by Edan Lepucki
First published 2017
Lady Daniels needs space from her husband and help with her children while she writes her memoir. She places a Craigslist ad for a nanny and hires S, a young artist who moves into the guest house behind Lady's Hollywood Hills home. S takes care of toddler Devin and watches teenage son Seth while Lady works. The arrangement starts well. S charms the whole family and becomes Lady's friend. But summer heat brings trouble when S grows close to Seth in ways that worry Lady. Both women hide secrets about their pasts and their real reasons for this living situation. S has her own agenda for taking the job. Lady protects family secrets that could destroy her marriage. Their careful dance around the truth puts everything at risk. The polished surface of Lady's wealthy life starts to crack. Each woman's deceptions threaten what matters most to them.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, secrets, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Hollywood Hills
12 pages · Audio CD · Random House Audio