Man of the Year

Summary

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.