One of Us

“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.

Author Biography

Elizabeth Day is one of the most influential voices in British media. As the UK’s #1 female podcaster, How to Fail has become the go-to hitmaker launching authors such as Meg Mason and Glennon Doyle onto the bestseller list there. Elizabeth lives in London and Los Angeles, where she is filming the next season How to Fail.