The Adults

The debut novel from the author of The Wedding People, this irresistible coming-of-age story follows a teenager named Emily Vidal in suburban Connecticut as she navigates her dysfunctional family, the death of a neighbour and an illicit relationship

On a bright summer evening in 1990s Connecticut, fourteen-year-old Emily Vidal stands on her parents' lawn, watching the adults arrive. Her mother is hosting a lavish birthday party for her father, even though he is about to leave her for another woman.

Adrift between her feuding parents and eccentric neighbours, Emily is closer than she knows to the choices and heartbreaks that will define her in the years ahead.

From the author of the million-copy international bestseller The Wedding People, this ruefully funny debut novel explores love, grief, consequences and the messy business of growing up.

Review

'Coming-of-age with a quick wit and sharp eye'
New York Times

'Outstanding. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time'
Wall Street Journal

'A wry, devastatingly funny coming-of-age tale'
Marie Claire

About the Author

Alison Espach is the author of three novels including The Wedding People, which was selected for the Read With Jenna book club and became a major international bestseller. Her short stories and essays have appeared in a wide range of publications, including McSweeney's and Vogue. She is a Professor of creative writing at Providence College in Rhode Island.