Book Review: The Ancient Nine | Ian K. Smith

A twisty mysterious ride through the depths of the Harvard libraries and the best local spots in Cambridge, I absolutely had a blast reading The Ancient Nine! If you’re a fan of mysteries and secret societies, like the Da Vinci Code and the Skulls, you will not want to miss picking this book up. This read flew by for me! I was completely engrossed in the story, and it had a good mix of history and details about the campus (Harvard) and town (Cambridge) to make it feel completely authentic. It even had a little romance! You will be completely hooked by chapter two!

What is The Ancient Nine about?

In the fall of 1988 Spenser Collins is a sophomore at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Spenser is an unlikely prospect for Harvard—a black male from the south side of Chicago raised by a single mother, and he’s one heck of a basketball player.

Spenser is best friends with Dalton Winthrop, a legacy at Harvard coming from a long lineage of Winthrops to grace those hallowed grounds. Dalton has the looks, the money, and the name to show his belonging at Harvard.

When Spenser is punched to join one of Harvard’s most exclusive clubs, the Delphic Club, both Spenser and Dalton are stunned. Sure, Spenser is smart, athletic, and a good person, but he’s also black, poor, and doesn’t have the “pedigree” that a club like the Delphic would usually look for.

As Spenser begins his journey with the Delphic, Dalton tells him of another secret—a club within the club called the Ancient Nine. No one outside of the Ancient Nine are sure of its existence, but Dalton may know more than most. His great-uncle was in the Delphic Club, and something Dalton has seen at his house makes him sure he is one of the Ancient Nine.

Desperate to know what the Ancient Nine was formed to protect—the club’s greatest secrets—Dalton and Spenser seek answers. Combing through the rarest books at Harvard, centuries-old newspapers in the library archives, and clandestine meetings with former members, Spenser and Dalton begin to discover that the secrets of the Delphic may be darker than they ever imagined. Now, they must discover the truth before they become the Delphic’s next secret…

What did I think of The Ancient Nine?

Most people can guess by the name of my blog (It’s Ph.Diva!) that I’m a life-long student and learner. So much of my identity is wrapped up in being a student and a member of academic tradition. A book like The Ancient Nine was an absolute delight for me to read. I have found myself on some seemingly doomed hunts through microfilm archives and crumbling books to find that needle in a haystack article (though the articles I seek rarely refer to a mysterious death).

Smith’s writing is so detailed that it was easy to picture all of the settings in this novel. I felt like I took a trip to Harvard myself. I loved the amount of historical information about the campus and the town that was sprinkled throughout. It made me feel like a part of the story, envisioning those late night greasy diners with the best cheesesteak in Cambridge, or the underground tunnel with study rooms where Dalton and Spenser meet to speak in private about their quest.

And then there is a bit of romance! Enter Ashley, a girl working at the University to get herself through community college. Spenser is instantly smitten, but Ashley keeps him at arms length. He’s a Harvard boy, and she can’t imagine he’d ever fall for a girl from the wrong side of town. I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say that Ashley may be underestimating our friend, Spenser! I think Spenser may surprise her with his persistence and authenticity. I loved these moments with Ashley and at basketball practice when we see Spenser being a regular college student. They grounded the story in a way that was needed for it to feel believable.

I hope that you get a chance to read this one if it strikes your interest! Expect a LOT of great libraries, some pretty ancient books, and a fun mystery!