Description
Description
A propulsive and wickedly entertaining debut thriller for fans of Laura Dave and Ashley Elston that explores the dark underside of the American dream, about a couple whose financial problems are seemingly answered when they begin receiving growing sums of money from an unknown source . . . a windfall that will carry an unthinkable price.
Mack and Hailey Evans have worked hard to achieve their upper-middle-class life: promising careers, two beautiful children, and a brand-new house in the exclusive lakefront village of Bratenahl, Ohio. Not that everything's perfect--aging parents, problems at work, and even the upkeep on that gorgeous house have been causing these two increasing amounts of worry.
When a small check appears in the mailbox from a mysterious company named Sunshine Enterprises, Mack assumes it's from his wealthy, estranged father, trying to buy his way back into their lives. Though he'd rather rip it up, Mack deposits the needed funds. To his surprise the checks keep coming--each for a larger amount larger than the last. When Hailey finds out what's going on, she has her own suspicions about the provenance of the payments. Despite growing uncertainty over the identity of their benefactor Mack and Hailey keep taking the money. After all, there are bills to pay.
It is a choice with dark repercussions, as the couple soon learn the hard way that nothing in life is free. Suddenly, the Evans find themselves in a harrowing arrangement with someone who will stop at nothing to get a return on their investment.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"Editor and ghostwriter Schott's unsettling debut follows a family struggling to keep up appearances in a wealthy Cleveland suburb... Though it becomes increasingly difficult to root for Hailey and Mack as their misdeeds escalate, Schott's brisk pacing, clever red herrings, and haunting denouement save the day. It's an auspicious first effort." -- Publisher's Weekly
"A must-read that ultimately begs the question of just how far any of us would go to hang onto the so-called American Dream." -- Marie Claire
"This tense, pacy debut novel is a cautionary tale about living beyond one's means... Schott cleverly keeps things just the right side of plausible as the Evans's lives spin out of control, and paranoia and desperation take hold." -- The Guardian (UK)
"Schott draws the snares satisfyingly tight all the way to a fragile conclusion." -- The Irish Times
"[Schott] her thriller debut with this unsettling, often darkly comedic cautionary tale of ambition gone awry. Schott skillfully keeps tensions nerve-janglingly high as Mack and Hailey become increasingly desperate to figure out who's tormenting them, all the while striving to maintain their glossy we-belong-in-Bratenahl facade. Plausible suspects menacingly lurk in the background as Hailey laments, 'How did this happen to us?' and a mysterious narrator hints at what can happen when people move on up--and into situations beyond their control." -- BookPage
"It's tough to keep readers guessing, but this twisty ride pulls it off seamlessly." -- Crime Monthly (UK)
"Crafty, intricate, and suspenseful! ... a gritty, absorbing tale... The prose is tight and intense. The characters are secretive, ruthless, and impulsive. And the plot is an intriguing web of twists, turns, lies, deception, power, corruption, revelations, ambition, and manipulation. Overall, Very Slowly All at Once is a cunning, entertaining, sinister adult debut novel that is a highly satisfying read and an eerie reminder of just how far some people are willing to go to get what they want." -- What's Better Than Books
"You're living way beyond your means, marriage on the brink, you've just lost your job, when checks for large sums of money start showing up anonymously in the mail. What do you do? That's the premise of Very Slowly All at Once, Lauren Schott's devilishly twisted debut which I could not put down." - Gillian McAllister, New York Times bestselling author of Famous Last Words and Wrong Place Wrong Time
"A book that asks: What is the cost of your family's happiness? The diabolical premise at the center will keep you guessing until the very end." - Sarina Bowen, author of Dying to Meet You and The Five Year Lie
"I devoured this gripping, tense read in two sittings staying up long past my bedtime in my, thankfully, intact home. As their suburban lives seem to be crumbling around them I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. What an adrenaline packed ride. A fabulous debut. Lauren Schott is going to be a thriller writer to watch." - Cesca Major, author of Maybe Next Time
"A gripping, refreshing read. I kept having to close the book and ask myself, 'What would I do if that was me?' I fear I'd cash the cheque!" - Emily Elgar, author of Private Lives and The Herd
"This book is a blast! Domestic suspense, cautionary tale and crime caper rolled into one, it had me hooked from the first wicked word to the last. A delicious treat." - Louise Candlish, internationally bestselling author of A Neighbour's Guide to Murder and Our Holiday
"Sharp, witty and twisted--a car crash of the American Dream in slo-mo, and I loved every second!" - Liane Child, author of The Tradwife's Secret
"A pacy, high stakes debut that keeps you guessing until the very last page." - Andi Osho, author of Tough Crowd and Asking for a Friend
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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