Set mostly in 1988, this book takes the reader inside Harvard’s final clubs (social clubs not officially recognized by the school) through a multi-layered mystery related to the disappearance of a student in 1927. The protagonist, Spencer Collins, is a pre-med undergraduate basketball player. He is being recruited by the Delphic, an exclusive all-male club with dark secrets. As a person of color from the south side of Chicago, he is not the typical privileged, wealthy, white recruit. Spencer and a friend attempt to solve the multiple mysteries related to the rumored leadership of the club, the titular “Ancient Nine.” Their search for clues becomes an intellectual puzzle, leading them to explore libraries, archives, and ancient texts. I very much enjoyed the cerebral parts of this story; however, it was difficult for me to overlook the numerous scenes that objectified women (bawdy jokes, descriptions of physical attributes, women as “rewards”). If the book had stuck to the mystery, which was interesting and complex, I would have enjoyed it more and rated it higher. Contains sexism, hazing, and underage drinking. Recommended to those that enjoy erudite mysteries.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley in return for a candid review. The expected publication date is September 18, 2018. ( )

Enjoyable book that pulls you into mystery and secret societies but wraps it all up with a nice bow in the last five pages. 3 stars. I enjoyed the reading of it more than the predictable wrap up.
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Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com.

My rating: 4.5 Stars

It is Harvard College in 1988, and there is a secret club that Spenser Collins has been invited to join. It is one of just a handful of secret groups and is called the Delphic Club. Spenser just doesn't get it. This club is so exclusive, and he knows that he doesn't meet the usual criteria. So, he is certain that a mistake has been made. If not a mistake, then most certainly a prank. His friend, Dalton Winthrop, knows quite a lot about the Delphic Club, and helps Spenser to avoid any mistakes that might cause him to lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which is referred to as "punching in".

One thing that comes immediately to light is that the Delphic Club and its members are hiders of secrets, including the mystery of what happened to a student back in 1927. As Dalton uses the knowledge passed onto him by his great-uncle, the two students delve into the secretive history. They do have help from other sources, including old archives. Before long, Spenser learns about another club, which is the actual secret club within a club, and that is the Ancient Nine. This is where the story takes a turn.

The secrets that lie within were deigned to stay hidden forever, but that is not the case any longer, and now Spenser and Dalton's lives are in danger. While this is a fictional story, it is indeed based on actual events. This goes a long way into turning this story into a really superb mystery/thriller. The author is a medical doctor who has written several books about health and nutrition. This is of note because it is more than evident that we have a very seasoned writer who has penned these words. His talent shone through in The Ancient Nine.

It was thrilling to read of these clubs, the secrets and the danger. There is even a love story to be enjoyed. We are also entertained by a lively cast of characters. This is a very well-rounded novel and I am pleased that I was able to spend the day reading this. Be sure to pick up your copy of The Ancient Nine.

Many thanks to St. Martins Press for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. ( )

If you went to Harvard or live in Cambridge, this is a must-read. It's a mystery set in the wealthiest of the Harvard final clubs, the Delphic (a/k/a The Gas), and the student who's been "punched" (invited to audition for membership) is Spenser Collins, a black valedictorian and basketball player from Chicago. He and his friend Dalton, rebellious scion of a wealthy Boston family, are puzzled as to why Spenser is approached by a club that wouldn't usually want someone like him as a member. Their curiosity leads them into the mystery of a group of elders who rule the Gas, a secret treasure room, a mysterious death at the club's mansion, and King James of bible fame. The author, as is his main character, is an African-American doctor who attended Harvard. "Based on real events" is his claim, and the novel is well-written enough to make the reader want to further research the unraveled mystery. ( )

I read Smith's first novel, The Blackbird Papers, and mostly enjoyed it. It wasn't outstanding but it was fun for my beach trip. When his second novel had been released, I was excited to read it. Part of me liked it. Part of me did not.

Some issues I had:

The sexist attitude toward women

This was a huge problem. Rich men get into these exclusive final clubs. Rich men who can buy anything they want: alcohol, jet planes, trips--and women. In the Delphic rush, Spenser makes it to round two, where the would-be-Delphic "boys" (grown men behaving like children, only with alcohol) compete as teams for prizes. One Delphic member draws Spenser aside and shows him the "prize": a dozen women, naked, walking around in high heels. Prostitutes. They've been flown in from all over the place, he informs the astonished Spenser.

Yuck.

It's unclear whether Spenser's uncomfortable. What is clear is that he's not uncomfortable enough to forgo the "prize" when his team wins. He doesn't see that this is exploitation.

Nor does he make the connection between the way he, as a black man, has been treated by society, the way that blacks have been exploited by whites, and this obviously exploitation and objectification of women. He's also not connecting something else: extreme wealth does not help the cause of equality, it perpetuates the problem. These men are juvenile (in the worst possible way), exploit those in lower economic classes, and enjoy all the benefits of wealth without considering the impact on others. Yet Spenser wants to join this club? He wants to be this wealthy?

For a bright guy, he's awfully dim.

Things like this happen throughout the novel. Most isn't as blatant as this. It's the usual "locker room talk": Spenser and Dalton checking out the hot girls, blah, blah, the supposedly harmless type of sexist talk. But it's not harmless.

Spenser does have a slight wake-up call during a meeting of the other African-American Harvard students. He does sense a problem with joining and equality, but he convinces himself that joining the club is the best way to change its attitudes toward race.

He also wakes up to the fact that money can't buy happiness, but that's not until page 270, and he still persists in trying to join the Delphic club. I don't think he ever has any wake-up call about gender inequality, though.

I seriously doubt Smith views women this way. Spenser is young and, frankly, immature. Maybe Smith was trying to make a statement about the objectification of women but didn't know how to convey his own (hopefully) non-sexist attitudes without sacrificing the reality of those clubs.

But.

It's hard--impossible?--for me as a female to ignore this. I know that the book takes place back in the '80s, I know that Spenser is a hormonally-crazed young man, and I know that it's hard to show the prevailing attitude of "boys will be boys" in the final clubs without seeming to condone it.But it would've helped if Spenser had been aware of the issue. He's an outsider. Outsiders can say and see things that insiders can't. So why's he act as clueless as these other men?

Okay, enough of that rant.

Subplots that don't add anything to the story

Spenser's romance with Ashlee and his experiences on the basketball team don't serve any purpose.

Unresolved plot strings

Without mentioning any spoilers, there are certain things that do not add up at the end. As usual, I read the ending first, so I was on the lookout for clues and answers. Some never showed up.

Now for what I did like:

The mystery surrounding Erasmus Abbott's disappearance

We read about this in the prologue.

The mystery about what the Ancient Nine are hiding

It's a bit on the weird side, and I never truly sensed that Spenser's life was endangered, but it's interesting. Why did the Delphic punch Spenser? How does the old former member Jacobs know so much about Spenser's personal background? Why is Spenser being followed as he searches for answers in the Harvard libraries & newspaper?

The newspaper editor

One person who helps Spenser is a young female newspaper editor for the Harvard Crimson. She's overworked, zealous, and willing to ferret out articles that he needs in his search. Honestly, I liked her much more than Ashlee, and I think it might've been more appropriate for Spenser to end up with her.

The insider knowledge of Harvard's final clubs

While I had definite problems with the sexism issue, it's fascinating (but disturbing) to read about these clubs. Smith knows what he's talking about; he went to Harvard and was part of a final club, possibly the Delphic. These men have too much wealth and too much power.

3 stars

This book has some huge issues. But there are things to enjoy about it, particularly if you enjoy modern amateur sleuths solving historical mysteries. ( )