley and Bantam for providing this ARC to me!

This book doesn't shed a kind light on the ivied walls of elite colleges. Fraternities, sororities, secret societies all transpiring under a veil of secrecy.
    Two sisters, separated by age and circumstance finally have a common denominator they are both Princeton graduates.  Maya is going back for her tenth reunion and the graduation of her sister Naomi when she gets a call that her sister has been murdered.
    The books flips back and forth in time with both women so the reader learns how they became estranged and how their lives have evolved. 
    It's a thriller with all the angst of family issues mixed with the dark side of those hallowed halls. Worth the read.

I really enjoyed the Society of Lies and am grateful for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The dark academia genre is not my usual go-to, but this book has me wanting to read more like it! I felt very connected to the characters and enjoyed the parallels each sister experienced and their similar, yet different voices and struggles. The ending very much surprised me and made sense. Often I feel like thriller endings can be rushed and seem messy just to get it over with, but I liked how this one came together and it shocked me! Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book and would read more from Lauren Ling Brown.

5 out of 5 Stars!

Maya’s dream weekend comes to a crashing halt when her sister, Naomi, is found dead. Maya was looking forward to this weekend as it'd been a decade since she graduated from Princeton, and she has a reunion. But it is even more special as it is Naomi’s graduation. The police are quick to assume it was an accident, but how can it be? So, Maya starts investigating to get answers for herself. But there was a lot Naomi was hiding. For starters, she joined the Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club at Princeton, despite Maya’s warnings. The more Maya uncovers, the more scared she becomes of what happened. There were reasons Maya didn’t want her joining the club, reasons surrounding another student who ended up dead.

I have been SO excited about reading “Society of Lies” by Lauren Ling Brown since being approved to read an advanced readers' copy! Coming across it on Netgalley, the description and cover grabbed my attention. And, this book did not disappoint! This was an incredible debut novel that was thrilling, fast-paced, and twisty. When starting this book, I had a hard time putting it down until I uncovered all the secrets being hidden at Princeton. I loved the complexity of the mysteries, the layers, and the characters who made the book more mysterious. It was a very well-balanced book with constant twists. I really could not figure out the mystery until the very end.

This book has multiple timelines, which I believe add to the pace of the book. We read about Maya’s time at Princeton, the present in which she finds out Naomi is dead, and Naomi leading up to her death. I thought the timelines were easy to follow and added an extra thrill to the novel.
I really enjoyed the characters in this novel. Maya and Naomi’s dynamic was very intriguing. I liked their background as it contributed a lot to the overall plot. I do think the lack of communication between Maya and Naomi was a tad annoying, as maybe some of the mystery could have been solved with a few conversations. But, as they were siblings, I can understand keeping secrets. The side characters were also very interesting with complex backstories that added to the mystery.

Not only was this a mystery, but it was a story about friendships, class, and sisterhood. I cannot wait to read more by Lauren Ling Brown!

Pick up “Society of Lies” by Lauren Ling Brown on October 1st, 2024!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Lauren Ling Brown, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

While Maya is at Princeton, she joins an exclusive eating club and a secret society. During her senior year, one of her friends from these clubs dies in a suspicious manner. Now Maya is back at Princeton ten years later for her sister Naomi’s graduation and Naomi has been found dead. Lauren Ling Brown writes a captivating tale about life in a prestigious college from the perspective of mixed race sisters. Growing up in lower class circumstances, Maya and Naomi have to fit in with legacy admits from well-known prep schools and rich suburbs. I really enjoyed this book. I was sometimes confused because it is told from the perspectives of both Maya and Naomi and many of the characters appear in both. The timelines covered both Maya’s time in college and Naomi’s last year as well as present day. This was an excellent debut. Though it is fiction, having attended such a college there were characters and storylines that appeared very realistic to me. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. 4.5 stars rounded to 5 for me.

Maya and Naomi are sisters who, while 10 years apart, are forever connected through Princeton and the secret society they both belong to. When Naomi begins to uncover secrets that connect back to Maya and her friend Lila’s mysterious death 10 years before, someone keeps trying to silence her. Taking a journey between Maya and Naomi, the reader finds themselves questioning everyone’s involvement and motive, and who is hiding what.

Society of Lies is a multi-POV, dual-timeline domestic thriller that follows Maya as she investigates the mysterious death of her younger sister, Naomi. Although the police have ruled it an overdose and accidental drowning, Maya is convinced there is more to the story.

The novel throws readers into the world of elite colleges, exposing toxic relationships and a secretive society. It explores the emotional complexities between the sisters—Maya, who was unprepared to be Naomi’s guardian after their parents' death, and Naomi, who desperately sought her sister’s approval.

However, the book's pacing felt slow. The focus on relationship drama and the insular world of the elite college environment I found to be really boring. The story, while rich in character detail, often felt like a slice-of-life rather than a suspenseful thriller.

In the end, "Society of Lies" did not grip me as I had hoped. The novel’s exploration of toxic dynamics and personal struggles did not fully resonate, suggesting that new adult mysteries may not be my preferred genre in a mystery thriller

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

Alright I loved this dark little story!!!! It was like riding an intense roller coaster. It was so twisty and filled with sisterhood. I couldn’t put it down. A+!!!!