Lucien

Even among the wit and wealth of Harvard’s freshman class, there’s something special about Lucien Alexandre Orsini-Conti, the charismatic enigma at the heart of this addictive thriller from Thornton (Beautiful Country). Lucien is precisely the sort of person who exacerbates the imposter syndrome of his randomly assigned roommate, Christopher Novotny, an awkward Baltimore scholarship student who’s rich only in artistic talent. But Lucien takes Christopher under his wing, rebranding him as the more sophisticated-sounding “Atlas.” Soon he’s lending Atlas his bespoke wardrobe, giving him a glimpse of a glittering social world he never dreamed existed, and even orchestrating his campaign to join the exclusive Hasty Pudding Club. When Atlas finds himself in dire financial straits, Lucien manipulates him into painting a forgery that he offers to sell to a Boston gallery for a hefty cut. As cracks form in Lucien’s fabulous facade and the pair’s lives spiral out of control, Thornton’s well-oiled plot threatens to tip into melodrama. He saves the day with granular detail about life in the Ivy League and keen observations on the elaborate yet empty gestures of Lucien’s social circle. The result is a wild ride readers won’t soon forget. Agent: Alice Whitwham, Cheney Agency. (Mar.)