Lauren Schott

Mack and Hailey are working hard to build the perfect life. What could be wrong with accepting a little help along the way? ‘[A] devilishly twisted debut which I could not put down.’ Gillian McAllister Mack and Hailey Evans have just about made it: two promising careers, two beautiful children, a brand-new house in an exclusive lakefront village. There have been a few bumps in the road, however, and their finances have taken a hit. But someone is looking out for them: cheques have started coming in the mail. Mack is sure the money is from his estranged father. Hailey has her own suspicions. But as the mystery funds are sucked down the drain of the Evans household finances, Hailey and Mack are about to learn a very hard lesson: nothing in life comes for free. Trapped by the dodgy cheques they’ve accepted and spent, the Evanses have unwittingly entered into an unthinkable arrangement, and are now at the mercy of someone who will stop at nothing to get a return on their investment. VERY SLOWLY ALL AT ONCE is a gripping and all-too-relatable novel about a marriage under extreme pressure and an exploration of how far we’ll go to hold onto the life we want – and the people we love. ‘A book that asks: What is the cost of your family's happiness? The diabolical premise at the center will keep you guessing until the very end’ Sarina Bowen, author of Dying to Meet You and The Five-Year Lie ‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. What an adrenaline packed ride.’ Cesca Major, author of Maybe Next Time

Never lie to each other. Never cheat on each other. And never, ever accept free money. Featured as Spring 2026 Most Anticipated List, Zibby Media Featured as 10 Most-Anticipated Mystery-Thriller Books 2026, Marie Claire Featured as 10 debut fiction books by women to read in 2026, Stylist 'Devilishly twisted’ Gillian McAllister 'Tense, pacy debut' Guardian **************** Mack and Hailey Evans are on the cusp of living the American Dream. Established careers, two beautiful children, and a new house on a coveted lakefront estate. But modern life is expensive, so the anonymous payments they start to receive are spent before they know it. Could this money be from Mack's estranged father? Or one of Hailey's clients? Does it really matter? Then they discover that this mysterious benefactor expects a return on their investment. How far will the couple have to go to pay them back? As it turns out, the best things in life are not free. And the price is far steeper than they could have imagined … **************** For fans of Liane Moriarty and Alice Feeney **************** 'Craftily written domestic thriller' Irish Times ‘You’re living way beyond your means, marriage on the brink, you’ve just lost your job, when checks for large sums of money start showing up anonymously in the mail. What do you do? That’s the premise of VERY SLOWLY ALL AT ONCE, Lauren Schott’s devilishly twisted debut which I could not put down’ Gillian McAllister 'A must read' Marie Claire 'This book is a blast! Domestic suspense, cautionary tale and crime caper rolled into one, it had me hooked from the first wicked word to the last. A delicious treat’ Louise Candlish 'Tense novel about greed and denial' The i Paper ‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. What an adrenaline packed ride’ Cesca Major 'carries a strong sense of horrific dread… carries a slow intensity' Bestsellers World ‘The diabolical premise at the center will keep you guessing until the very end’ Sarina Bowen 'Sharp, witty and twisted – a car crash of the American Dream in slo-mo, and I loved every second!' Liane Child ‘A pacy, high stakes debut that keeps you guessing until the very last page’ Andi Osho 'A gripping, refreshing read' Emily Elgar ‘Brisk pacing, clever red herrings, and haunting denouement’ Publishers Weekly 'Impressive debut… cleverly plotted for fans of domestic suspense and ‘eat the rich’ narratives' Booklist review READERS ARE GRIPPED … 'The suspense and tension was built brilliantly. That simmering unease always there' Reader Review 'A completely original plot … I love, love, loved it!' Reader Review 'Sharp, unsettling and thoroughly addictive' Reader Review 'Lingers long after the final page' Reader Review