Very Slowly All at Once

Never lie to each other. Never cheat on each other. And never, ever accept free money.

‘Had me hooked from the first wicked word to the last. A delicious treat’ Louise Candlish

‘Tense, pacy’ Guardian

‘Devilishly twisted debut which I could not put down’ Gillian McAllister

'A must read' Marie Claire

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Mack and Hailey Evans appear to have it all. Successful careers, a beautiful family, and a magnificent new house.

But modern life is expensive. So when anonymous payments start arriving, they are spent before they know it. Could this money be from Mack's estranged father? Or one of Hailey's clients? Does it really matter?

All too soon they realise that their mysterious benefactor expects a return on their investment. And the price is far steeper than they could have imagined …

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‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. What an adrenaline packed ride’ Cesca Major

'[A] Tense novel about greed and denial' The i Paper

‘The diabolical premise at the center will keep you guessing until the very end’ Sarina Bowen

‘Sharp, witty and twisted – a car crash of the American Dream in slo-mo, and I loved every second!’ Liane Child

‘Twisty thriller… holding the reader spellbound as these lives unravel. It’s a cracking read’ The People's Friend

‘A pacy, high stakes debut that keeps you guessing until the very last page’ Andi Osho

‘A gripping, refreshing read’ Emily Elgar

READERS ARE GRIPPED …

'The suspense and tension was built brilliantly. That simmering unease always there' ★★★★★

'A completely original plot … I love, love, loved it!' ★★★★★

'Sharp, unsettling and thoroughly addictive' ★★★★★

'Lingers long after the final page' ★★★★★

Reviews

‘Tense, twisty and witty, this is a domestic thriller with some innovative aspects and a knack for flawed characters’ CrimeTime

‘It's tough to keep readers guessing, but this twisty ride pulls it off seamlessly’ Crime Monthly

‘Brisk pacing, clever red herrings, and haunting denouement’ Publishers Weekly

‘An excellent novel that gathers pace with great success’ The Critic

‘Impressive debut… cleverly plotted for fans of domestic suspense and ‘eat the rich’ narratives’ Booklist review

‘A cracking read’ The People's Friend

‘Carries a strong sense of horrific dread… carries a slow intensity’ Bestsellers World

Featured as 10 Most-Anticipated Mystery-Thriller Books 2026, Marie Claire

Featured as 10 debut fiction books by women to read in 2026, Stylist

Featured as Spring 2026 Most Anticipated List, Zibby Media

About the author

Lauren Schott is a freelance editor and ghostwriter with over 20 years experience in book and magazine publishing. She was a literary agent in New York and London for 15 years and has written children’s books published by Scholastic and Orion. She was born and raised in Ohio but now lives in Henley with her husband and two children.