Town & Country: A Novel by Brian SchaeferPublication Date: November 4, 2025
Pages: 304
Add on: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fiction / Literary
Publisher: Atria Books / Simon & Schuster
A “big-hearted and true” (Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize winner) debut novel set in a small rural town amid a congressional race that forces the candidates, their families, and a clique of gay second homeowners to confront lies, betrayals and shifting allegiances.
The trendy rural town of Griffin has become a popular destination for weekenders and the city’s second homeowners, but now a congressional race in this swing district is highlighting tensions between life-long residents and new arrivals. The campaign pits local pub owner and town supervisor Chip Riley against the wealthy young carpetbagger Paul Banks, challenging the social and political loyalties of their families and friends with lasting repercussions.
Diane Riley, Chip’s wife, is a religiously devout real estate agent who feels conflicted about selling second homes—including to Paul and his much older husband, Stan. Their elder son, Joe, is grieving the recent overdose death of his best friend and spiraling into drugs himself, while their younger son, Will, is a newly out college student seduced by the decadent lifestyle of Paul’s circle.
Meanwhile, Stan Banks uses the race to give purpose to the pain of losing a loved one to AIDS, even as he begins to doubt Paul’s readiness for office. And within their growing fraternity of city transplants, Eric Larimer finds unexpected connection with a local farmer that opens his eyes to the region’s complexity as Leon Rogers, still reeling from a divorce, becomes increasingly desperate to infiltrate the Banks’s exclusive crew.
Spanning six months from Memorial Day to Election Day, Town & Country paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a community in flux. For readers of Fredrick Backman and Jen Beagin, this “powerful and extremely well-written book” (Colum McCann, National Book Award winner) asks the essential and timeless questions: What makes a home, and what do we owe our neighbors?
REVIEW
Brian Schaefer’s debut novel, Town and Country, drops readers into the fictional town of Griffin, New York, right as it’s gearing up for a fierce congressional race. The tension crackles from page one: Chip Riley, the beloved local pub owner and longtime town supervisor, goes head-to-head with Paul Banks, a wealthy newcomer whose slick campaign and outsider status set the town buzzing. But this is more than just a political showdown; it’s a battle for Griffin’s soul, with tradition and change pulling the town in different directions.
The action plays out over six months, from Memorial Day to Election Day, turning Griffin into a stand-in for a divided America. The campaign isn’t just background noise. It stirs up old secrets, tests family bonds, and forces everyone to pick a side, even when the choices aren’t easy. Schaefer doesn’t just focus on the candidates; he breathes life into a whole cast of townsfolk, capturing the quiet dramas and daily routines that make small-town life both comforting and claustrophobic.
What sets Town and Country apart is its people. Chip and Paul aren’t just stand-ins for big ideas; they’re complicated, vulnerable, and utterly human. The supporting cast is just as vivid, each one wrestling with the push-pull of home, belonging, and change. Schaefer nails the contradictions of rural life: the longing for something new, the fear of losing what’s familiar.
Schaefer’s writing sparkles with warmth and wit. His style is brisk and lively, but he knows when to hit the brakes and linger on the moments that matter. A few storylines wander off or don’t quite resolve, but the emotional punch more than makes up for it.
Town and Country’s biggest triumph is how real it feels. The setting, the characters, the messy politics, they all ring true. Even when the plot meanders, the heart of the novel beats strongly. Readers who crave stories about real people facing real dilemmas will find plenty to love here.
Brian Schaefer’s first novel is timely but feels timeless, a story about politics that never forgets the people at its center. With humour, heart, and a sharp eye for detail, Town and Country captures what it means to belong to a place, and to each other.
Rating: 4 out of 5
