Television

Rothery debuts with an ironic narrative of a disillusioned movie star who hatches a harebrained scheme to lottery off his royalties for an upcoming film to lucky moviegoers. Verity, the actor, copes with his discontent by drinking heavily and having sex with younger women. His narration comes across as a performance of self-reflection, as when he describes getting drunk on a plane and insisting to be let into the cockpit: “It’s weird when you’re being a belligerent asshole, but you’re rich and people know who you are. It’s thrilling in a horrible, obscene way.” Helen, a writer who has become a friend and romantic partner, serves as a stabilizing presence in Verity’s life. He thinks of her during lonely nights, and despite her ambivalence toward their undefined relationship, she remains loyal to him. In a shambolic interview with GQ, Verity announces the lottery, which is worth more than $80 million. Rothery intercuts chapters from Verity’s and Helen’s perspectives with an initially unconnected thread following a young writer named Phoebe, who’s grappling with the loss of her grandparents and her stalled screenwriting career, and who would stand to benefit from a windfall. The story lines intersect by the end, but the fragmented structure fails to generate much urgency, despite Rothery’s gimlet eye for Hollywood excess. Readers will be left scratching their heads. Agent: Jim Rutman, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Dec.)