Dalton Winthrop knows firsthand that the Delphic doesn't offer memberships to just anyone. His great-uncle is one of their oldest living members, and Dalton grew up on stories of the club's rituals. But why is his uncle so cryptic about the Ancient Nine, a shadowy group of alums whose identities are unknown and whose power is absolute? They protect the Delphic's darkest and oldest secrets―including what happened to a student who sneaked into the club's stately brick mansion in 1927 and was never seen again.
A hybrid narrative that brings together action, intrigue, history, longstanding secrets, and the fascinating world of secret societies...holds a plethora of secrets and keeps readers glued to the story because every new revelation brings with it an entirely new set of questions...there is a bit of overwriting. Smith has a tendency to go into tangential subjects and stay there for too long...a nuanced narrative about a secretive world, and entering it is a gripping, satisfying experience.
All the makings of a superb thriller. Author Ian K. Smith draws on his own experience with the Harvard final clubs, injecting authenticity into every rich layer.
[An] enticing if formulaic thriller...a predictable destination...Those seeking an inside look at an Ivy League secret society will get their money’s worth.
