Target New ArrivalsFourth of JulyGift Ideas for DadClothing, Shoes & AccessoriesHome & DecorKitchen & DiningOutdoor Living & GardenGroceryHousehold EssentialsBabyBeautyPersonal CareSports & OutdoorsHealthWellnessLuggageSchool & Office SuppliesToys & GamesElectronicsVideo GamesMovies, Music & BooksParty SuppliesGift IdeasGift CardsPetsUlta Beauty at TargetShop by CommunityTarget OpticalDealsClearanceNew ArrivalsGift Ideas for DadBack to SchoolCollegeTop DealsTarget Circle DealsWeekly AdShop Order PickupShop Same Day DeliveryRegistryRedCardTarget CircleFind Stores
The Au Pair - by  Teddy Wayne (Hardcover) - 1 of 1

The Au Pair - by Teddy Wayne (Hardcover)

$24.00Save $6.00 (20% off)See 1 deal for this item

Pre-order

Free & easy returns

Free & easy returns

Return this item by mail or in store within 90 days for a full refund.
Eligible for registries and wish lists

About this item

Highlights

  • A NEW YORK TIMES NOVEL EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT and NOVEL EVERYONE WILL BE READING THIS SUMMER"Nervewrackingly fun.
  • Author(s): Teddy Wayne
  • 272 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Literary

Description



About the Book



"Award-winning author Teddy Wayne follows the tremendous critical success of his breakout sensation The Winner-a New York Times Top Ten Thriller of the Year-with another seductively twisty page-turner about the explosive impact of a beautiful Norwegian au pair on a celebrated novelist and his wife"-- Provided by publisher.



Book Synopsis



A NEW YORK TIMES NOVEL EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT and NOVEL EVERYONE WILL BE READING THIS SUMMER

"Nervewrackingly fun."--Vogue, Best Books of the Year So Far

A Boston Globe, Seattle Times, Town & Country, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Lit Hub, and Zibby Books most-anticipated/summer books pick

Award-winning author Teddy Wayne follows his breakout sensation The Winner--a New York Times Top Ten Thriller of the Year--with another seductively twisty page-turner about the explosive impact of a beautiful Norwegian au pair on a celebrated novelist and his wife.

Steven Hammer was once a literary star. Now, his career is floundering, his marriage to a high-powered woman is crumbling, and the only bright spot in his life is Astrid, the Norwegian au pair who cares for their children--and reveres his neglected novels. But what begins as a secret infatuation soon spirals into a scandal that makes them both infamous.

As a headline-grabbing trial captivates the world with a salacious story of sex, power, and betrayal, Steven must confront the wreckage he's created--and the deeper insecurities that fueled it. Is Astrid an innocent young woman caught up in a case beyond her control, or a calculating femme fatale? And how far will he go, driven by desperation and obsession, for her professed love?

With inexorable momentum and sly, lucid prose, Teddy Wayne's The Au Pair is a sleek literary thriller about desire, deception, and the unraveling of a man as he grapples with his fading relevance--when the lies others spin pale beside the fictions we tell ourselves.



Review Quotes




A NEW YORK TIMES NOVEL EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT and BOOK EVERYONE WILL BE READING THIS SUMMER - A LIT HUB, NEW YORK POST, AND ZIBBY BOOKS MOST-ANTICIPATED BOOK - A KIRKUS BEST BOOK TO READ - A SEATTLE TIMES SUMMER DEBUT - A ZOOMER MUST-READ BOOK -A TOWN & COUNTRY AND THE BOSTON GLOBE BEST BOOK OF THE SUMMER - A CHICAGO TRIBUNE "COOLEST BOOK FOR THE HOTTEST MONTHS" - A JORDY'S BOOK CLUB MOST ANTICIPATED SUMMER READ

"This compulsive thriller gleefully and skillfully skewers both stereotypical tropes and the contemporary publishing landscape." - Boston Globe

"[A] tightly constructed, endlessly exhilarating thriller." - Town & Country

"An ingenious dissection of marriage, masculinity, and privilege, propelled by a gimlet-eyed wit....A sly, unsettling hybrid of social satire and domestic thriller." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review and editor's pick)

"Wayne delivers a sharp domestic thriller...an intricate look at the perils of seeking admiration. Readers will be hard-pressed to put this down." - Publishers Weekly

"Teddy Wayne has written a book about selling out that doesn't--a guilty pleasure that earns its guilt. The Au Pair is a canny seduction wrapped in a page-turning thriller wrapped in an elegy for the literary novel: a threefold delight." - Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Homeland Elegies and The Radiance

"You may think you know where it's going, this novel about a disappointed writer, his frosty wife, and a comely young nanny. You may be in for a surprise. Propulsive but also insightful--and funny, in its merciless skewering of midlife, marriage, and more--The Au Pair cements Teddy Wayne's status as a master of the wicked little literary thriller." - Rumaan Alam, New York Times bestselling author of Leave the World Behind and Entitlement

"The Au Pair is Teddy Wayne at his immensely readable best. The plot ratchets up in the creepiest, most chilling way while deliciously skewering the Brooklyn literary set. It's a book you'll tear through, one that leaves you guessing until the last page." - Maria Semple, New York Times bestselling author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? and Go Gentle

"I tore through The Au Pair in a single day, and lamented only that it wasn't twice as long. I hunger for literary thrillers with clean, lovely sentences that are also generous with the goods: narrative and erotic tension, plot twists, and a sly sense of humor about their characters. Teddy Wayne delivered, yet again, on all counts." - Melissa Febos, bestselling author of Girlhood and The Dry Season

"A suspenseful mystery with both expected and unexpected plot twists. . . With his descriptive skill and insightful humor, Wayne elevates a potentially stereotypical setup into an examination of ego, professional disappointment, and self-delusion." - Library Journal

"A slow-burn, messy look at modern marriage...One can't look away." - Booklist


Dimensions (Overall): 9.1 Inches (H) x 6.0 Inches (W) x 1.1 Inches (D)
Weight: .85 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 272
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Literary
Publisher: Harper
Format: Hardcover
Author: Teddy Wayne
Language: English
Street Date: June 30, 2026
TCIN: 1004856310
UPC: 9780063457232
Item Number (DPCI): 247-06-9821
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1.1 inches length x 6 inches width x 9.1 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.85 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii

Return details

This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.
See the return policy for complete information.

Q: What themes are explored in this novel?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
  • A: The novel explores themes of marriage, masculinity, privilege, and the complexities of seeking admiration.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What is the genre of this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
  • A: The book falls under the genres of fiction and literary literature.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: Who is the author of this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
  • A: The book is written by award-winning author Teddy Wayne.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What is the target audience for this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
  • A: The book is suggested for readers aged 22 years and up.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
    Ai generated

Q: What type of narrative style does the author use?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
  • A: The author employs a mix of social satire and domestic thriller in the narrative.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 9 days ago
    Ai generated

Additional product information and recommendations

Discover more options

Frequently bought together

Guests also viewed

Get top deals, latest trends, and more.

Privacy policy