The Society - power, privilege, and dark secrets meet in an exclusive club for Boston's elite.

Taylor Adams is a nurse living in Boston having left her home in North Carolina to find herself. When Vivian Lawrence is admitted to the hospital where Taylor works, she becomes intrigued by her new patient. Vivan seems to have everything she lacks - money, style, and social standing. Taylor is determined to learn all she can about Vivian, who has a traumatic brain injury after a suspicious fall. While Vivian remains in an induced coma, it's revealed that she is an antiques dealer in tony Beacon Hill and is facing financial difficulties. Prior to her accident, she had been trying to uncover secrets related to the Knox, an ultra-exclusive, members-only social club. Taylor's curiosity about Vivian also draws her to the Knox, where its dark secrets put both women in danger. 

This is Karen Winn's second novel. Her debut, Our Little World, was a moving coming-of-age story. Her new book, The Society, is vastly different, showing her impressive range. The Knox is a character unto itself. It is a secretive place few people have been allowed to enter, filled with rare artwork, antiques, hidden rooms and secret passageways. Winn cleverly gives it a "voice." I was fully invested in knowing its mysteries as Taylor begins to unravel the truth about the club and what may have happened to Vivian, who has disappeared from the hospital. The world of power and privilege becomes increasingly sinister. At almost 500 pages, I flew through this page-turner.

Many thanks to Dutton for the advance.

4.25 out of 5 stars.

Mystery Thriller | Suspense.

Publication Date: January 20, 2026.

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