The High Season: A Novel

The Hamptons hath no fury like a woman scorned.

No matter what the world throws her way, at least Ruthie Beamish has the house. Lovingly renovated, located by the sea in a quiet Long Island village, the house is her nest eggamp;mdash;the retirement account shared with her ex-husband, Mike, and the college fund for their teenage daughter, Jem. The catch? To afford the house, Ruthie must let it go during the best part of the year.

It¿s Memorial Day weekend and Ruthie has packed up their belongings for what Jem calls ¿the summer bummer¿: the family¿s annual exodus to make way for renters. This year, the Hamptons set has arrived. The widow of a blue-chip artist, Adeline Clay is elegant, connected, and accompanied by a ¿gorgeous satellite¿ stepson. But soon Adeline demonstrates an uncanny ability to help herself to Ruthie¿s lifeamp;mdash;her house, her friends, even her husband (okay, ex-husband, but still). And after her job as the director of a local museum is threatened, Ruthie finally decides to fight back.