Perennial, New York, 2000, 1^st pr thus.  ISBN 0-688-17762-X.  Trade soft cover, 358 pages.  Unread copy; remainder mark on bottom edge, touch of edge wear; pages tanned.  ‘Laying bare the foundations of a marriage, flash frozen in the anxious entropy of a suburban subdivision, Paul and Elaine spin the quiet terrors of family life into a fantastical frenzy that careens out of control.  From a strange and hilarious encounter with a Stepford Wife neighbor to an ill-conceived plan for a tattoo, to a sexy cop who shows up at all the wrong moments, to a housecleaning team in space suits, a mistress calling on a cell phone, and a hostage situation at a school, A. M. Homes creates characters so outrageously flawed and deeply human that they are entirely believable.’ (from rear wrap)