Very Slowly All at Once

Editor and ghostwriter Schott’s unsettling debut follows a family struggling to keep up appearances in a wealthy Cleveland suburb. Divorce attorney Hailey Evans and her husband, English professor Mack, have spent most of their savings on the glamorous new home they share with their two young daughters. Elsewhere, they’re squeezed: Hailey’s biggest client is refusing to pay a hefty legal bill, Mack is on leave after being wrongfully accused of sexually harassing a student, and the insurance coverage that pays for Mack’s mother’s nursing home is about to end. Then a check from a mysterious entity called Sunshine Enterprises arrives in the mail, and Mack is convinced it’s his estranged father making up for lost time. More checks arrive in increasing amounts, and, desperate for the windfall, Mack deposits them. Soon, however, the checks are accompanied by threatening messages, and the Evanses’ anonymous benefactor blackmails them into carrying out acts of violence. Though it becomes increasingly difficult to root for Hailey and Mack as their misdeeds escalate, Schott’s brisk pacing, clever red herrings, and haunting denouement save the day. It’s an auspicious first effort. Agent: Christy Fletcher, UTA. (Jan.)