The novel begins with Clay driving his wife Amanda and their two teenage children, Rose and Archie, into a remote region of the Hamptons where they’ve rented an Airbnb (a private residence that renters sublet through an app). Clay is a professor, and Amanda works in marketing; while they drive, she takes a call from one of her employees, explaining that they will be too far from cellphone reception to reliably stay in touch. There is a subtle tension in Clay’s lack of understanding her career, but they are a happy couple.

They stop and get fast food, and Rose asks if they will be visiting Hazel’s family while they are on vacation. Hazel is a friend of Rose’s, but her family is far richer, and they are staying in a much richer part of the Hamptons; Amanda explains this to no effect. As they drive, they must switch to following written directions as their cellphone service ends and the GPS app on their phones stops.

The family arrives at the house. The vacation was Amanda’s idea; she has just gotten a promotion, and she feels this is the last vacation where she will still think of her children as children (