The House Party

Cameron’s riveting latest (after Ophelia’s Muse) explores class and economic divisions in an affluent Philadelphia suburb during the late-2000s housing bubble. High school senior Will O’Connor looks forward to attending Princeton on scholarship alongside his rich friend Hunter Finch, the son of prominent real estate developer Dom, who’s too wrapped up in work to be much of a father. At a year-end party, Will sees his girlfriend Maddie being sexually assaulted in the house and breaks a glass door to save her, inadvertently encouraging others to trash the place. Homeowner Maja Jensen, a New York City transplant, longs for a baby and had hoped building an expensive dream home would repair her fraught relationship with her husband, Ted. After the Jensens learn of the extensive damage, which occurred shortly before they planned to move in, they demand justice but don’t find much sympathy or cooperation from the parents of those involved, and the police initially suspect the Jensens’ subcontractors before turning their focus on Will, whose older brother has a history of trouble. Cameron does a stellar job at demonstrating how easily stereotyping and wealth can influence outcomes, setting a wide lens on the burgeoning housing crisis by showing how the Jensens are over-leveraged while Dom scoops up foreclosed properties. A seamless plot and believable characters make for an accomplished sophomore effort. Readers are in for a treat. (Sept.)