THE ELEPHANT IN THE IVY

Greengaard offers a caper novel that trades gravitas for gleeful mischief on an Ivy League campus.

Alison Ashe isn’t your typical Bauer College student—she’s a member of an underground organization engaged in elaborate campus intrigue. When her faction faces off against rival students in a high-stakes game involving drops, surveillance, and theatrical subterfuge, Alison must navigate betrayals, compromised communications, and the emotional toll of deception. The stakes escalate when she stages an elaborate three-week friend breakup with her closest ally, Paige Hall, to lure their enemies into a trap during a student production of Hamlet. Amid ice-cream runs, Alison discovers that espionage requires the same skills she’s honed as an actor: adaptability, trust, and the ability to think on her feet—and all the while, she relies on an Elvis Costello-lyric mantra (“My aim is true”). Greengaard balances lighthearted campus hijinks with genuine emotional stakes in this novel. The prose moves briskly, favoring snappy dialogue and quick scene changes that mirror the frenetic pace of student life. Although the spy-game mechanics require some suspension of disbelief—with ketchup packets used for fake blood and the trapdoors used on theater stages—the author leans into the absurdity with evident affection for campus novels and espionage thrillers alike. Alison emerges as an appealing protagonist whose anxiety and determination feel authentic, despite the heightened circumstances. The supporting cast, and particularly the irrepressible Paige, provide warmth and humor. References to indie rock and theatrical traditions add texture, and the resolution satisfies while leaving room for character growth.

An entertaining romp that celebrates friendship, performance, and the controlled chaos of university life.