In the early part of 2020, my husband and I decided it was finally time to start looking for a house. We’d been saving for years, and although we were excited at the prospect of becoming homeowners, we were also overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Fortunately, we ended up with the best-case scenario. We found the perfect place on our very first day of home tours, made an offer the next day, and closed just a few weeks later. The week after we moved in, the entire world shut down for the COVID-19 outbreak. We still can’t believe how lucky we were.
But for many, the journey to homeownership isn’t nearly so smooth. Bidding wars, soaring prices, impossible competition—buying a home has only grown more stressful in recent years. It’s that very pressure that inspired Marisa Kashino’s debut thriller, Best Offer Wins. So when her publisher offered me the chance to read the book, I was far too intrigued by the premise to say no.
Margo Miyake has spent years trying to build the perfect life. She’s got a great job as a publicist, and her husband Ian is smart, kind, and devoted—the perfect partner. But there are still a few pieces missing from the picture she’s trying so hard to complete. One is a child. Despite their best efforts, they haven’t been able to conceive. And of course, a baby won’t matter if they can’t get out of their cramped one-bedroom apartment. Finding the perfect home hasn’t been the challenge, but actually buying one has. After eighteen months and eleven lost bidding wars, the heartbreak feels never-ending.
Then Margo gets a tip about the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood, set to hit the market in one month. She drags Ian on a “just to look” drive-by and instantly falls in love. Naturally, she has to see the backyard. The tire swing beckons her closer. And when she’s spotted by one of the homeowners, caught in the act, she offers a harmless excuse and promises Ian she won't cross any more boundaries. Still, Margo can’t let this place go. It’s now or never, and she’s determined to make this house her own.
So what if she starts slipping into the lives of the couple preparing to sell it? Some might call it stalking; others, trespassing. But to Margo, it’s simply the game you have to play in today’s cutthroat housing market. As her obsession deepens, she becomes undeterred by normal boundaries. No act is too bold—or too inappropriate—if it means claiming the life she’s always dreamed of.
Best Offer Wins might just be the most over-the-top, propulsively readable thriller I’ve picked up this year. I alternated between reading the physical book and listening to Cia Court’s excellent audio narration, and I was equally enthralled in both formats. Kashino has written a thriller rooted in the stress and chaos of today’s housing market, pushing her protagonist just past the edge of sanity and polite society. And the remarkable thing is, we’re rooting for her the entire time.
As Margo buckles under the pressure of trying to conceive, trying to find the perfect house, and coping with that stress in increasingly disturbing ways, we can’t help but think, yeah… I get it. Good for her. Sure, there were a few moments when I had to roll my eyes at her choices, but even as the story shifts from clever satire to something darker and more twisted, I couldn’t look away. Best Offer Wins is a must-read thriller for our times and absolutely one of the best of the year.
For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads.
(2025, 93)
Sounds like she went through a lot in this. Sounds like a good thriller.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great thriller!
DeleteMargo's actions sound a little unhinged at times; and this book sounds very intense and compelling. And I love the story of how you guys got your house. What a blessing to find it so quickly, and to find it right before the covid shutdown. Your own sanctuary. We all need that in our lives. Wishing you and your husband a very Happy Thanksgiving! :D
ReplyDeleteIt was the best! We had so much unanticipated time to settle in haha. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
DeleteOh wow...this sounds good.
ReplyDeleteA must read!
DeleteMargo sounds very driven to check off those boxes at all costs. Sounds like it was an engrossing read.
ReplyDeleteIt makes for a wild ride!
DeleteThe housing market was crazy during Covid! We moved and sold at the tail end a got a lot for our house in Southern California, but had to pay more for the house we bought, too. You also had to have your cash ready to move so we had to sell before we had something else. Thankfully, my sister has an ADU and we stayed there six weeks in the time it took to find another house and have it close. You're lucky you got your house when you did! This story sounds nuts, but I feel for the MFC! I hope everything worked out, haha! :)
ReplyDeleteIt was such a tumultuous time, but I'm happy we both made it through. As for this character, things get a bit crazier haha
DeleteThat does sounds stressful. I had.no idea. We tried, said meh and just built one instead
ReplyDeleteOooh but that way you got exactly the house you wanted!
DeleteWhat a great topic for a thriller to focus on! The housing market is so cutthroat! I'm glad y'all were able to find a house so quickly right before Covid!
ReplyDeleteRight? It makes for a crazy story!
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