“Man of the Year” by Caroline Louise Walker immediately grabbed me with its biting honest narrative. Sag Harbor has just honored Dr. Robert Hart as the Man of the Year. His entire community looks up to him (or at least they act as if they do). It looks like he has it all. How far will he go to keep it? As if sensing things aren’t always what they seem to be, Dr. Hart becomes increasingly paranoid.

“Man of the Year” hammers home the principle that honesty is always the best policy. But what if the truth isn’t what you think it is?

The webs characters weave based on insecurity, lies, and betrayal will shock you “Man of the Year” was paced and plotted perfectly. Caroline Walker used the first-person point of view better than any author I have ever read. She pulled us into the minds of the characters, one at a time, breaking the “rules” with such boldness, craft, and purpose. And, it was beautiful! This book was every bit as intriguing as the sales page promised. I devoured it in 2 days.

Now for the blush factor…The characters in "Man of the Year" tend to curse a lot. I would never want to hang out with these characters, but I sure enjoyed reading about them. They were real and relatable. This novel is every bit as suspenseful and thought-provoking as the movie, “Fatal Attraction” (which, ironically, is mentioned in this book when one character refers to another as a “bunny boiler”). If you enjoy psychological suspense with complex characters and great plot twists, you will love "Man of the Year."

Man of the Year deserves the full 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an ARC digital copy of Man of the Year, in exchange for an honest review.

Man of the Year will be released June 11, 2019. Pre-order your copy today!

I really disliked the characters. Lying, egocentric, entitled, false.... was almost DNF. But persevered and was pleased I did. The last section saved the novel, was a good final perspective.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Simon and Schuster in exchange for my honest review.

I stayed up late last night to finish this book for two reasons. One of those reasons, was to finally discover what actually happened, The second reason was to simply get to the end! I found all of the characters lacking in substance. Their priorities and moral compasses were skewed. I could not find one redeeming quality in any one of them. One of the last chapters, where Elizabeth is rambling, yes rambling, was mind numbing. This book is disturbing to me on many levels. On another note, and this may sound pernickety, it’s questionable that an internal medicine practitioner, in Sag Harbor, without any other sources of income, could live the way the Hart’s lived, in today’s day and age of medicine. Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I'm truly not sure how well I can get across to everyone just how terribly disappointed in this book I actually am. There wasn't one single character I liked, hoped or rooted for. I found one after another of selfish, aren't I special sort of folks that all have their own agenda on how they could get one up on the others. No one was willing to take responsibility for any of the craziness going on and of course none of it was in anyway their doing. The poor things, they were all the victim. This book made me feel bad for mankind and I definitely couldn't recommend it in anyway.

Dr. Robert Hart has been awarded and recognized as "Citizen of the Year". His wife Elizabeth, son, Jonah and Jonah's best friend Nick are there at the celebration party to hear his speech. Dr. Hart believes himself to be a good person. He's a doctor helping patients. He gives generously to charity, he's a good husband and father. Everything that makes a good person. Then, he suspects his son's friend Nick is having an affair with his wife. This is his and Elizabeth's second marriage. Both of them cheated on their marriages. So it's not so far fetched to suspect that it may be happening again. The lengths he goes through to stop the destruction of his marriage is beyond walking a fine line. Disaster strikes! The whole family will have to lie to save face. How far will they go to cover up a tragedy that can destroy them. How many cover ups and how many lies. How many lives will ultimately be destroyed. And, how long can all the secrets be kept.
Intriguing, thrilling, a ride of a lifetime!!

Caroline Louise Walker has created a real page tuner in her newest novel “Man of the Year.’ Dr. Robert Hart is receiving the award for the Man of the Year from his local community and to many other people this would be a cause of celebration, but for Dr. Hart there is a sore spot that is festering inside him. Nick Carpenter is that very sore spot, and as the invited guest of Dr. Hart’s estranged son Jonah, he must make the best of a bad situation. Jonah has stayed aloof due to his father cheating on his mother when he was younger, but with Nick’s help he is giving his Dad a chance. The twists and turns that Ms. Walker has embedded into this psychological thriller are so superbly written that it is next to impossible to figure out what is going on until the final chapter.I was given an advanced copy of this book, and all of the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this one as a novel, a deep think, a reader’s trip down a lazy river of words. It was a relaxing read, but also an interesting one. The plot isn’t the centerpiece, though. This one is about the characters. Walker gives us several points of view, but her main voice is Robert’s, aka the man of the year. He’s the egocentric, the lead in a play written by him. He’s not just Hamlet, but he’s Shakespeare, too. He’s living in a tragedy of his own making, and he’s got some incredible insight despite his tedious self-analysis.

So the writing is exquisite. Hands down some of the most exquisite prose I’ve read in a while. Yet, not to pick a bone with it, it’s too good. Let me see if I can explain this. I think Steinbeck is the most incredible writer I have ever read. His prose gets at me in a way no other writer’s can. But when I read him I never notice the writing. It simply is perfect. With Walker’s novel, I found myself admiring the writing—because it is worth the admiration—but also I found myself noticing it, which means it’s not effortless. Okay, so I am picking a bone, but my intention is to say this is what poetic writing looks like. You can see how it’s constructed, how it’s developed, how it’s put together, and I think you can see it because there’s so much of it. Some of the passages, which are insightful and meaningful, go on forever. And that extended play kind of ruins all the nuggets that come before it. It’s like an EP with all those extra tracks, or deleted scenes on a DVD. It’s important to know when you’ve maxed out the beauty. I suppose it’s about slaying those darlings, really: “Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it—wholeheartedly—and delete it before sending your manuscript to press.” (Thank you, Arthur Quiller-Couch)

I don’t know if there’s some unresolved business in the plot. I certainly had a few questions at the end, and I don’t think it’s because I wasn’t reading carefully enough. I think it has to do with the choice to use multiple first-person narratives. As mentioned, Robert is the main character, and he’s recounting the story. But every now and then we’ll get a first-person account from another character, some of which were quite minor to the whole. Maybe they were red herrings, but I can’t be sure. I feel these short chapters took away from the narrative flow, and at least once I felt like I was simply reading Robert’s voice from another’s perspective. This weakened the story for me. If they had been consistent throughout, I may have enjoyed the switch, but they came at random intervals and didn’t add enough to be worth the upheaval.

I do recommend this one, though. It’s not a page-turning thriller. It’s a solid novel, so certainly worth the read.

By the time I got to the end of this story, I didn't know which way was up! I mean, how in the world did they manage to get themselves into this mess?!?! It was twisted and crazy and sad and I couldn't put it down. Throughout the story, it felt like people were just being thrown in for drama's sake. It was like Kayla and her family, along with Nick and his family/friends, were thrown in for the sake of the Hart's family's chaos, while Johah's mom, was glossed over. All in all I was drawn in by the wealth of lies and the multi-layered consequences that came with them.

Really liked this book, more of a character study than a thriller. Robert is a egotistic character who lies, just like everyone else in his family. However, his introspection added a sense of depth and resonance to the book. When a friend of his son comes to live with Robert and his second wife Elizabeth, things go downhill rapidly. A solid narrative when told through Robert’s eyes, but some chapters didn’t make sense as written; truly secondary characters pitching in to the story, but didn’t add much. A little wordy in spots as well, but with plenty of twists and tormented characters, this is a solid story. Thanks to netgalley for an advance copy.

Robert Hart seems to have it all...Elizabeth, his beautiful, loving wife; a son, Jonah, who has finally recovered from the trauma of watching his dad abandon his "starter" family a decade before; a thriving medical practice; and he's just been named Man of the Year by his neighbors in the upscale community where he lives. So why does Robert become so unhinged when he thinks Jonah's friend Nick is getting a little too cozy with Elizabeth? Perhaps because he knows Elizabeth so well-after all she left her first husband to be with Robert. Man Of The Year deftly explores what happens when a person realizes his perfectly constructed life isn't so perfect after all. Sounds like the plot of several earlier psychological thrillers? Don't be fooled by the description-what sets Man Of The Year apart is the writing-cool and crisp, sarcastic and seamless-it turns what could have been a formulaic novel into a stunning debut. Author Walker gets inside her characters, exploiting their weaknesses to the hilt. It's the proverbial train wreck watching so many flawed people create such destruction while convincing themselves they are just trying protect the ones they love from even more damage. Man Of The Year proves no one is immune to insecurity and jealousy-even (especially) those people we think we should envy. They just hide it better-or at least they think they do-until they don't.

Thank you for Net Galley for sending me this ARC.
We are introduced to Dr. Robert Hart as he is accepting his award for Sag Harbor's man of the year. The night he receives his award he is surrounded by his family, his second wife Elizabeth, his son Jonah and Jonah's best friend Nick. This is the night that Hart begins to believe his wife and Nick are having an affair and this feeling leads him to take actions he never thought was possible. I enjoyed this ARC and was enthralled by the mystery in the second half of the novel. I did not at all expect the ending.

Dr. Robert Hart wins the title of "Citizen of the Year" in Sag Harbor. His son Jonah, 20, and his wife, Elizabeth, join in the festivities. Also, Jonah's friend, Nick, is there to help celebrate. Robert's "oldest" friend, Raymond Harrison, is there, too - enjoying the levity. We learn that both Robert and Elizabeth cheated on their respective spouses when they got together. A glint tells Rob that maybe they are still in that mode - but it has been a wonderful 10 years, together.

As the week goes on, Rob becomes paranoid and insecure when he sees/hears his wife with Nick. He thinks that they are having an affair. So, Robert takes Nick to his medical office and does a physical on him. He draws blood and leaves it there. This all to have AIDS information on Nick and blood for other tests that Robert may want to have run later. On their way back from Robert's office, he is stopped for a speeding ticket. He thinks "Citizen of the Year", right...

Elizabeth and Jonah talk Nick into staying for the entire summer - much to Robert's chagrin. Since Jonah and Nick are roommates at college, they can go back, together, in the fall. Robert and his wife go out to dinner, alone, and Elizabeth gets quite drunk. The two of them swim in the pool afterwards. The next day is spent nursing hangovers. Finally, on Monday, they ask Jonah where Nick has been. No one is sure. A day later, a leak in the garage forces Robert to clean his gutters and it is then when Nick is found - dead.

Anything after this would spoil the many twists this drama takes - and there are plenty! The reader is not convinced that Nick committed suicide. More and more characters emerge and appear as if they could be involved in the murder.

A great read, if not a bit wordy, but it is a suspenseful story! RECOMMEND!!!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster / Gallery Books for a top-notch read!

Dr. Robert Hart is named Sag Harbor’s Man of the Year. He has a great practice, a gorgeous wife, an amazing home and a dead body in the yard. Naturally he becomes a “person of interest”. In this thriller we search for a killer and in doing so we explore the public vs. private life of a family.

Are we the same people in the privacy of our home as we are at work or in social settings? The Man of the Year’s private life is complicated. His son has only one friend. He worries that his wife is unfaithful. He is being blackmailed. Solving these issues will not be easy. Is there anyone Robert can trust? The complications of life weigh him down. How could such a charmed life fall apart so quickly?

When the dead body is discovered, the identity of the killer seems obvious. As the story develops, your theory changes and changes again. In the end, the murder did not happen in the manner you initially believed. This is a well written novel, however one character needed more development. The friend of Dr. Hart’s son, Nick, needs a bit more detail. Why did he bond so closely to the family? How long have they known him? His role is pivotal and I felt it necessary to know more about him.

It is fun to read a book that twists and turns in unexpected ways. It draws you in as a reader and keeps you up at night. Man of the Year is just that book. Thriller fans and even those new to the genre will enjoy this book.

Whoa! At first I wasn't too sure about this one. It seemed too obvious, I wasn't sure where it was headed and it was a little wordy. But by the end, the twists and turns had me reading into the night!

Robert is the "Citizen of the Year" for his community. An upstanding doctor with a stellar reputation. His 2nd wife, Elizabeth is the vision of perfection, and his son Jonah is home for a while with his best friend Nick in tow. Suspicions begin arising that Elizabeth and Nick are a little too close for comfort which Robert becomes obsessed with. He goes to extreme measures to end their "relationship" without losing his wife who is the apple of his eye.

I won't go into the plot twists - they were a plenty! The one thing I thought was a little odd and misplaced were the random minor character chapters. I guess they were there for their development, but I didn't feel it was necesssary to hear from the best friends' wife as she really didn't have a part to play in the outcome of anything. There were a couple other instances of this that took away from the overall book, but loved it nonetheless and would highly recommend for fans of "Gone Girl" and the "Girl on the Train" that like surprise endings.

Man of the year is a fantastic twisty page turning masterpiece! The characters are complex with an interwoven story line. There are so many twists and I will not soon forget that ending. Highly recommend.

This is one of those books that are nearly impossible to review because nothing I say will do it justice so I will begin with...

THIS BOOK IS SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT.

The crux of this story is Caroline Louise Walker's writing. Period. This is among the best prose from a debut author that I have seen in some time.

Walker has woven an intricate plot featuring a complex and utterly engrossing protagonist, Dr Robert Hart.

Robert suspects his wife is cheating and he sets on a paranoid course of self destruction. The lengths he goes to in order to satisfy his own suspicions while desperately trying to hold together his house of cards family is disquieting at best.

"The beautiful things that grow from decay can make it awfully hard to leave the garden."

This is a subtle story, told almost entirely in the mind of Robert. Walker has written this character with such acuity I felt like I was on the inside of him looking out. No longer a spectator, I found myself seeing life through Robert's eyes.

This isn't a thriller so much as it is a study of character(s). So, if the stereotypical twister is what you're anticipating then I suspect that you, like myself, will be bowled over by the ability of masterful storytelling combined with an insidious plot to keep you on the edge of your seat, mouth agape.

I'm not giving anything away when I say that the ending is irony personified and it is sublime!

Fantastic debut. Count me in for everything to come from this author.


I received an ARC from Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.

It is so easy to be jealous of those who look like they have everything, looks, money, status and of course some really pathological psychology. Man of year, money, pretty wife, nice kid. Nice kid brings some squirrely friend home for the summer and things start to really fall apart.
There is a lot of talk and introspection, and the inevitable crash.

Its an ok book, strengths and some weak parts.

Family secrets and betrayal are at the heart of this suspense novel. It all starts when the Hart family, prestigious Dr. Robert and his second wife Elizabeth take in a friend of Rob’s son Jonah.
Does it really start then? Or was it already in place?
Twists and turns in plot have the reader realizing nothing is as it seems.

Remember the words of Walter Scott: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave…when first we practice to deceive.”? If so, you are well on your way to understanding how this story becomes complicated when people compulsively lie.

The story begins with an opulent fete honoring Dr. Robert Hart, Sag Harbor’s Man of the Year. From there it grows into an intricate plot of suspicions, loyalties, betrayals, and deceit that will capture your imagination as you support, condemn, and empathize with the people involved.

I thought the book started out a bit slow with more background than plot, but after reading about 20% of the story it suddenly became a compelling story of the lives of the four main characters, Dr. Hart, his wife, son, and his son’s friend. Friends and neighbors play a part, too, to complicate and give depth to the entire mystery. The characters come alive on the pages, and at times you either love them or hate them. It’s easy to imagine each scenario as it develops, but you’ll never guess where the story is going to lead you. Overall, a very good read.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an objective review.

It was very difficult for me to get into this novel. There was so much introspection, so much chit chat, that I had no idea where it was going. I gathered that young Nick was going for the Man of the Year's wife, but who cares? I don't.