by Hal Ebbott
First published 2025
The host turns fifty-two this autumn weekend, and two families who have shared three decades of friendship converge on his comfortable New York country house. The wives and husbands know each other's rhythms. Their teenage daughters have practically grown up as sisters. The familiar rituals of drinks and dinners should unfold as they always have. But this time, something shifts beneath the surface of their carefully maintained world. Envy and resentment that have been quietly building suddenly boil over into an act that cannot be undone. The betrayal sends shock waves through both families. Accusations fly. Denials follow. Trust crumbles between spouses, parents and children, friends who thought they knew everything about each other. The weekend exposes the fragile foundations these families have built their lives upon, revealing how quickly their polished existence can fracture when the truth emerges.
Genres: drama, literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, contemporary, psychological-thriller, family-drama
Vibes: dark, emotionally-charged, intimate, introspective, tense, thought-provoking
Tropes: hidden-resentment, point-of-no-return, social-facade, unreliable-relationships
Setting: New York
Period: Contemporary
320 pages · Paperback · Riverhead Books
Content warnings: emotional-abuse