Man of the Year

Dr. Robert Hart, Sag Harbor’s just-named Man of the Year, is the envy of his friends and neighbors. His medical practice is thriving. He has a beautiful old house and a beautiful new wife and a beautiful boat docked in the village marina. Even his wayward son, Jonah, is back on track, doing well at school, finally worthy of his father’s attentions. So when Jonah’s troubled college roommate, Nick, needs a place to stay for the summer, Hart and his wife generously offer him their guest house. A win-win: Jonah will have someone to hang with, and his father can bask in the warm glow of his own generosity.

But when he begins to notice his new houseguest getting a little too close to his wife, the good doctor’s veneer begins to crack. All the little lies Robert tells—harmless falsehoods meant to protect everything he holds dear—begin to mount. Before long, he’s embroiled in a desperate downward spiral, destroying the lives that stand in his way. It’s only the women in his life—his devoted office manager, his friends, his wife—who can clearly see the truth.

Biting and timely, Man of the Year races along at an electric pace, with a wicked twist that you won’t see coming.



This is a slow pacing psychological thriller. The beginning was fine if not a little jumbled but this was cleared up fairly quickly. The middle is where the "heart" of the story lays. Then there is the ending. It is where all of the secrets were revealed but it felt a bit rushed.

When I read the reveal, I did have a moment of "ah ha". Ok, I did not really see that coming. Always a good result of a psychological thriller. Yet, I was a bit disappointed in the fact that Robert's reaction to Nick was more reserved. I thought for a man who seemed to have a lot going for him with a successful career and a family that he would have gone off the deep end with rage over someone honing in on his space.

Despite some bumps along the way and the slow pacing, I did like this book. I would read another book from this author. Fans of these types of books may want to give this book a try.