Author: Karen Winn
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 480
Date of Publication: January 20, 2026
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
Rumors about the Knox and its influence have swirled through Boston for centuries. While some believe the secret society is merely an elite social club, others are convinced it hides something more sinister...
Vivian Lawrence was born into old-money Boston, but when her family fortune vanishes, so does her carefully curated life. Desperate, she turns to an old family legend about ties to the Knox and its inheritance, seeking a way into the exclusive secret society. She doesn’t expect that entry to come in the form of Peter, a Knox insider with movie star good looks and just enough roughness to his charm to make Vivian truly weak in the knees for the first time in her life.
Far from Boston’s glittering elite is newcomer Taylor Adams, a young nurse eager to leave her humble past behind. When the effortlessly glamorous Vivian lands in her ER after a suspicious fall, Taylor is instantly captivated. But then Vivian abruptly disappears without a trace, sending Taylor on a search for answers that pulls her into the Knox itself—as their new employee.
The further Taylor ventures into the Knox’s world of unimaginable wealth and dark history, the more the mystery of Vivian deepens. As Taylor will soon discover, more so than wealth or status, secrets are the society's true currency.
Vivian Lawrence was born into old-money Boston, but when her family fortune vanishes, so does her carefully curated life. Desperate, she turns to an old family legend about ties to the Knox and its inheritance, seeking a way into the exclusive secret society. She doesn’t expect that entry to come in the form of Peter, a Knox insider with movie star good looks and just enough roughness to his charm to make Vivian truly weak in the knees for the first time in her life.
Far from Boston’s glittering elite is newcomer Taylor Adams, a young nurse eager to leave her humble past behind. When the effortlessly glamorous Vivian lands in her ER after a suspicious fall, Taylor is instantly captivated. But then Vivian abruptly disappears without a trace, sending Taylor on a search for answers that pulls her into the Knox itself—as their new employee.
The further Taylor ventures into the Knox’s world of unimaginable wealth and dark history, the more the mystery of Vivian deepens. As Taylor will soon discover, more so than wealth or status, secrets are the society's true currency.
MY THOUGHTS:
There are three distinct voices in this riveting novel by Karen Winn: Vivian Lawrence, reeling after the loss of her family inheritance; Taylor Adams, a young nurse struggling to find her footing in life; and The Knox itself—a private club in Beacon Hill, Massachusetts, with rigid membership rules and secrets embedded deep within its walls. Each of these voices, including the building, is vividly realized and plays a powerful role in the story.
Vivian’s place in the narrative unfolds after a devastating fall leaves her in an induced coma due to a traumatic brain injury. Through a dual timeline, readers are taken into Vivian’s past, where her fierce determination to uncover what truly happened behind the walls of The Knox becomes clear. Even in absence, her presence drives the mystery forward.
Taylor’s story takes place in the present. Having moved from Tennessee to Boston, she lands a solid job as an ER nurse. In her previous position, Taylor sometimes struggled with boundaries when it came to patient care, and those instincts resurface when Vivian is brought into the ER. Although her professional role ends when Vivian leaves the hospital, Taylor can’t stop thinking about her—especially after discovering that a key belonging to Vivian has somehow ended up in her pocket. Fueled by curiosity and concern, Taylor begins to investigate Vivian’s life, slowly uncovering the dark history of The Knox. Whether in the past or the present, both women are inexorably drawn to the club and its long-buried secrets.
What an intriguing and immersive story. At nearly 500 pages, The Society is surprisingly impossible to put down. I was completely invested in what each woman would discover, as well as in the unsettling presence of The Knox itself—how it felt as its secrets were revealed. As a Bostonian, I especially appreciated the incorporation of old Boston history, including the exploration of how the opium trade shaped the city’s early development. Although I don’t typically read paranormal fiction, I was also drawn into the historical treatment of necromancy, which added another fascinating layer to the narrative.
I read for the edification of experience, not just enjoyment. The Society delivers that while keeping the suspense taut throughout. Despite some mixed ratings, this atmospheric, shadowy novel earns a full five stars from me. It’s haunting, layered, and impossible to put down.
Many thanks to Dutton and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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