The Found Object Society - by Michelle Maryk

Book Synopsis

An atmospheric speculative suspense novel following a mysterious society offering its members the chance to relive the death of another person--and the self-destructive woman determined to uncover its secrets

This ambitious, genre-bending debut is perfect for fans of time-travel fiction including Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and Gareth Brown's The Book of Doors

For twenty years, Greta Davenport has lived with the guilt of surviving the accident that killed her parents. She's tested the limits of her own mortality ever since, but little gives her the dopamine rush she craves. Not until the night she almost drunkenly crashes her car into a tree, and a peculiar blank card slides under her front door--an invitation to the Found Object Society. What she discovers there is beyond comprehension: an opulent, subterranean playground filled with aisles of objects from different eras and regions of the world. Pick an object and go on a voyage to relive the final moments of the person who died holding it, along with an unparalleled, irreplicable high. Greta's hooked, but she can't quiet her questions about the society and its enigmatic creators, the answers to which have implications far beyond her growing dependence on the voyages. Death is addictive, and what she uncovers will put her entire life into question.

A fever dream of a novel with episodic, time-traveling chapters told from multiple points of view, The Found Object Society examines the depraved whims of the ultrarich and the breadth of unresolved trauma--all while asking how grief and the choices we make in its aftermath can change the course of our lives. Michelle Maryk's wholly original and ambitious debut opens an impeccably wrought speculative world of greed, power, and destiny.

Review Quotes

"Unsettling. Propulsive. Sexy. The Found Object Society offers its protagonist, and readers, the ultimate thrill ride: the chance to experience death without dying. With lush, gorgeous prose, Michelle Maryk unspools a confident meditation on privilege, addiction, and grief. Do not miss this incredible debut." --Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat

"Wickedly smart and wildly creative, The Found Object Society pulses with dark wit. Michelle Maryk spins a seductive tale that's equal parts speculative thrill ride and emotional excavation, delivering a gripping, moving page-turner. This is a suspenseful, addictive must-read!" --Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftover Woman and Searching for Sylvie Lee

"Compelling and wholly original, the conceit at the center of The Found Object Society--that the rich can experience the death of an individual through the object they last touched--is so juicy it almost feels impossible that the book could also explore the complex emotional, personal world of grief. And yet, Maryk has managed to do it all. This novel is a winner." --Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters

"This feverish tinderbox of a novel simmers with suspense, fueled by Greta, a brazen heroine desperately seeking the truth to her dark past. Maryk has concocted a gripping read, one that does a deep dive into questions surrounding mortality and culpability, money and madness, wrapped up in a unique, brilliantly written novel that kept me gasping for air." --Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen

"The Found Object Society is a mind-bendingly brilliant exploration of the nature of grief, the seductions of liminal experiences, and how alternate reality can renew, deepen, and destroy us. Addictive and beautifully rendered . . . Michelle Maryk has written one hell of a novel." --Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Puzzle Master

"An unforgettable debut with a premise so irresistible you'll be hooked from the first chapter. The Found Object Society unfolds through multiple stories, each one a vital piece of a larger puzzle, and builds to a mind-boggling twist ending that reframes everything that came before. Multifaceted, intricate, and impossible to put down." --Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls

"Michelle Maryk's debut novel, The Found Object Society, begins with a stunner of a premise when Greta Davenport is offered the chance to experience death without dying. The Found Object Society is a compelling story as much as it is an exploration of regret, mortality, and the flawed nature of the human heart. A stunning debut novel." --Danielle Girard, USA Today bestselling author of Pinky Swear

"Michelle Maryk demonstrates her versatility and virtuosity in this genre-blending book that defies categorization. Razor-sharp observations, mordant humor, and a surprising plot make this one of the most daring and original books I've ever read. If you love secret societies and are convinced the death drive powers us all, you'll be obsessed with The Found Object Society, a rare book that combines wisdom and spine-tingling chills." --Ashley Winstead, USA Today bestselling author of Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

"Like classic Tales from the Crypt with a dash of The Substance, Michelle Maryk's genre-bending and original debut takes you on a ride through the darkest depths of voyeurism with a new take on addiction. The Found Object Society will have readers wondering what price they'd be willing to pay for the ultimate trip." --Vera Kurian, Edgar Award nominee for Never Saw Me Coming

"The Found Object Society hits the target as both an engrossing speculative tale where a select few can experience the death of another human being and a profound study of trauma and loss. It made me think hard about the extent people will go to escape emotional pain and the irresistible urge to change the dynamics of our own humanity. Inventive and wholly original, fans of Matt Haig will devour." --Wendy Walker, bestselling author of All is Not Forgotten

"The Found Object Society is a speculative novel for our new world, one in which we are so spoiled by the access we're granted with technology, we've become bored with reality. A deft satire of the ultra-wealthy and an irreverent love letter to New York City, Maryk shows us that in a world of billionaires taking thrill rides to space, the final frontier, truly, is our own mortality. But how closely can we brush with death before it consumes us entirely? Don't be fooled by the dark humor or the addictive pace of The Found Object Society--underneath there beats a warm, grief-stricken heart." --Melissa Larsen, USA Today bestselling author of The Lost House

"The Starless Sea meets The Lost Apothecary in Michelle Maryk's nuanced and ambitious debut. The Found Object Society is a richly drawn story of loss, grief, and humanity's obsession with death, told through the eyes of a plucky protagonist I won't soon forget." --Tessa Wegert, author of Death in the Family

"Rendered in a whirl of rich imagery and lush prose and featuring an utterly captivating narrative voice, The Found Object Society is a triumph of a novel. This speculative marvel deftly explores questions of mortality, regret, and desire while doubling as a sly interrogation of wealth and privilege. Michelle Maryk is an author to watch." --Greg Wands, internationally bestselling coauthor of Trust Issues

"In The Found Object Society, Michelle Maryk brilliantly executes an intriguing premise: What if you could experience someone else's death without dying? For Greta, the story's memorable protagonist, the answer is both thrilling and profound. Utterly enthralling, deftly plotted, and wholly original, The Found Object Society has all the makings of a major breakout book. I loved it." --Laura McHugh, award-winning author of What's Done in Darkness

"The Found Object Society is a sly, subversive exploration of our obsession with death. The intriguing concept of Maryk's speculative suspense debut is as utterly unique as her audacious protagonist. A profound yet pacey ride you won't soon forget!" --K. T. Nguyen, Agatha Award-winning author of You Know What You Did

"From the moment I heard the premise of The Found Object Society, I wanted to read this book, and it did not disappoint. The addictive pull to the Found Object Society that drives the main characters to the brink of self-destruction is palpable, but as delightfully surreal as the concept is, the questions Michelle Maryk explores about grief and regret are grounded and so human. A truly original book that focuses not on the why of death but on why we can't look away." --Jennifer Fawcett, author of Beneath the Stairs

"A roller-coaster speculative novel that keeps you guessing, Michelle Maryk's sharply crafted debut kept me intrigued until the final page turn. Evocative, unafraid of big questions, and entertaining as heck, Maryk shines brightly with this novel." --Alex Segura, bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity and Alter Ego

"The Found Object Society is a master class in speculative suspense, an intricately woven story that will stay with you for a long time." --Sarah Lawton, author of All the Little Things and A Drowning Tide

"A sexy, speculative thriller! In her imaginative debut novel, Maryk has invented an elite secret society that allows her to explore the universal desire for love, purpose, and meaning in the shadow of mortality--our own and that of those we love most. A moving rumination on the power of regret, and the promise of second chances, as well as the surprising ways both can rewrite our fate." --Sarah Tomlinson, author of The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers

"The Found Object Society is a mind-wreck in the very best way. Wholly original and intoxicatingly hypnotic, Maryk's debut will sweep you into a lush and dangerous world where nothing is as it seems. Prepare to be spellbound." --Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told

"The Midnight Library meets death tourism in Michelle Maryk's dark and spellbinding debut. A secret society offers its wealthy members a one-of-a-kind experience: a glimpse into someone else's final moments. Like the society's voyeuristic patrons, I found myself completely riveted, unable to look away. The Found Object Society is a wild ride." --Allison Buccola, author of The Ascent

About the Author

Michelle Maryk graduated from Cornell University with a degree in English and attended the Yale Writer's Workshop. For the better part of twenty-five years, she's been a successful voiceover, on-camera commercial, and comedic actor, and she is a dual Swedish and US citizen. The Found Object Society is her debut novel.