A magnetic novel about two families strangers to each other who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrongAmanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City quality time with their teenage son and daughter and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home theyve rented for the weA magnetic novel about two families strangers to each other who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrongAmanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City quality time with their teenage son and daughter and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home theyve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and G. H. are an older black couple—its their house and theyve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area—with the TV and internet now down and no cell phone service—its hard to know what to believe.Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple—and vice versa? What happened back in New York? Is the vacation home isolated from civilization a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one other? Suspenseful and provocative Rumaan Alams third novel is keenly attuned to the complexities of parenthood race and class. Leave the World Behind explores how our closest bonds are reshaped—and unexpected new ones are forged—in moments of crisis.(less)