Members Only: A Novel

by Emma Rosenblum

From bestselling author Emma Rosenblum comes a fast-paced, satirical thriller set at an exclusive country club, where a sudden death on the day of an important wedding unravels the carefully held secrets of its status-obsessed members.

Harrington Country Club is a carefully manicured haven for Greenwich’s wealthy residents. Middle-aged blondes (icy, honey, and golden, respectively) and their khaki-clad husbands sunbathe at the Olympic-size pool, traverse the massive golf course, and play heated tournaments on the much fought-over newly installed pickleball courts. And yet below that shiny veneer bubbles a much messier reality.

Ted Flynn, the president of the club and father-in-law of the bride-to-be, hasn’t been entirely truthful about his financial situation. Despite her mother’s wishes, Jessie Summit doesn’t actually want to marry her Ken doll fiancé, Patrick Flynn. And the chef, Mike Lightbody, who was inexplicably poached from a trendy Brooklyn restaurant to cook at a country club in Connecticut, has more than his fair share to lose.

When a body hits the ground on the morning of Jessie and Patrick’s wedding, everyone is a suspect.

Funny, propulsive, and quietly shocking, Members Only is a story about privilege and the lengths to which people will go to protect it.

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 12, 2027

About the author

Emma Rosenblum is the national bestselling author of Bad Summer People, Very Bad Company, and Mean Moms. She's the former chief content officer at Bustle Digital Group, overseeing content and strategy for BDG’s editorial portfolios. Prior to BDG, Emma served as the executive editor of ELLE. Previously Rosenblum was a senior editor at Bloomberg Businessweek, and before that a senior editor at Glamour. She began her career at New York magazine. She lives in New York City, with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[BHK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Members Only by Emma Rosenblum was an absolute delight from beginning to end, and without question my favorite book of hers yet! I’m completely obsessed with her writing and the deliciously messy worlds she creates, and make a point to read her books every year. The wealthy country club setting was packed with rich people behaving badly, hidden agendas, juicy secrets, gossip, and loads of drama! Every character felt like they were hiding something, and I had so much fun trying to figure out who could be trusted. The whole reading experience reminded me of an Elin Hilderbrand novel in the very best way…glamorous settings, complicated relationships, and irresistible drama, while still delivering a clever thriller all its own. Five stars from me. This was pure fun, and I loved every minute of it!

[Hope Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The murder at the country club on the day of the wedding between the children of two of the wealthiest families through everyone in a tailspin - especially when it came to light how many people could have wanted the victim dead. As the investigation unfolds, the bad behavior of the wealthy members and the detective who has many things to prove collide.

I really enjoyed Rosenblum's previous titles and I was eager to grab this one. It did not disappoint. If you like a good beach read about the lives of the Uber-wealth and the poor behavior stemming from their entitlement and dysfunction, this is a great one to grab. What really sets this book apart, though, is the ending. I love how the author courageously penned the "right" ending, not necessarily the happy one.

[Lacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review to come in Library Journal. Started off interesting and full of promise, but fell short in the end for me.