The novel portrays a family, the wealth of the ‘80s, and examines the repercussions of trauma. It is set in the past, specifically around March 12, 1983, and the near present, illustrating the events’ repercussions. It primarily takes place in Long Island, New York, within a wealthy Jewish community, with brief scenes in Los Angeles and New York City. Carl Fletcher, the head of the family, is a wealthy businessman who has inherited a plastics factory on Long Island. He lives in a large oceanfront house with his wife Ruth and their two children, Nathan (8) and Bernard (3). On the day in question, Carl is kidnapped on his way to the factory and is held captive for an entire week.
Carl’s mother, Phyllis, lives on a nearby estate. A widow active in the local Jewish community, she is intelligent, organized, and domineering. Phyllis quickly uses the family’s connections to help solve the case. Ruth, from a more humble background, realizes that the kidnapping will change everything within the Fletcher family. Pregnant, she is immediately frightened by the idea of losing the baby from stress.
Nathan, the elder son, is anxious and quickly senses the household’s fear and tension. Bernard, known as ‘Beamer,’ is an attention-seeking toddler prone to tantrums. Ruth has no choice but to take him along during the kidnapping events, including the drive to the bank to collect the ransom.
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