Other People's Fun - by Harriet Lane (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"I look. I can't stop looking. That's the deal, isn't it? We all know that's how it works. If someone wants to be seen--and oh, how they want to be seen--then someone has to watch."

Ruth is alone, unnoticed, and at a loss: her marriage has ended, her daughter is leaving home, and her job is leading nowhere.

But luckily Sookie is back in her life-vivid, self-assured Sookie, who never spared the time for Ruth when they were teenagers, but who now seems to want to be friends. But as Ruth is caught up in Sookie's life, she sees that everything is not as Instagrammable as Sookie would have you believe. As the truth about Sookie becomes clearer, so too does the choice Ruth will have to make.

Unputdownable, spiky, and subtle, Other People's Fun is a novel about modern life, from the little lies we tell our neighbors, friends, families, and ourselves to the hall of mirrors that is social media. Filled with Harriet Lane's trademark creeping unease and forensic observation, this page-turner considers how desperately we want others to see us as we are--and what happens when they finally do.

Review Quotes

"[A] meticulously observed domestic drama."--New Yorker

"[Lane] joins the ranks of a new generation of female suspense novelists...who are redefining contemporary crime fiction with character-driven narratives that defy genre conventions."--The New York Times

"The end...is perfectly executed, leaving you at the most excruciating moment possible-when a horrible thing is about to happen and there is nothing you, or any of characters, can do to stop it, save read as fast as you can until the words run out at that last, crucial moment."--Oprah.com

"Brilliant.... As the number of pages left in HER dwindles, you may find yourself wondering if Lane has given herself enough room to wrap the story up satisfactorily. Trust me, she has."--Washington Post

"Through measured prose and crisp, penetrating descriptions, Lane unfurls a chilling tale that begs you to peek at the last page-if only you could pull yourself away from the present."--Entertainment Weekly (Rated 'A')

About the Author