The Found Object Society: A Novel

by Michelle Maryk

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.

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2026

Reviews

[Lydia]

Alright, this one is bizarre. Let’s start with the big warning: it has many many jolting sexual and creepy moments. However, you can’t deny the writing quality because my goodness did I despise these self-absorbed characters. If you go into this book expecting to dislike basically everyone, then you can just admire the creativity and powerful depiction of addiction. I especially liked the subtle fairy tale tropes. However, I would say based off my book club conversations that there are two possible interpretations for the ending. I think it was intentionally vague, so if you like more concrete conclusions, this book isn’t your cup of tea. The ending I leaned towards made this tale satisfying for me. I would have struggled if the other possible ending was the clear case because it would have felt too “happily ever after” to me personally

[Laura Navarro]

So are you trying to tell me Tupac isn’t dead, he’s just stuck in a paradox in the found object society??????

[Gina Edmister]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I did not want to put it down!
It had just enough suspense to keep me wanting to read more!
And the cliffhanger at the end….I DO HOPE there is a sequel!!

[Lisa Brooke Reads Books]

The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk is a captivating mystery with a unique premise that immediately drew me in. The idea of a mystery society is both creative and intriguing, making it easy to become invested in the story from the very beginning.

I especially enjoyed the sense of anticipation as the mystery unfolded. Each chapter left me eager to discover what would happen next, and the engaging cast of characters kept the story moving at an enjoyable pace. The combination of mystery, atmosphere, and suspense made for a thoroughly entertaining read.

If you enjoy mysteries with an original premise and plenty of intrigue, The Found Object Society is well worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

All reviews reflect my personal opinions.

[Miranda]

I happened upon this by accident on a late evening stroll through the Walmart book aisle. Rejected my absolute need to purchase it until a week later when I saw it again at my local bookstore.

Boy am I PISSED that I picked it up. Holy s**+ did it have me in a chokehold. Without giving any spoilers, it is emotionally gripping and taunting - you’d need to read it to understand if you’ve experienced death in your early years. However, the amount of twists and “wtf” moments I had throughout the book is really what sold me on the full 5 ⭐️ review.

It’s currently 1am and I’ve closed the book after completion. But, the only thing I can think about is how many other directions this could have gone. I have zero regrets reading 200 pages in one sitting just to figure out what happens in the end.

Well done. Thank you for f*cking my brain 🫡

[Cristi R.]

Interesting, exciting and a little spooky.