One of Us - by Elizabeth Day (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Funny, sharp, sophisticated, this is Elizabeth Day's writing at its finest."
--Dolly Alderton, New York Times bestselling author of Good Material

"The thinking person's thriller. A Trojan horse of a book--part Highsmith, part Waugh--that hides within its superbly gripping plot a gimlet-eyed interrogation of class, privilege and power."
--Lucy Foley

When Fliss, the eccentric grown daughter of the powerful Fitzmaurice clan, is found dead on beach in Bali, what seems like a tragic accident stirs more suspicion than closure for those who've traded favors with--and within--her family for decades.

There is Ben, Fliss's brother, eager to minimize his sister's passing, since it's suddenly clear he's next in line to be Prime Minister. And Martin--Ben's erstwhile best friend--who is just happy that Fliss's memorial gives him the chance to re-enter the Fitzmaurice orbit, seeking revenge and acceptance. He can't help but notice that Ben's wife, Serena, seems to have discovered in middle age that her privileged existence is more like a gilded cage. Or that Ben and Serena's daughter Cosima has become an environmental activist fighting against everything her parents seem to stand for--a pivot her late aunt would've applauded. Where does Richard Take--Ben's disgraced colleague, determined to make his big comeback, fit in? And circling them all is Andrew Jarvis and his money: Has he been their loyal hero, or the one who has thrown his weight around just to keep them all in check?

Delivering incisive commentary on the hypocrisies of the elite, this juicy ensemble drama about old friends and dazzling wealth perfectly captures the uneasy balance between personal ambition and collective responsibility. One of Us is a page-turner with teeth, a mash-up of The Wedding People and Succession--darkly comic and cutting, as well as unexpectedly hopeful.

Review Quotes

"Funny, sharp, sophisticated, this is Elizabeth Day's writing at its finest."
--Dolly Alderton, New York Times bestselling author of Good Material

"One of Us is intelligent, darkly humorous, and brilliantly written. It is a story for our time."
--Stanley Tucci

"The thinking person's thriller. A Trojan horse of a book--part Highsmith, part Waugh--that hides within its superbly gripping plot a gimlet-eyed interrogation of class, privilege and power."
--Lucy Foley

"A tantalizing portrait of privilege and power."
--The Sunday Times

"This timely story about the abuse of power is one of those books you just want to inhale in one go."
--Good Housekeeping

"As always, Day is sharply observant, clever and highly readable."
--The Gloss

"Speaks truth to power in such an entertaining, gripping way."
--Marian Keyes, bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

"Gorgeously written, utterly compelling, and full of characters you will love and hate--and also love to hate."
--Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton

"Clever and superbly-crafted ... It'll keep you turning the page until the very last sentence, I loved it and read it in one sitting."
--Kate Mosse, author of Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries

"A razor-sharp take on class, identity, friendship and the political establishment with a side order of compassion and some unforgettable characters. Just glorious."
--Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things

"One of the foremost writers of our time. A political thriller, anti-establishment revenge novel. Unputdownable and really cracking."
--Fi Glover

"Sensational"
--Grazia

"Day fills out her rich cast of characters with a disgraced politico, a sadistic hedge-fund manager, and an undercover police officer. Moving briskly from one point of view to another, she neatly alternates a mockingly satiric tone aimed at pretensions in class, politics, and media with a genuinely sympathetic one for characters caught in the narcissistic machinations of the privileged."
--Booklist

About the Author

Elizabeth Day is the author of The Party and other books, as well as one of the most influential podcasters at work today. Her show, How to Fail, has become a go-to hitmaker, launching authors such as Meg Mason and Glennon Doyle onto the bestseller list in the UK. She divides her time between London and Los Angeles.