Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
An atmospheric campus thriller with strong themes, held back by slow pacing and tangled timelines.
The short version
- Fans of dark academia and campus settings
- Book clubs looking for themes of race, class and sisterhood to discuss
- Readers who do not mind tracking several timelines
- You want a fast, tightly plotted thriller
- Split timelines and alternating narrators tend to lose you
- You prefer a grounded, believable mystery
What owners like
- Strong sense of atmosphere and a vivid picture of elite campus life
- Thoughtful handling of race, identity and privilege
- Clear, readable prose and some well placed twists
Common complaints
- Multiple timelines and points of view are hard to keep straight
- Pacing drags, especially in the middle
- The two sisters' voices are hard to tell apart
- The secret society can feel over the top and hard to believe
- Does not stand out much from other campus thrillers
Based on A Publishers Weekly review, a Kirkus feature on the Reese's Book Club pick, and reviews on Bookishelf, Under the Radar Books and Lesser Joke.
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
- Dec 2024
First bought.
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
A debut thriller about a woman looking into her younger sister's death at Princeton and the exclusive social club they both joined.
- Debut novel set at Princeton during a college reunion and graduation weekend
- Told across past and present timelines from two sisters' points of view
- Centers on an exclusive campus social club and the people around it
- Explores race and privilege through biracial Black and Asian characters
- Author is a Princeton graduate with a screenwriting MFA from USC
Worth a look for readers who enjoy dark academia and campus thrillers with a focus on race, privilege and sisterhood. Critics credit its atmosphere and its portrait of an elite campus, but several reviews found the shifting timelines confusing and the middle slow, so readers after a tightly plotted thriller may come away frustrated.
How it compares
Specs
- Author
- Lauren Ling Brown
- Publisher
- Bantam (Random House)
- Published
- October 1, 2024
- Pages
- 384
- Formats
- Hardcover, paperback, large print paperback and digital audio
- ISBN
- 059372335X (9780593723357)
- Genre
- Thriller, dark academia
- Book club
- Reese's Book Club pick, October 2024
Questions
Is Society of Lies a Reese's Book Club pick?
Yes. It was the Reese's Book Club pick for October 2024.
How long is Society of Lies?
The hardcover runs 384 pages.
Is Society of Lies part of a series?
No. It is a standalone debut novel.
Where is Society of Lies set?
Mostly at Princeton University, moving between the present and the sisters' college years.
Sources
- Parnassus Books: Society of Lies
- Publishers Weekly: Society of Lies
- Kirkus: Society of Lies Is New Reese's Book Club Pick
- Bookishelf: Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
- Under the Radar Books: Society of Lies review
- Lesser Joke: Society of Lies review
Researched 2026-10-01. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.