Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin
Laura Hankin’s debut novel Happy & You Know It (Berkley) is a delightful little mystery about Park Avenue mommies. They meet weekly, with babies in tow, for what they call a playgroup; but it’s more like group therapy — with wine and cheese. When a struggling musician named Claire, recently heartbroken and ousted from a rock band, is hired to entertain the children with songs and activities, things begin to fray. Unwittingly, she stumbles onto information she wishes she hadn’t – about who’s cheating on whom and what’s really in their medicine cabinets. In their drive to be fit and perfect, the women have fallen prey to a dangerous scam, and Claire is determined to find the perpetrator. (Read Sherri Daley’s full review here.)
With a cast of complex characters who, despite bad decisions and character flaws, will have you rooting for even the worst of them by the end, Happy & You Know It is a great choice for book clubs that enjoy a breezy read with a combination of heartfelt empathy and laugh-out-loud moments. Although these moms breathe the rarified air of Manhattan’s elite, there’s much to relate to for any mom, as the book deals with how women are judged by society and each other in ways that impact their life choices, relationships with themselves and others — and their experience of motherhood.
Through our partnership with Penguin Publishing Group, BookTrib is offering the book club guide for Happy & You Know It, including a letter from the Hankin on the origin of the book (spoiler: it’s based on her true-life experiences!), an interview with the author on how the book came together and some of the issues it explores, and discussion questions that are sure to light up your club meeting with lively conversation.
Download the book club guide here. For more on Happy & You Know It and information on where to purchase, visit the Penguin Random House website.
