The Explanation for Everything

Praise for A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein

“Suspense worthy of Hitchcock . . . [Grodstein] is a terrific storyteller and an even better ventriloquist.” - The New York Times Book Review

“[Grodstein has] written such an incisive diagnosis of aspirational America that someone should hand out copies at Little League games and ballet recitals. . . Horrifyingly plausible and deeply poignant, A Friend of the Family will leave you shaken and chastened—and grateful for the warning.” — The Washington Post

“These people will stay in your head, and keep their hands on your heart. Grodstein's skills at story telling are unwavering.” —Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge

“The novel is spot-on in its depiction of affection and jealousy among longtime friends; boozy suburban bashes; unrequited love; and adjusting to middle age . . . A Friend of the Family beautifully captures the ever-striving angst of parents who will take any step to ensure their children's lives are easier or better.” —USA Today

“Involving at every level: character, plot, language. One of the more complicated portraits of a father's love for his son we’ve ever read . . . Highly recommended.” —McSweeney’s

“A persuasive indictment of a certain kind of privileged narrow-mindedness . . . in the best tradition of parenting gone catastrophically awry.”--O, The Oprah Magazine

“This novel is an act of supernatural ventriloquism, as Grodstein wholly inhabits the voice of a middle-aged New Jersey doctor oblivious to the destruction of his good intentions. It's traditional Philip Roth territory, but in a different register, and bringing to bear different sensibilities ... but no less accomplished for all that.” —Joshua Ferris, Buzz Board on The Daily Beast

“A gripping, elegant account of fatherly love and suburban sanctity gone awry.”—This Week’s Hot Reads on The Daily Beast

“Grodstein’s harsh, honest prose makes this haunting tale worthwhile.” —People

“A twisted family drama never disappoints and this amazing novel is no exception.”—SheKnows.com

“Grodstein’s characters and their struggles are portrayed with such poignancy that the novel, though dark, is ultimately redemptive. Grodstein again reminds readers that she is perceptive in portraying the male psyche and is skilled enough to discuss sentimental topics with unapologetic realism.”
—Charleston Post and Courier

“[An] emotionally suspenseful novel . . . Grostein's prose is intense, measured, and sincere . . . Difficult to put down.” —Bust

“The moving, complex, beautifully written story of a good man who's slowly losing his grip on his life and his family, A Friend of the Family unfolds with unerring precision.”—Kate Christensen, author of The Astral

“An unqualified success…[Grodstein] has written a novel that will leave her reader sitting up, sifting the evidence in the dead of night.” —The Boston Globe

“A gripping novel . . . told with great understanding and sensitivity, gripping readers so that they will find the book hard to put down.”—Chicago Tribune

“Grodstein has written a compelling story with unforgettable characters in unenviable situations. A story of love, control, friendship, courage and the sacrifices fathers make to protect their children, this engrossing book grabs you and doesn't let go.”--BookReporter.com

“A gripping, insightful read.” —Working Mother

“Grodstein is a fluid writer who handles the multiple plot threads with ease and she has the ability to render scenes with economy and grace.” —The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“A gripping portrayal of a suburban family in free-fall . . . If college applications, crickets singing in cul-de-sacs, and long drives down elm-lined roads are the details of your life, this book will startle you with its familiarity. If you’ve only wondered what it would be like to live in Grodstein’s New Jersey, this book will show you.” —Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“An astute dissector of male aspiration, Grodstein brings great insight into a father’s protective urge for his son in this gripping portrait of an American family in crisis.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Grodstein hooks readers right from the start . . . [She] plots the story expertly, taking it in directions we don’t expect, hinting at what is to come to build requisite tension, but saving the crucial disclosures until late in the narrative.” —Bookpage

“Grodstein pushes some powerful emotional buttons in this tale of male mid-life angst, atavism and breakdown . . . [Her] wry insights, her fully imagined social panorama and her vision of a middle-class man at the crossroads testify to her considerable skill. Ambitious, often impressive.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Grodstein navigates a tricky flashback structure while also creating a good deal of sympathy for a sometimes unlikable and controlling father. A gripping prose style and an impressive insight into paternal love are at the heart of this book’s appeal.” —Booklist