"Inspired by a comically unreasonable real-life advertisement published by a wealthy New York art world family seeking a personal assistant to “make life easier for the couple in every way possible,” this novel follows an unemployed actor named Raj who gets hired, on false pretenses, for a similar role by an unnamed “Hollywood Family” in Los Angeles. Sethi, a filmmaker and practicing oncologist, weaves into this deadpan satire a sobering look at the impacts of racism and colonialism on the pursuit of fame."--New York Times

“An immersive, literary page-turner that offers timely commentary on race and a peek into the lives of the Hollywood elite…The voice is witty, sharp, and sarcastic with great pacing, providing glimpses into Raj’s past and a slow reveal of everyone’s secrets.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Whip-smart…a laugh-out-loud tale of a Hollywood hustler.”—Publishers Weekly

“Raj never intended to be the assistant to a rich, powerful, and often-absurd family of Hollywood heavyweights. But his own dreams of being an actor aren’t panning out, and working for the H family has got to be better than slinging frozen yogurt—right? Perhaps, but the deeper he falls into their world, the more he finds that it’s not at all what he expected, and perhaps he’s been cast in the most challenging role of his life after all.”—Town & Country, The 46 Best Books of Summer 2026

"Funny, poignant, and positively delightful. Sethi's first novel has all the pleasure of an artisanal chocolate—an enticing exterior, a sneaky sophistication, and once you get inside, a shocking and enlivening surprise."—Graham Moore, author of The Last Days of Night