Publisher's Synopsis
At only twenty-nine years old, Sloane Sawyer is grieving the sudden loss of her husband in the home where he grew up, within the idyllic and exclusive community of Ashby Heights. After an encounter with the neighborhood's most influential inhabitant, Sloane alleges an incongruous offense, and speculation runs rampant among the privileged residents of the gated community. While Sloane tries to find a way to persevere and heal, it becomes clear that, despite the bucolic veneer of the community, what lies behind the gates is far less picturesque than meets the eye. Kate Flanagan strives to support her teenage daughter, both financially and emotionally, finding herself far more successful at the former. For seventy-eight-year-old Martha Thompson, some days are just too lonely to bear. Hester Dayton obsesses over being more like the exceedingly beautiful and wealthy Drea Davenport, failing to notice the mounting resentment in her marriage. Meanwhile, Drea begins to question just how privileged she truly is. Tyler Lipscomb, stay-at-home father to young twins, yearns for adult companionship, while managing his spouse's agoraphobic inclinations. During the frequent absences of his surgeon wife, Tom Dempsey engages in his secret hobby. Retired tennis pro Justine Holland tries to get through her most physically difficult and mentally frustrating challenge yet-pregnancy. The residents' insular paths diverge at the annual neighborhood block party. The event, designed to inspire neighborly camaraderie, is instead marked by revelation, horror, pain, and revenge. But, for one, comes peace.
