This was a win for me! 4.5 stars, rounding up. Some context on me as a reader: I am far more likely to venture into experimental literary fiction than commercial mystery or ensemble stories, and that really worked in my favor when it came to reading this book. The Rich People Have Gone Away IS a mystery novel — perhaps less of a "whodunnit" and more of an exploration of a missing persons case — but it also dives deep into its themes and doesn't hesitate to pull us away from the flashy plot to do so. For some readers, that will be distracting or frustrating. For me, it worked brilliantly.

This is a COVID novel. It explores the lives of multiple interconnected families during the Spring and Summer of 2020 in New York City, and does not shy away from the class, racial, and political implications, as the title might suggest. Porter is a master of complex characters, and this book has made me want to pick up others she's written. I knew her writing would get along with my reading sensibilities when the first few pages made me say aloud, "Oh, I hate this man." I still did by the end, but I loved that the text never wrote him off — instead, it pushed the reader to see him as a human being without coddling or validating the many things he gets wrong.

I read a lot of ~sad girl litfic~, and if you're looking for the energy of complicated and often unlikable protagonists paired with the pace of a mystery and the commentary of a book that could only have been written from inside of and just after a global pandemic, this book is absolutely for you. Loved it, ripped through it in two days, would recommend.

Brooklynites Darla and Theo escape their condo to go Upstate during quarantine. Darla’s family has a ritual of taking a hike as soon as they reach their family cottage, and that’s when all hell breaks loose. 🤪

The rest of the novel explores all the people and their backgrounds in Darla and Theo's immediate sphere as they search for Darla. Yes, she goes missing after her dispute with her husband, and baaabbbyyyyyyy I was hooked until the end!

I was invested in some of the characters more than others, but their relationships to wealth, race, and Brooklyn made me want to learn more about them. I want to say more, but no spoilers! 🤭 I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Thoroughly enjoyed The Rich People Have Gone Away, a literary fiction story about a pregnant woman who goes missing after an argument with her husband in the woods. Like many others, Theo and Darla Harper leave NYC in the early days of the pandemic. On their way to Darla’s family cottage upstate, they stop in the woods for a hike as part of their usual routine, but this time, they do not leave the woods together.

This story follows Theo, Darla, and others in New York connected to the couple and the search for Darla. The Rich People Have Gone Away explores secrets, relationships, class, and more. The characters are flawed and authentic and even when I didn’t find certain characters likable, I felt invested in each of their stories.

The pandemic is a prominent theme in this book — 2-4 years ago, this would have been a hard pass for me because I just wasn’t interested in reading about it but timing is key, and I’m glad I gave this one a shot. While I can see that this may not be a book for everyone, it definitely worked well for me. The writing was smart and the story different, in a good way — 4.5 stars (rounded up)

This lit fic novel is heavily featured the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically in 2020, and how New Yorkers from different walks of life were effected. Major themes include racism and class privilege. All of this is set against a group of characters - some with strong ties, some with loose ties - searching for a missing woman. It was really interesting and I enjoyed reading it.

Delighted to include this title in the August edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

A book that felt like interconnected short stories. These characters are vivid and enjoy the way they interact with each other. They felt so real but I do wish there were fewer points of view in the story. I was more interested in Ruby and Theo than anyone else. I didn't connect with Darla even though she was the missing person.

I really liked this book. It captured me from the start and I was invested in the characters. I think this is a very strong "COVID novel" and it explores a lot of ideas around who we become in moments of crisis. I think there were a few too many perspectivs in the book overall, but think Porter pulled off a really solid book.

After an explosive argument with her husband while out hiking, pregnant Darla Jacobson goes missing. Her absence sets in motion a series of events that reveal long-hidden secrets that push Darla, her family, and friends to the brink.

This one is kind of tricky to rate/review. One of the marketing comparisons was the work of Patricia Highsmith, but it's really less of a domestic thriller and more of a collage of life during COVID where every pre-existing tension is pushed to the surface but with fairly low-stakes outcomes compared to the scale of events in the book.

The kaleidoscopic focus on so many different characters means that no one plot is fully rendered, and at times it's difficult to see how some of these vignettes serve the narrative/themes. The prose is also stylized, which I enjoy but could potentially put readers off.

Even though there are many elements of this book that don't quite work for me, I still enjoyed my time with it. It's ambitious with heart and humanity. It's not going to be for every reader and I understand why it's getting mixed reviews, but I'm glad I picked it up.

Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley!

The Rich People Have Gone Away is an ambitious novel set in NYC during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. NYC is hotspot for the virus so, Darla & Theo decide to escape the city and quarantine upstate; while hiking things quickly take a turn and Darla goes missing bringing a diverse cast of characters together as they try to find her. Porter does a fantastic job at writing an eclectic cast of characters whose stories jump off the page. I enjoyed each character, even Theo lol but, as far as their interconnected relationships it was a miss for me. This was a unique prose I have never read anything like it. The portrayal of the pandemic and the different experiences each character had with Covid was so well done and realistic. I imagined future generations reading this novel and them being blown away by the events that transpired the Spring of 2020. I enjoyed this novel, but at times the multiple pov’s made the story feel a bit disjointed. This is a character driven story, and the suspense/ mystery are a backdrop to the characters so, if you pick this up expecting a classic who done it mystery this will not meet your expectations, but I encourage you to do read it because of the cast of characters and it is very well written. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth for an advance copy in exchange for honest review.

I thought the synopsis of The Rich People Have Gone Away sounded really interesting. Unfortunately the writing style isn’t working for me - told in small vignettes and jumping around between characters is keeping me distant from all of them. Thank you to the publisher for the free book to review.

The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter is a phenomenally unique read. This literary mystery is set in the early days of the 2020 pandemic and kept me guessing the entire way through the novel. I enjoyed how the pandemic itself is a character in the novel, it added to the uncertainty of the story. This would be such a great book for a book club because there are so many topics to unpack around race, class, gender, equity and relationships. I cannot wait to read this with my book club!

I loved her first book and was so excited about this one. It did not disappoint! This book tackles a lot of different issues with grace. I loved this!

Here is my review for the rich people have all gone by Regina porter .. thank you so much bet galley for allowing me to read this book in advance in the change for an honest review

If you can imagine the worst people you know thinking they’re important, then you know what this book was. There were viewpoints that didn’t matter or hold weight to the story, unnecessary background, and the absolute most miserable main characters you’ll acquaint yourself with. The only redeeming character was Tabitha and her side story also made no difference to the story at large. The author wanted to do a lot but it wasn’t cohesive.

This one was tough for me. I think the scope of the book is kind of too large? We keep going on character side quests, which are somewhat interesting (especially Ruby’s), but for some reason the Xavier/Irvin plots did not click at all for me. I also don’t really know what we were trying to achieve in this book besides just do a “slice of life” kind of book, which I usually love. But this one was extremely disjointed. I’m giving it 3-stars because I do think it’s well-written but the plot is 2-2.5 for me.

What a weird book. From the description, I thought this would be a missing person mystery set during Covid. I appreciated the characterization and descriptions. The stories themselves seem disjointed and unrelated, although they are loosely related to each other. My brain kept trying. To make them connect more. I think it was strange and uncomfortable that the main characters were polyamorous. Maybe I am small minded or judgmental, but that’s just something I don’t understand. Maybe that was supposed to intentionally make me uncomfortable, I don’t know.

Ironically I read this while being sick with COVID-19 and quarantining in Iowa.

I was left with a lot of questions, but this was still a worthy read.

Thanks to @neggalley and @randomhouse for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published August 6,2024

A raw surprising opening that though shocking drew me in.New York city the pandemic an interesting cast of characters.A couple escaping the city heading upstate she is pregnant they head out for a walk something is revealed and she walks away and disappears.The search for her the people involved kept me involved turning the pages.#netgalley #randomhouse

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this novel. I don't know what I was expecting but this was super unique. Although it was hard for me to focus while reading it, I did enjoy the conclusion.

"The Rich People Have Gone Away" exceeded all my expectations, making it an incredibly enjoyable read. Initially drawn to the plot about a woman who goes missing in 2020, I was thrilled to find that the real depth of the book lies in its exploration of each character's backstory. Regina Porter does an excellent job of weaving these narratives together, showing how interconnected everyone's lives are. A seemingly minor character ends up with a rich storyline, illustrating how everyone has their own universe and story.

Porter vividly captures the fear and uncertainty of the early months of COVID-19 in New York City, highlighting how race, class, and gender influenced people's experiences. The title underscores the reality that only the wealthy could afford to escape the city, leaving essential workers and the working class to face the pandemic with limited resources.

The book delves into various aspects of the pandemic, from racial disparities in health outcomes to debates over PPP loans. It also poignantly addresses September 11th, paralleling it with the collective trauma of COVID-19 without feeling gratuitous.

The plot's direction was surprising and engaging, and the ending subtly referenced the ongoing events of 2020. Porter's seamless integration of social issues like white privilege and male privilege adds depth to the story.

Thanks to Random House/Hogarth and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

This might be a love it or hate it read for many because it's very much a kaleidoscope with a central plot about a missing woman. Sort of. Set in New York City and state during the early days of the pandemic, it's the story of Theo and Darla, who have an open marriage and a lot of anger and what happens when she walks away from him. It's also the story of their neighbors, some of whom are more interesting and likable than the couple. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.