Man of the Year
-
-
3.7 • 32 Ratings
-
-
- $1.99
Publisher Description
A darkly compelling psychological thriller by “a remarkable new voice to watch” (J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author), this sinister debut novel follows a celebrated small-town doctor whose carefully curated life begins to unravel when his fragile ego is threatened.
Dr. Robert Hart has just been named Sag Harbor’s Man of the Year. From the outside, his life appears flawless: a thriving medical practice, a prestigious home, a new wife, and a son finally living up to expectations. When Jonah’s troubled college roommate needs a place to stay for the summer, Robert and his wife offer their guesthouse—an act of generosity that allows Robert to bask in admiration and control.
But when Robert suspects the young man of crossing boundaries with his wife, cracks form in his polished façade. Small lies multiply, paranoia takes hold, and Robert’s need to dominate every situation pushes him into a dangerous downward spiral. As his sense of entitlement curdles into obsession, the consequences ripple outward, threatening to destroy his family, his reputation, and the people closest to him.
Told with chilling precision and building tension, this slow-burn psychological thriller exposes the corrosive power of ego, the violence beneath respectability, and the truths only the women around Robert may be able to see—if he’s capable of facing them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Physician Robert Hart, the narrator of Walker's searing debut, has a beautiful wife, Elizabeth, who teaches at Stony Brook; he's reconnecting with his college-age son, Jonah, who for once is spending the summer with him in Sag Harbor, N.Y., instead of with his ex-wife; and he has just won the township's Citizen of the Year award. However, all is not well in the Hart home. Jonah's college roommate Nick Carpenter, whose parents died when he was young, is staying in their guest house, and the cynical Robert suspects, with little evidence, that Nick and Elizabeth are having an affair. As a result, Robert takes highly questionable steps to keep the two separated. After a shocking event, Robert frantically begins covering his tracks, desperate to keep his life's carefully constructed veneer of respectability intact. There are more than a few surprising twists in store in this smart, subtly menacing novel of suspense. Walker is a writer to watch.
Customer Reviews
Ok read
This is a long labored, kind of “who done it”. I lost interest about half way through. The story line was good, but kept getting lost in the words. I found myself saying “get a move on” and had to make a real effort to finish. Ok read, just not for me.
Gripping until the last page.
I absolutely loved this book. The exploration of the characters, the twists and turns, the delectable writing. When is her next book coming out?