Step inside the concealed world of secret societies with a guide that helps you recognise their presence, understand their aims, and trace the marks they leave behind. 
 
Field Guide to Secret Societies examines the stories behind a wide range of organisations—some famous, some obscure, and some downright dangerous—revealing how these organizations formed, how they operate, and why people were—and still are—drawn to them. 
 
To make sense of this hidden landscape, you’ll discover: 

• Clear profiles of more than 50 societies, from the Freemasons and Rosicrucians to the Bohemian Club and the Knights Templar. 
• Concise explanations of their origins, leadership, secrecy techniques, rituals, and real-world impact. 
• Visual cues and identifying features that help readers recognize signs of secret-society activity in everyday life.  
• Atmospheric illustrations that bring each organization’s character and history to life. 

Some societies are still active, others have vanished, and many sit somewhere in between. Equally, some are harmless whereas others pose a threat—but whether that threat is real or imaginary will be up to the you to judge...
 
For anyone fascinated by what lies behind the façade of everyday life, this guide offers a fresh way to see the world and the hidden societies woven through it.

Tim Dedopulos is a writer, editor and game designer with nearly 100 published works to his name in fiction and non-fiction, from horror and SFF to history, puzzles and popular culture. His books include Symbolism, The Brotherhood, The Book of Wizards, The Great Global Treasure Hunt on Google Earth, Spock's Logic Puzzles, You Are (Not) Deadpool and the bestselling The Sherlock Holmes Puzzle Collection. Tim lives in Spain with his wife and three cats.

Introduction

Chapter 1: Politics
Hellfire Club; Committee of 300; Illuminati; Skull & Bones; Round Table Movement; Council on Foreign Relations; Bilderberg Group; The Trilateral Commission

Chapter 2: Religion
Knights Templar; The Khlysty; Dönmeh; Knights of Seth; Knights of Columbus; Opus Dei; Kereke ya Sephiri; Order of the Solar Temple

Chapter 3: The Occult
Poro/Sande Societies; The Ancient Order of Druids; Society of the Horseman’s Word; Abakuá; Societas Rosicruciana In Anglia; Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn; Order Templi Orientis; Odin Brotherhood; Illuminates of Thanateros

Chapter 4: Education
The School of Night; Rosicrucians; Bullingdon Club; The Apostles; Scroll and Key; Ancient Order of Freesmiths; The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry; Seven Society

Chapter 5: Crime
Sicarii; Assassins; Thuggee; Ninja; Yakuza; Mafia; Knights of Liberty; Molly Maguires; Veiled Prophet Organization

Chapter 6: Philanthropy
Freemasons; Knights of Pythias; The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; United Order of the Golden Cross; Royal Arcanum; Knights of the Maccabees; Grand Order of Water Rats; Order of Chaeronea

Index
Picture credits
Acknowledgements