The Gifted School — Bruce Holsinger

A smart, juicy, compulsively readable novel of parental ambition, social pressure, and privilege. Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng, Tom Perrotta, Nick Hornby, and Liane Moriarty.

Good schools, stately houses, safe neighborhoods, all set against a beautiful landscape. What else could a family want? It was with high hopes for the future that four young couples separately chose this Colorado town as the place to raise their children over a decade ago. Finding each other as friends further buoyed them over the ensuing years, as they juggled the stresses of parenthood, careers, and marriage. Even now, as the kids head for middle school, their individual interests and abilities becoming more and more distinct, the group of families has remained tight. But when an exclusive new school is introduced into the mix - an elite new standard to meet - it represents, at long last, one pressure too many.

Gradually, throughout the community, cracks begin to form, and spread. As children are pitted against each other for coveted spots in the school, some parents shock themselves with the lengths they are secretly willing to go in the pursuit of prestige and recognition. Soon, long-buried resentments arise between friends and spouses alike, as ever more toxic instincts keep emerging. And the most shattering secret of all still lies waiting to be exposed.

The Gifted School is a smart, knowing, wickedly entertaining novel that at once provokes, skewers, and forgives, loves and understands its keenly observed characters. A riveting tale of parenting and privilege, custom-made for our culture.