A Flaw in the Design

A Novel

By: Nathan Oates

Narrated by: David Pittu

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

A professor’s life is turned upside down when he takes in his charming, wildly dangerous nephew, whose wealthy parents have just died under mysterious circumstances, in this propulsive, edge-of-your-seat debut psychological thriller.

“An absolute page-turner . . . I read it in a single sitting.”—Miranda Cowley Heller, bestselling author of The Paper Palace

The cleverest psychopaths hide in plain sight.

Gil is living a quiet life as a creative writing professor in a bucolic Vermont town, when he receives some shocking news: His sister and her husband have been killed in a car accident, and their only son is coming to live with him and his family.

Gil and his wife are apprehensive about taking in seventeen-year-old Matthew. Yes, he has just lost both his parents, but they haven’t seen him in seven years—and the last time the families were together, Matthew lured their young daughter into a terrifying, life-threatening situation. Since that incident, Gil has been estranged from his sister and her flashy, wealthy banker husband.

Now Matthew is their charge, living under their roof.

The boy seems charming, smart, and urbane, if strangely unaffected by his parents’ deaths. Gil hopes they can put the past behind them, though he’s surprised when Matthew signs up for his creative writing class. Then Matthew begins turning in chilling stories about the imagined deaths of Gil’s family and his own parents. Bewildered and panicked, Gil ultimately decides he must take matters into his own hands—before life imitates art.

Told in limber, mesmerizing prose, A Flaw in the Design is a twisting novel of suspense that brilliantly explores the tensions surrounding class, family, and the drive to control one’s own story.

©2023 Nathan Oates (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A Flaw in the Design is a literary thriller of the highest order. Oates manages, with wisdom and insight, to explore the vulnerability of parenthood, the economic injustice of New York City, middle-age compromise, and the fallibility of storytelling, all while telling a heart-pounding tale that commanded my attention from the first sentence to the last.” —Julia May Jonas, author of Vladimir

“This suspenseful debut novel keeps the reader on tenterhooks in a fearful family drama. Oh, this demands a sequel!” —Christine Schutt, author of Pure Hollywood

“With increasing tension and growing paranoia, A Flaw in the Design explores the threat of ‘the other’ while moving toward an inexorable truth: Anyone obsessed with ‘the other’ is actually the most dangerous person of all. A gripping, twisty psychological thriller about the destructiveness of toxic masculinity hell-bent on protecting its own. I couldn’t put it down.” —Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Fierce Little Thing

Creepy but it catches you

Very engrossing story a great one to hear on a plane. I read a lot of suspense and this one had me engaged until the very end.

Interesting Premise

For those who disliked Gil, that seems to be purposeful. Some of the conversation in the writing class pointed to just that - an unlikeable, unreliable narrator. It’s a very interesting idea - what do you do when a family member appears to be psychotic?

Very satisfying

I took away one star because the obsession went a tad over the top at one point. Still, it was a very satisfying read. Good characters. Good plot. Hope he writes a second novel soon.

Captivating

Intelligent and intellectually strong, Great introspection and especially illuminating of the struggle between the rich, the middle class, and the petulant snobbery of both.

Could not stop listening

The main character is annoying but yet you relate with him in his quest for justice and can’t look away

Five stars isn’t enough

Expertly crafted story. Exceptional word choice creates vivid imagery. I was unable to stop listening and was wanting more as it concluded.

Loved it!

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It was recommended by a friend and I’m glad that I listened.

Boring

I’m starting to believe the reviews on audible aren’t real. There are so many good reviews for this unbelievably boring “thriller”. Not sure how this can be called a thriller. There should be a drinking game for how many times Matthew was called “The Boy”. Why not use his name, or him or he? So strange. Bored out of my mind and audible wouldn’t let me return it so I forced myself to finish it.

Implausible and dull

I really liked the premise of this novel: a man whose possibly sociopath nephew is now in his care. However, the execution left me wanting. The protagonist is incredibly whiny and unlikable, so much so that I didn't care about his past suicidality. The secondary characters are completely undeveloped. The wife? No substance whatsover-does nothing for the plot. Same with the daughters. The psychopath nephew himself is totally flat. But that could be excused I guess if this were a scintillating thriller where the plot carried the story, and yet even as a thriller, the novel falls apart. Why is it that this boy is able to submit stories detailing his crimes and no one in the class comes forward after his uncle (who accuses him of being a murderer) disappears? How is it possible that the boy hired a hitman who has gone to prison for his crime and never spoken out about the boy having hired him to do it? Since Gil's wife knows of his suspicions, why doesn't she come after the boy after her husband vanishes? But beyond this, the novel is just boring. Also-the narrator read the whole thing in such a world weary tone that I myself wearied of his voice. Really not a fun or satisfying book.