Very Slowly All at Once

by Lauren Schott

Money can’t buy happiness.
But it can buy everything else.

Mack and Hailey Evans are on the cusp of living the American Dream. Established careers, two beautiful children, and a new house on a coveted lakefront estate.

But modern life is expensive, so the anonymous cheques they start to receive 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?

Then they discover that this mysterious benefactor expects a return on their investment. How far will the couple have to go to pay them back?

Debt is like fire, and someone wants to burn Mack and Hailey’s lives down to the ground.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense, Adult

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2026

About the author

Hi, I'm Lauren, author of VERY SLOWLY ALL AT ONCE. I was born in Akron, Ohio, and now live in Henley-on-Thames in the UK with my family. VERY SLOWLY is my adult debut.

Reviews

[Melissa (Always Behind) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Really intriguing idea and then fizzled at the end for me.

The premise of this book is really fascinating. Mack and Hailey buy an expensive newly built home in an exclusive neighborhood. They stretched themselves financially to afford it, but it is their dream home. One day, Mack receives a check in the mail from the mysterious "Sunshine Enterprises," and he assumes that it is probably from his father, who he hasn't seen or spoken to in years. So he cashes the check. And then more checks arrive. But then the mysterious sender asks for "payment" for the generosity, and Mack and Hailey have to decide how far they are willing to go to stay in their home.

I loved the idea of these mysterious payments and the couple trying to figure out where they were coming from and what the person/people wanted from them. However, as the book progressed, it started to get strange and Mack and particular kept making horrible choices. I absolutely did not have any buy in when I found out exactly what was going on, it seemed too ridiculous to me.

But if you like a good domestic drama and can forgive some awful choices, you might enjoy this novel. It's certainly unique!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[suspenseisthrillingme · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

With the deliciously unhinged feel of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House only restyled as a thriller on steroids, Very Slowly All at Once was a slow descent into madness in the best possible way. You see, with a taut atmosphere and plenty of unsettling dread, the fractures in the seemingly perfect lives of the two primary narrators felt both oh so very real yet also quite satirical in nature. Perpetuated by some truly damning decisions, I wanted to shake them both but good all while also understanding their motives. At the same time, it was the plot that had me flying through the pages in only a handful of hours. Twisty, dark, and filled with a fiendish sense of humor, it was easily the kind of debut that I fall for head over heels. After all, the slow-boiling storyline made the unhinged-ness somehow relatable as the protagonists’ lives fell down around them.

All in all, with a plot that was both a cautionary tale and a humdinger of a story of domestic suspense, I was blown away by the crazy high stakes and even crazier—yet perfect—ending. I mean, not only was there a constant sense of unrelenting claustrophobia, but there was also an evil villain stalking in the wings just waiting to strike. Between the two, my blood turned to ice just thinking about what I would’ve done had I been in this couple’s shoes. Oh, yes. There was definitely a thought-provoking element to this chilling tale. More than that, though, it was a truly unputdownable novel of intrigue and drama. And those twists? They were simply sublime. Coming out of the blue thanks to some devious red herrings, they each shocked me but good. So if you love slow-burning plots complete with dark family secrets, grab this book now. It was a blast. Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

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.

Thank you Lauren Schott and Harper Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: January 20, 2026

Content warning: infidelity, arson, blackmail, death of a parent, mention of: stroke, drunk driving

[Jennifer (Jaye) (trying to catch up, so behind) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*A Dream Life*

**3.5 Stars**

This plot was intriguing. Mark and Hailey yearned for a dream life, finally achieving it by owning a beautiful property and raising two daughters. However, they soon discovered it was far more challenging than imagined.

Struggling financially, they faced a dilemma. Mysterious cheques arrived at their doorstep, sparking curiosity or perhaps desperation. Their choices led to unforeseen consequences.

I was captivated by the story but the ending left me unsatisfied. The tension built up but then stalled, only to briefly pick up before leaving me with lingering questions.

[O'Dell (Just Read it Already) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

This is a tough one for me to rate because my feelings are a little all over the place. Ultimately, I liked it, even though parts of it frustrated me.

The premise is strong. Mack and Hailey Evans appear to have it all: good jobs, two kids, and a beautiful home in an exclusive Ohio lake community. Behind the scenes, though, financial pressure and stress are starting to crack that polished surface. When mysterious checks begin arriving in the mail, each one larger than the last, they do what a lot of people might do. They cash them and tell themselves it’ll be fine. But then the mysterious benefactor wants something in return, and this is when things get really questionable.

The characters are messy and often unlikable, which actually worked for me. I loved hating them a little while still rooting for them to figure things out. Watching them rationalize bad decisions and sink deeper into a situation they know is wrong is where the book really shines.

We get both Mack and Hailey’s perspectives, which adds depth and highlights how disconnected they are from each other. I also liked the short chapters from the mysterious benefactor. Those moments added tension and kept me guessing about who was really pulling the strings.

I never would have guessed who was behind everything, which I appreciated. My biggest issue was the motivation. The “why” just didn’t feel strong enough to justify everything that happened. It left me wondering why they bothered going to such extremes in the first place.

Still, this is a solid, devious domestic thriller with plenty of tension and moral gray areas. If you like flawed characters, slow-building dread, and stories about money, power, and bad choices, this is worth a read, even if the ending may leave you a little conflicted.

[Elizabeth Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who is a Cleveland- area lifer, I found it relatable as far as recognizing the cities mentioned and their proximity to one another, but it ends there. This made it seem like Ohioans are moronic and scandalous. It took so much time to get to the big reveal, and in the end, I didn't understand why the mastermind would go to such great lengths to scare a family and essentially force them to do things that were out of character and to leave their life and house behind. How could the Evans family back down and just leave the keys and start over elsewhere?

[Kimmy Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️.

I have mixed feelings on this one! I enjoyed the pace and I found myself intrigued all the way thru the end. The ending was kind of abrupt, and I was kind of like, “huh? That’s it?” Well ok then!

Anyway, this was a great debut, but most likely a book that will not stay in my memory bank for more than a few months. 😜

[Arielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 generous stars for a book that had promise. Good premise but poor execution. If you want a book that has: rich adults whining, marital problems, and a lazy ending this is the book for you.

[readwithmichele · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK: Very Slowly All at Once
AUTHOR: Lauren Schott
PUB DATE: January 20, 2026 by @Harper
PAGES: 320 pages
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GENRE: Suspense/Mystery Thriller

THANK YOU to @atria & @NetGalley for gifting me an advanced digital copy of this fantastic suspense! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK SYNOPSIS: This story centers on a seemingly successful couple (Mack & Hailey Evans) whose financial worries begin to ease when unexpected money arrives from an unknown source. An apparent stroke of luck that proves anything but simple. The Evans’s have built a comfortable upper-middle-class life with promising careers, 2 small daughters, & a newly purchased home in an exclusive Ohio lakefront community. But beneath the polished surface, stress is mounting. Their family obligations, professional pressures, & the true cost of maintaining their lifestyle leave them increasingly uneasy about their financial stability. When unexplained payments begin appearing in their mailbox, the money offers temporary relief, yet raises unsettling questions. Unsure of its origin but also desperate to stay afloat, Mack & Hailey are forced to confront the moral gray areas of accepting help that comes with no clear explanation. As the sums grow & doubts intensify, the couple must grapple with the consequences of choices made under pressure.

QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: I was so excited to dive into this one, especially after seeing @heathers.book.shelf review. What a tense & unsettling story, and I was here for it! It’s definitely a page-turner and reminds readers that some opportunities come with strings attached, and that nothing is ever truly free. I really enjoyed this one!

[Jeanette DeSantis · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH! I had A LOT of problems with this book. First and foremost, I could not bare to read one more disturbing incident of utter neglect and callous mistreatment of Gulliver, the dog! This dog was treated HORRIBLY by both parents and their young children (who were always "accidentally" hurting him while "playing" with him) sending him to the hospital, ignoring him, locking him in rooms so he had no choice but to pee on the floor, letting him get loose, or saying disparaging things about him. Did the author find this amusing? It was not. This continued throughout the ENTIRE book. Obviously, this author is not an animal person. Shame on this author for her awful depiction of treating a family pet and using him as a punching bag like it was the most natural thing in the world. Secondly, there was not one likable character in this entire book except for sweet, mistreated Gulliver. Therefore, there was no human to root for. I honestly couldn't care less about what happened to Hailey or Mack. They were selfish, entitled, and unredeemable with no scruples whatsoever who not only truly deserved one another, but deserved precisely everything that happened to them. (Btw, three year old Gigi did not act or speak like a three year old. She spoke and acted as if she was much older. The portrayal of her character was way off the mark.) Third, the secret benefactor chapters were so laboriously wordy, confusing and uninteresting that I started to skip them. Turned out to be a good decision. Finally, the ending was so frenzied, convoluted and tangled to the point I couldn't even tell who was doing what and WHY and honestly I didn't care. It truly became painful to finish the book because it just wouldn't end! It went on and on and on and on....... When the mystery benefactor was ultimately revealed, I was just so happy and relieved the book was FINALLY ending that the culprit barely registered! Lazy, thoughtless ending to a poorly written book with a truly nonsensical plot and animal abuse to boot.

[Nicole]

first DNF of the year at 32% <3 i really could not follow this

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Slowly, All at Once by Lauren Schott is the kind of thriller that settles into your bones rather than relying on shock value. From the first pages, there’s a quiet, unsettling sense of dread that never fully lifts—one that mirrors the slow unraveling of Mack and Hailey Evans’ carefully curated life. Their version of the American dream feels attainable, even enviable at first, which makes its gradual corrosion feel both satirical and disturbingly real. Schott taps into a very modern anxiety: what it costs to maintain the life you worked so hard to build.

The novel unfolds through alternating perspectives from Mack and Hailey, alongside a chilling anonymous point of view that adds momentum and tension. Both protagonists are deeply relatable in their desperation—financial pressure, aging parents, career uncertainty—and that relatability is what makes their choices feel so dangerous. This isn’t a thriller driven by constant twists, but by escalation: each decision builds naturally on the last, tightening the vise until the consequences feel inevitable. The slow burn works beautifully here, allowing the tension to mount in a way that feels earned rather than sensational.

While the ending doesn’t wrap everything up neatly, it feels intentional rather than frustrating. The lack of clean resolution reinforces the book’s central themes about compromise, greed, and the stories we tell ourselves to justify survival. Darkly clever, sharp, and laced with wicked humor, Very Slowly, All at Once is a smart debut that exposes just how thin the line can be between comfort and catastrophe, and how quickly “enough” is never really enough.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Infidelity
Death of a parent
Blackmail
Arson

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable suburban thriller with a great hook from a debuting author.

The setup is quite simple as Mack and Hailey appear to be living the American dream.
With an expensive magnificent house and successful careers.
Definitely a case of 'Keeping up with the Joneses' as the par are struggling to maintain their lifestyle.

The cheques from Sunshine Enterprises come as the perfect solution, Mack dangerously assuming that they are from his estranged father - though nothing in life comes for free...

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think it helped that the two main characters were not particularly likeable. Selfish and materialistic, I was not convinced that Mack and Hailey’s marriage was rock solid, and I grew frustrated by how they seemed to be always against each other: there was little evidence of them being a team.

The book definitely grabbed my curiosity at the start when Mack receives an anonymous cheque for a significant amount of money. Considering that money is tight, this is a blessing in disguise. But, as we all know, nothing comes for free. The cheques keep coming but with it, a certainty this is going to land Mack and Hailey in hot water. With Mack temporarily suspended from his job, Hailey facing a crisis at work and mounting bills, the money is certainly needed. Yet, the question remains: where is this money coming from?

The writer begins to establish different possibilities about these strange donations. I wanted there to be more development with Mack’s work situation, perhaps through a flashback. I thought it was more significant than what it became and that the writer eventually glossed over it. In contrast, I was frustrated by how Hailey behaved at work and the consequences were far more lenient than they deserved.

Undoubtedly, Schott builds intrigue through the anonymous cheques coupled with the mysterious narrator’s voice. They seemingly know a lot about the local area and have an insight into Mack and Hailey’s life. Schott keeps readers guessing until the very end about the connections between these mysteries and this made the pace of the story a lot slower. At times I was bored with how gradually the story was progressing because the novel had opened with such intrigue. It was quite an unhurried narrative throughout so by the time the answers were revealed, I found I didn’t care too much for two characters I didn’t like.

Mack and Hailey have a privileged life but they do not appreciate it. They show little love for themselves and others around them, instead complaining about their circumstances. As the money mounts up, debts have to be paid and, with a beautiful house that is even turning against them, Mack and Hailey are forced to take drastic actions to protect themselves and their reputations. Although the premise was interesting, I don’t think Schott quite delivered a punchy, tense thriller.

With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Larissa C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good for me until the ending. I felt like it was pretty anticlimactic and left some things unanswered. Living in Cleveland, I did appreciate being able to understand all the local references!

[Jane]

Actually cant deal w this and skipped to the end. Thank god i didnt read more wow

[Ginger Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book right up till the end.🥲 it was a 5 star book until then.

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Slowly All at Once by Lauren Schott (2026)
10h 54m narrated by Andrew J. Andersen, 311 pages

Genre: Domestic Suspense

Rating as a movie: R for adult situations and themes

Featuring: Multiple POVs, Marital Issues, August, Money Troubles, English Professor, Lawyer Attorney, Terminally Ill Parent - Off-Camera, Cleveland, Ohio; Bratenahl, Ohio; Children, Dog - Dachshund, Jupiter, Florida; Mafia, Estranged Family, Sex - Off-Camera, December, Workplace Setting, Family Dynamics, Christmas, Neighbors, Employers, Suburbs

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️🏡🌊⛲️⚖️👨‍🏫

My thoughts: 📱 77% 8:25:22 Chapter 41: Hailey - Mabel is a very popular name this year. This is definitely a suspense, not bad, but not great either, more funny than suspenseful, but I am enjoying it.

Honestly this is probably a 3-star read for most readers, but I like domestic fiction and this was quite enjoyable, not as a thriller, until the anticlimactic ending.

Recommend to others: Not for thrill junkies, but if you enjoy domestic fiction and a bit of dark comedy, this is for you.

Songs for the soundtrack: "Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers, "Won’t Get Fooled Again" by The Who, "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin, "Drive My Car" by Laurie Berkner, "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by The Everly Brothers, "All Along The Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix, "Purple Haze" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Books and Authors mentioned: GoodFellas by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese [based on] Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi; Tom Wolfe, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, J. D. Salinger, The Shining by Stanley Kubrick and Diane Johnson [based on] The Shining by Stephen King; The Wizard of Oz by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf [based on] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum; Hunter S. Thompson

Memorable Quotes: They spent just over a million on that house, which seems like a lot for two people with pretty ordinary jobs. A big chunk of that price tag was for the lot—on the corner, close to the lake, best one in the Magpie Court development. Not a huge piece of land, not the rolling hills that the mansions on the shoreline have, but theirs is the only spot on the street that gets you views of the lake and the sailboats lined up outside the Shoreby Club. The whole street is brand-new, with only five houses on it, all variations on the same style: sharp angles to the roofs, and exteriors in local stone and wood so dark that when it rains the surface gleams like metal. In summer, the landscaping is fat with green hydrangea and bushy rows of lavender, and in the winter the place looks like a little pioneer town. Two rows of (seven-figure) cabins lined up cozy in the snow, the glowing windows like paintings: Emptying Miele Dishwasher, oil on canvas, 2022. Even the neighbors farther away in the mansions, your plastic surgeons and your tech magnates and your battle-scarred bankers who have taken on the upkeep of the estates built by the great Cleveland industrialists, even some of those guys must sit in their train-station houses with leaky roofs and outdated paneling and envy these sleek new builds. Most people would take a custom kitchen and a first-floor master over a chilly ballroom and a cracked swimming pool any day of the week. The downside to the houses in Magpie Court is the name: The developers insist on referring to them as “cluster homes,” on account of the smaller parcels of land. This is a terrible piece of marketing if you ask me. Only bad things come in clusters: headaches, viruses, bombs. Fucks too, and not the good kind.

The man watched as she pressed a hand to her side and gasped in pain. “I think you broke a couple of mine as well,” he said. “I could sue you, you know?” But his eyes were grateful. “I’m okay, really,” Hailey told him, gripping the hand he extended. “And I wouldn’t try that. I’m a lawyer.” “Me too.” He held her arm as she got to her feet, and before she could stop him, he pressed her to his chest in a massive bear hug, right there in front of an entire restaurant full of Cleveland’s white-collar workforce. They clapped and cheered, and for a wild minute, Hailey wished that Mack had been there to see it.

Which is why the Evans house stands out. Granted, Hailey Evans does manage to grow pots of red geraniums that tone nicely with the lavender, and the souped-up Jeep Cherokee they sometimes leave out in the driveway is unusually clean for a family car. But there are cracks in the facade. Hideous, gaping cracks: cheap plastic pinwheels stuck in front of the hedges, bird sculptures of reclaimed metal on the lawn, wind chimes swinging from the corner of the garage. And the shoes. Oh my God the shoes. I can only surmise that they went for some kind of rare flooring option. Expensive, elegant, and utterly impractical. The delicate nature of bamboo, maybe, is the only possible explanation for the piles of footwear that I have seen amassed on the Evans’s front porch: tiny Crocs and muddied running shoes, stilettos and snow boots, flip-flops and sneakers and fur-lined slippers and Wellingtons. Golf spikes and ski boots and roller skates and . . . it’s a miracle they can still access their own front door, the absolute hillbillies. Let me tell you, growing up in my house, you kept your shoes in the closet or on your feet. Otherwise, you got hit with one right across your backside.

That night, after the girls were tucked in and the painkillers the emergency vet had prescribed Gulliver had rendered him unconscious, Mack treated Hailey to a little more of the story of his father. They were in bed, and she was wearing a silk nightie that he liked, and he thought that if he laid the groundwork properly, he might even get some sex out of his terrible childhood.

Why did everything always have to happen all at once? Thursday, August 29. Mabel and Gigi’s camp had finished for the summer. But (of course) school and preschool didn’t start until the following week, so neither did the after-school babysitter. Mack had promised the girls one last trip to the pool at the Shoreby Club, and then inevitably swanned off to some mysterious department meeting. Yesterday, Hailey’s mother had selfishly decided to break her ankle in what must have been the only jazzercise class still running in the twenty-first century. Gulliver was only now starting to recover from a near-death experience; the incident with Mabel’s doll stroller had resulted in a strangulated hernia and an infection that cost $2,000 and nearly killed him, and now he couldn’t be left unattended, lest he try to chew at his freshly stitched-up manhood. And the grand finale: the firm’s best paralegal, the ballbuster rock star who worked all hours and rose to every challenge Hailey set for her, had chosen today of all days to arrange a call between Hailey and the impossible-to-get-hold-of David Rainier. Rebekah’s estranged husband was basically Batman, as far as Hailey could tell, so this wasn’t something that could be rescheduled for a more convenient time.

This had been her focus during the preparations, and so she hadn’t supervised Mabel’s final swimsuit choice. Which was why Mabel, who had just removed her cover-up, was now prancing around the very exclusive Shoreby Club in a tiny sequined bikini from Walmart and jelly plastic platform sandals, both gifted by Hailey’s mother.

“We brought our dog Gulliver swimming,” Gigi immediately said to Betsy. “He has an infection in his privates and so we can’t leave him so now we’re going to take him in the pool so he can swim. Have you met Gulliver?” “I certainly hear Gulliver all the time,” said Betsy, with a disgusted glance at the verboten four-legged pool guest. “But I don’t believe we’ve met formally, no.”

Of course she took the call, directing Mabel and Gigi, who still hadn’t taken her T-shirt and shorts off, toward the baby pool.

Gulliver had escaped Hailey’s bag and was sprinting toward the baby pool. He was going to pull the stitches right out of his dick.

Her obsession with the neighborhood had endured, and the very first phone call she made from her brand-new house in the new Magpie Court subdivision of Bratenahl, Ohio, was to Molly Maids. The $200 they charged for a biweekly visit was worth every penny.

Hailey laughed in spite of herself. Maybe the Kool-Aid had vodka in it. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is meant to satirise the American dream in reverse by showing how a life can fall about for no real reason, and while they continue to make stupid decisions throughout, their decisions have little impact on what happens.

But it didn’t work for me as there wasn’t any real tension and the plot was predictable. It was a page turner only in the sense I wanted to get to the end as soon as possible.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the arc

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounding up. Th ere was very little redeeming about this other than a fascinating premise. The motive, the reveal, the actions were all confusing at best and ridiculous at worst. I could not wait for this one to end.

[Liz Pospisil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing happened until halfway through the book, then it just ended... Apt title for the pace of the book.

[Zoe Zeid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing premise but poorly executed. The characters were whiny and annoying and the thriller part didn't hold my attention. Another book with great Cleveland references though!

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

#ad much love for my finished copy @harperbooks #partner

🆅🅴🆁🆈 🆂🅻🅾🆆🅻🆈 🅰🅻🅻 🅰🆃 🅾🅽🅲🅴
< @

…𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛….

They live in an immaculate house, but it costs a lot of money to have a house like this. To keep up with the upkeep of the house and their two daughters. Mack and Hailey are doing okay, but life is about to barrel into both of them at full speed. Mack, a professor, is on suspension; Hailey, a lawyer, just lost her biggest divorce case that will now have no payout. She’s lost everything she’s put into this case.

Mack is surprised when a check for $5,000 shows up in his mailbox. Oh, how perfect! Then the next week another $5,000 comes with an additional $1,000 - and it doesn’t stop. The checks keep coming, so they keep depositing them. The checks are coming from some Sunshine Enterprise, but Mack assumes it’s his estranged dad sending the money.

Then there is their mysterious stalker who is watching them closely. One thing after another begins to happens - very slowly but all at once.

SO HARD TO RATE THIS BOOK. I LOVED AND HATED IT. AND LOVED IT THE MORE I SAT WITH IT.

Okay, so it took me more than a few chapters to really get into this one. But I’m happy it all began clicking for me, because I ended up loving this book. The characters are all horrible people and it was comedic to watch them reaping what they had sown. They are their own worst enemy - doing more damage to themselves than their enemy could ever do.

I’d say don’t go into this one expecting jaw-dropping twists. Walk into it prepared for each character to be the worst version of themselves. Showing up time and time again to prove this true. Some figure it out - it’s messy and a fab read in that sense.

You’ll be much happier going in with that mindset. And it’s interesting we never learn certain things. That was kind of annoying. Would make a great book club book tho!

Will def read this author again. She can do devilish plots and characters well. Can’t wait to see what else she comes up with next. Fab debut.

Memorable:
Big Mack lol (it’s hilarious - what I loved about college was the laid-back professors like Mack) not that laid back tho lmaooo
Revenge pissing 😂😂👏🏼

[Roy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not really sure what to say. This title is an in-between book club pick. Very rarely that a book just does not resonate at all with me, either good or bad. I just feel it is a bit of a pointless story, and wonder if I missed something.

Since I am a slow reader, I need to invest quite a bit of time in each book, and when a title like this one comes along, I wonder if the time investment was worth it. Because I don’t see a point to that story. Maybe it is the genre (something mystery/crime/thriller) or the subject matter (real estate in Cleveland, US) or the characters (her, a family lawyer, him, a uni teacher for literature, two kids, dog, and so on…).

It wasn’t per se badly written, but I really did not enjoy the used images, metaphors, and overall style. Also, I never had the feeling I was dealing with real people, real emotions, real dialogues, real life choices, real dilemmas, real anything. But hey, that might have been me.

When the book was done, I had so many questions: what was the point of this, are there really no connections between A and B and C, is there really no even half-satisfying conclusion to this conflict, or did I just miss the point?

Well, I assume it’s a novel not written for me, and I am thinking if this is really another of my rare 1-star reviews. 1-star, to me, means: Did not enjoy it, wish I had spent my time with something else, cannot recommend. And now on reflecting on it… Unfortunately, I have to say: I didn’t, I wish I had, and no, I really can’t.

[Lu thrillskillsandchills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consumed this as an audiobook and it absolutely suited the format. The short chapters and multiple POVs kept things moving, even as the tension quietly built in the background.
Mack and Hailey are living that polished, picture-perfect life — careers, kids, the house — but underneath it all is financial pressure. When anonymous money starts showing up, they accept it without asking too many questions. It feels like relief at first, until it very clearly isn’t. What follows is a steady escalation of poor decisions, mounting pressure, and consequences that spiral far beyond what they ever anticipated.
This isn’t a fast, twist-heavy thriller. It’s a slow-burn descent where the dread creeps in through everyday choices, the kind that seem small in the moment but carry real weight later. The multiple POVs, including a mysterious third narrator, add to that tension as everything gradually tightens around them. I didn’t always like these characters — they can be incredibly frustrating — but I understood them, and that made it hard to look away as everything unravelled.
And I have to mention the real standout: Gulliver, the dachshund. The MVP. I will always believe more thrillers should include a cheeky dachshie, but that’s very much my dachshund-loving soul talking.
Overall, this is a tense, quietly unsettling domestic suspense that leans into moral compromise and consequence over shock twists. If you like character-driven thrillers where bad decisions snowball quickly, this one is well worth picking up.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Every once in a while I stumble onto a new author and immediately think, “Where have you been?” I was completely pulled into this debut novel from start to finish. It’s the kind of book that makes you lose track of time because you just want to keep going. The author has such a confident, engaging voice, and I especially loved how the humor resonated with me. Schott weaves it naturally into the characters’ personalities and the storyline, which added a fun, relatable layer to the overall tone. I also enjoyed the audiobook; Andrew J. Anderson’s narration added so much personality and really made everything feel real. If I had to nitpick, there were a few moments that leaned a little predictable and an occasional lull in the tension, but nothing that seriously affected my enjoyment. Overall, it was an impressive first novel, and I finished it genuinely happy to have discovered a new author I’m excited to follow.

[Katie Rankine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to HQ stories and Harper Collins for gifting me a copy of this book for review!!

I really enjoyed this fast paced domestic thriller!

What would you do if you received mysterious cheques in the mail? And how far would you go to protect your family?

The characters in this arent likeable but thats the point, these people are desperate and you can feel the tension build with every page!

This was a well crafted, fast paced thriller that left me shocked at the twist. Definitely one all thriller fans so put on their list for the release on the 20th!

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told from 3 points of View: Mack, Hailey and a mysterious person.

Mack and Hailey both had issues stemming from their careers and secrets in their marriages. When mysterious mail started coming, their issues were compounded.

It was written in a way that made me think about what would I do in the same situation. There were a few suspicious people and so it was hard to determine who the antagonist was.

Poor Gulliver, I wish I could rescue him!

I enjoyed this one!

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rich people making bad decisions is pretty much my favorite genre, but this one went a little too off the rails even for me and the ending just wasn’t satisfying.

[Erin Walter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Colleen was right in her rating