The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
We can’t create a book list featuring secret societies and not include one of Dan Brown’s works. First published in 2009, The Da Vinci Code has sold over 80 million copies and become the blueprint for stories of secret societies. With its intricate web of ancient symbology, history and deadly conspiracy, Brown’s novel has stayed at the top of the thriller genre for a reason.
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon’s trip to Paris is rudely interrupted when he’s pulled into a murder investigation. The curator of the Louvre has just been found dead in the museum, mysterious symbols covering his body. Fortunately, Langdon is just the right man for the job, and he and a French cryptologist get to work trying to decipher the strange writing. Their discoveries, however, far exceed their expectations — and end up uncovering a centuries-old organization that’s hidden in the shadows and, incredibly, some of the most famous paintings in the world.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Featured on both Indigo and Tor’s Most Anticipated SF/F lists for 2022, The Atlas Six is a debut novel that’s climbed the ranks of the NYT bestseller list and charmed thousands. Olivie Blake takes ‘academic rivalry’ to a whole new level with the Alexandrian Society, the world’s most exclusive organization for bright minds and forward thinkers. Members are promised a life of glory and status, thanks to the connections and credentials that the Society offers them. But the price for admission is stiff; the Society only ever recruits 6 new initiates every decade, and not all of them may make it through the year to become full-fledged members.
With six delightfully unscrupulous characters, a deadly competition and a fair bit of magic, The Atlas Six is a mind-bending read sure to have you wishing to join the ranks of the Alexandrian Society — if you can find a way to survive the initiation.
Revelation by Victor Acquista
Victor Acquista’s new release Revelation doesn’t just feature a secret society — it weaves a tapestry of shady organizations, strange conspiracies and ancient mythology, all centered around the secret and exclusive. One of such shady organizations is the Illuminati, the legendary institution said to engineer worldly catastrophes to gain dominion over the population. Against such an imposing foe, it may seem like our protagonist, Serena Mendez, doesn’t stand a chance. But Serena has more than just warrior training and tenacity up her sleeve — she’s connected to what remains of the lost city of Atlantis and its ancient society. With their wisdom and guidance, Serena might just be able to take down the organization that has plagued humanity since the dawn of civilization.
Blending political intrigue and ancient myth with a courageous protagonist reminiscent of Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, Revelation is a sweeping fantasy adventure sure to have you riveted to the page. Read what else we had to say about the novel here.
The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
When Myfanwy Thomas wakes up, she has no idea where she is or where so many dead bodies came from. All memories gone, her only lifeline is a set of instructions left by her past self. The message reveals that she is a Rook, a member of a secret agency that deals with the supernatural threats that endanger Great Britain. But someone in the organization has it out for Myfanwy and has gone to great lengths to take her out of commission — permanently.
It’s no easy task to save yourself when you don’t even know who you are. As Myfanwy struggles to navigate the world around her, author Daniel O’Malley takes the reader on a tour of an alternate London — one that houses all manner of mythical creature and magical threat. But even more dangerous is the secret organization that operates below the surface, with its rogue agents and a deadly conspiracy leaving a trail of bodies in its wake.
The Incrementalists by Steven Brust and Skyler White
Two hundred people make up the exclusive Incrementalists — but it’s not the kind of organization you can simply just join. The society boasts an unbroken lineage over the past 40,000 years, and each new generation inherits the memories from their previous incarnation. With so much knowledge and power at hand, these superhuman beings have made it their mission to help make the world better, however they can. What that “better world” includes, however, is a relative opinion — one that it seems every Incrementalist disagrees on.
It’s in this precarious position that we find Phil, an Incrementalist suddenly at a loss with his partner and the newest iteration she’s become. Volatile and embittered by her most recent death, Celeste abandons the Incrementalists and ends up putting the entire group at risk. Co-authors Steven Brust and Skyler White manage to intertwine the massive scale of their story with the very human struggles that their characters face, creating a both fantastical and painfully relatable story of love, loss and purpose.
The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
This kaleidoscopic New York Times bestseller combines time travel, secret societies and magic to create a captivating tale of two New Yorks and a desperate ploy to restore what’s been lost. A century ago, Manhattan was a bustling hub of magic users until a mysterious group called the Order created the Brink — an incantated barrier that drains magicians of their magic, oftentimes leading to their deaths.
Esta is one of the few remaining Mageus left in the city and uses her unusual gift of time traveling to try and help her fellow magic users. Her latest mission is her most important yet: travel back to the 1900s and steal the Order’s legendary grimoire, hoping to prevent the Brink from being created in the first place. But that means going up against the Order by herself, all while facing the crime and secret organizations that plague Old Manhattan’s underground magic scene. Author Lisa Maxwell jumps seamlessly between the historical and the modern, blending magic seamlessly into the fabric of New York in this enchanting opening to a riveting series.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
No stranger to the New York Times bestseller list, YA fantasy legend Leigh Bardugo has broken into the adult fiction genre with a bang. Set amongst the hallowed halls of Yale University, Ninth House encapsulates the very best of what secret societies have to offer — the mystery, the intrigue, the power. And it’s those very qualities that Galaxy “Alex” Stern has been tasked with uncovering.
A high-school dropout and the sole survivor of a multiple homicide — neither one of these qualities make Alex the perfect candidate for a free ride to Yale. And yet, she’s offered a place at the university and a chance to turn her life around. There’s just one condition — she’s been tasked with discovering more about Yale’s fraternal societies, from Skull and Bones to lesser-known circles that lurk underground. Succeed, and Alex will have all the esteem and opportunities that Yale can bestow. But that means facing a danger far darker, and far more otherworldly, than she ever could have imagined.
