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Dr. Robert Hart is receiving the Sag Harbor Man of the Year award at a Gala. It is the high point of his life. He has a successful medical practice, a beautiful second wife, a historic house and a mint antique boat. Even his son Jonah is back on track.
But the snake in the garden is his son's best friend from college who is staying the summer with them. At the Gala, Hart begins to notice that the friend, Nick, seems to have developed some kind of feeling for his wife and she might be returning it. Or is he imagining it?
In the next few days, Hart becomes obsessed with Nick and Elizabeth, and decides he must do something to put an end to Nick's visit. Little lies begin to be told and then he hatches a scheme that really backfires in all directions.
Nick is found dead in the bushes, having fallen off the widow's walk of the house. Or was he pushed? Of course the police become involved. And then his office assistant Simone, who secretly lusts after Robert, discovers some possibly incriminating evidence. Is blackmail in Robert's future?
As Robert spirals into very dark spaces, the author shifts the point of view to Elizabeth, Jonah, Simone, and a police officer. Everyone seems to have some skin in this game. The cop wants to redeem himself by making this a crime and pinning it on someone. Jonah wants to punish his dad for his earlier abandonment, Elizabeth just wants to be free of the whole mess.
Just when you think you've figured out how Nick died, the story takes another twist, then another, and then another, until your head begins to spin. After it's all over, one of the characters admits to a college counselor that he told a big lie.
That's it. Caroline Walker has given us quite a ride on her first time out. You may hate all the characters by the end but you will be left with a sense of awe at the working out of this plot. Well done, Caroline Walker!
§ Susan Hoover is a playwright, independent producer and retired college English teacher. She lives in Nova Scotia.
Reviewed by Susan Hoover, May 2019
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