A woman’s brunch with friends quickly turns dark in this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.
Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Served Him Right by Lisa Unger, which releases on March 10th 2026.
Ana Blacksmith has gathered her closest friends and sister Vera for a brunch to celebrate her recent breakup from her boyfriend Paul. But when shocking news about Paul arrives, all eyes are on Ana, the angry ex with a bad reputation. Suspicions only intensify when Ana’s best friend falls deathly ill after the brunch.
But Ana is not the only one who had a score to settle with Paul. As the investigation unfolds, rumors of a secret network that uses ancient methods to obtain justice begin to emerge. Vengeance is sweet, but it can also be deadly. Ana and Vera are determined to find the truth before Ana takes the fall and their own long-buried history comes to light.
EXCERPT
She really needed this job. That’s why she was always there a half an hour before her boss got in, why she was often the one to turn the lights off after everyone else had left, sometimes even there when the cleaning crew arrived at night. She came in on weekends when she knew Paul’s work week ahead was heavy to make sure he had everything he needed for his various meetings, that his calendar was in order.
“You’re meticulous,” he told her. “What would I do without you?”
Meticulous. She carried the word around like a gold star. Meticulous. On top of things. Never missing a step. And her boss, Paul, he was good to her. When he stopped at Starbucks on the way into the office, he picked her up an oat milk latte, left it on her desk. He praised her in meetings, and to his own boss. He put in for her raise, and she got it. She hadn’t even asked.
Of course, she knew all the rumors about him. How he was a different man when he’d had too much drink. How he took credit for his colleague’s work. How he got aggressive, handsy. But Jessica had never seen a hint of any that. He did his job. She did hers.
Sure, there were a couple of office affairs—Beth in Marketing, Marie in Social Media. There had been some drama there; she wasn’t sure what. She tried to stay out of it, didn’t hang out in the break room where people gathered to whisper about this and that. She wasn’t like them; they all seemed so carefree, meeting for brunch and happy hour, driving new cars, taking expensive trips.
But Jessica wasn’t carefree. She had debts—massive student loans. There was no safety net. Her parents both passed and had left her with nothing except more debt. It wasn’t their fault. They’d worked hard, too. That was the way of it for some people, wasn’t it? Work hard and still can’t get ahead. But Jessica was steadily chipping away at her debt, even managing to save and invest a little.
Though this job paid well, if she was doing what she went to college for, she’d make more. But when she’d been applying, this position was offered first. She figured she’d take it just to pay the bills and keep looking. She’d make a change soon. But for now, she needed to be here. She wanted to be here.
So, today when Paul asked her to stay late to help with his client presentation, she didn’t hesitate.
“Of course,” she said. She had plans; she’d cancel them.
“Don’t worry about dinner,” he told her. “I’ll order in Thai.”
Truthfully, she liked Paul, even though many of the women in the office did not. He was funny, kind to her, hardworking. No, no. It wasn’t like that. Jessica had someone special in her life, someone she loved. Paul wasn’t her type. Like, not at all.
The project he needed help with was a big pitch for a brand- new client, a bespoke gym founded by an influencer who needed a full suite of services from traditional advertising buys to a publicity campaign, to website design and social media management. If Paul landed this account, it would mean a lot to the firm, which had lost a few clients last year for various reasons— some said because of the rumors swirling around Paul. But she didn’t believe that.
Anyway, Jessica had been researching the client all day, and she had some ideas that she was excited to share with Paul. She’d dressed for it, too. She wore her new black suit, with a white silk blouse and pumps. Dress for the job you want. Isn’t that what they said? She wasn’t going to be like some of the people her age, showing up in hoodies and pants that could be pajamas.
Now the office was emptying out, people heading out for happy hour. They always invited her. Her colleagues at the firm were warm and inclusive. But Jessica kept herself apart, mainly because she was shy, not a bar person. And her partner worked here, too, in another department. They kept their relationship out of the office. Even the contact in her phone was just the letter M, because they didn’t want to be the subject of office gossip mill.
Her phone pinged.
Hey, there. Ready to go? Still feel like a movie?
Sorry, babe. I have to stay late to help Paul with his presentation.
. . .
Alone?
It’s fine. He’s not like that with me.
Okay. Well, stay in touch. If things get weird, get out.
Jessica smiled. Because M worried about her, and also because Jessie thought all the rumors about Paul were simply not true. She’d never seen that side of him, not even a glimmer. And wouldn’t she have? Working so closely?
She hustled to the conference room down the hall, got set up. She was a little bit nervous. But when Paul joined her, she presented her research, all her ideas; they used the whiteboard to brainstorm. After a while, he ordered the food. And they continued working.
It was after ten by the time they’d finished, the office dark and empty, even the cleaning crew gone. She’d received a couple of worried texts from M, but Jessica offered assurances that all was well and that she’d come by after and spend the night.
As she tidied up the room, keeping her notes so that she could do the PowerPoint for the presentation, Paul left and returned with a bottle of vodka and two glasses.
Jessica really didn’t drink.
“You know,” he said, pouring generous portions into the glasses. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you. Especially the social media stuff. You have a real gift for that.”
She had always been good with tech. In fact, her degree was in computer science, which she didn’t talk about much because it was a little embarrassing that she’d worked so hard for it only to find she wasn’t using it at all in this job. She had a gift for coding, too. She’d applied for work in the IT department, but there wasn’t an opening. And she needed the work. So, when they offered the assistant job, she took it, hoping to move when she proved herself.
Her life after college had been fraught. She’d struggled to find her footing after her parents passed. She knew she should be trying harder to get a job in her field; M was always encouraging her. But truthfully, she liked it here. This is where she met M. She’d made real friends here, even though she rarely attended the group outings. She felt safe, secure. There was time for the big job she hoped to have. She was young.
“Social media is such a big part of marketing these days. Maybe the biggest piece,” she said. “People are living online, getting all their news and advice there. And the owner already has such a big following. We can really leverage that.”
“And the idea about pitching the owner for big podcasts and podcast advertising,” he went on, handing her a glass. “I love that.”
She took the glass, even though she didn’t want to. She was driving and she didn’t do well with alcohol. It was a big part of the reason she didn’t go to happy hour. Liquor hit her too hard, and she didn’t like who she was, or how it made her feel. But she didn’t want to disappoint her boss. So she raised the glass to her lips and took a swallow. It burned going down and she must have grimaced, because Paul laughed a little.
“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “You’re a lightweight.”
It was easy, good-natured. Jessica laughed, too. “I guess so.”
“To you, Jessica. Thanks for always having my back and going the extra mile. You’re the best assistant I’ve ever had. You have a bright future here at the firm.”
He raised his glass again, and she took another deep swallow. She’d call an Uber if she had to, or text M to come get her.
“Thank you,” she said. “For being such a great boss, for encouraging me.”
Another big swallow.
Her phone pinged again.
Hey, it’s getting late. All good?
Truthfully, that’s the last thing she remembered clearly, that text, those words swimming on the screen.
She reached for her phone—she remembered that—and the world seemed to tilt.
Paul’s voice, heavy with concern. “Oh, hey, there, steady.”
His hands on her arms, holding her up. She tried to apologize but the words wouldn’t come, and then his mouth was on hers, and his arms tight around her. And she didn’t have any strength to push him away, or any voice to say no. This isn’t happening, she remembered thinking. It’s a dream. And then everything was just fuzzy, then black.
The next moment Jessica was aware of herself, she was sitting in the driver’s seat of her car. Her seatbelt was fastened. The lights in the lot glowed, casting everything in grayish sodium flicker. The office building was completely dark and there wasn’t a single other car. The moon high and full.
Her mind grappled for context. How had she gotten here?
She’d been working late. With Paul. Then—
She ached. The skin on her face felt raw. In the visor mirror, she saw that her lipstick was smeared across her face, her hair wild. She felt him on her—her arms where he gripped her. Her back where she knocked against the table. Her skirt was hiked high up on her thighs. Her panties. They were gone. She could feel him down there, a terrible sore, rawness.
The truth broke over her like a wave, swamping her, knocking her under.
She leaned over the steering wheel and wept, body heaving, wailing.
What had he put in her drink? How could she be so stupid? She should have known. Women don’t start rumors like that about men unless they’re true. They don’t warn you to watch your back and stay away and don’t get caught alone with him anywhere, unless there’s a good reason. She felt a rush of shame. How could she not have seen it?
She reached for her phone. The screen was filled with missed calls and texts from M, who was frantic.
Where are you?
What’s happening?
Please, please, pick up, honey. I’m so worried.
She looked at the time and was shocked to find that hours had passed since she took the first drink. She was shaking, couldn’t even bring herself to call M. How could she say what had happened to her? She didn’t even remember. She’d been alone with him, drinking with him. She’d taken off her suit jacket, hung it on the chair. She knew her silk blouse was flattering. She’d clocked his gaze. She should have put her jacket back on then. But she hadn’t.
She started the engine, shivering from fear and pain and the cold. Her windows were frosted. She could still smell his cologne.
She pushed open the door and vomited onto the blacktop.
Take a deep breath, her mother would say when Jessica was upset. Just breathe.
She did that, slow and deep, pulled herself together. She texted M.
I’m on my way to you.
She didn’t read the replies which came one after another in quick succession. Ping. Ping. Ping.
Jessica started to drive, moving slowly through the lot. She wondered if she should be driving. She’d go slow; she’d be okay. That’s when she saw him, waiting. He sat in his Porsche over by the exit, just idling. As her car approached his, he rolled down the window.
“Great job tonight,” he said. “Glad you’re feeling better.”
He gave her a wide smile and she saw what others before her had seen. A predator. A monster. He lifted a single manicured finger to his lips.
“Hush now,” he said. “Not to worry. I won’t tell anyone how you behaved tonight. It’s between us.”
Then he closed his window and roared away.
The shaking—it was almost comical. Her hands could barely hold the wheel, her teeth were chattering. The fear. The shame. The rage.
The tangle of feelings manifested themselves not in a scream, but in a deluge of tears.
That rage. It would find a home in her belly, a pot of pure molten lava.
She would drink from it, and it would make her stronger.
Everything that came next would come from that place.
Excerpted from Served Him Right by Lisa Unger, Copyright © 2026 by Lisa Unger Published by Park Row Books.
