True Story
Kate Reed Petty
A college assault story told through shifting genres and unreliable voices. Unsettling and inventive.
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White Ivy
Susie Yang
A young Chinese American woman, part thief, claws toward the life she wants. Dark, addictive, morally slippery.
The Secret History
Donna Tartt
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is one of the books I’m jealous of other people for getting to read for the first time. In the opening sentence, you learn that a boy has been murdered, and the narrator, Richard, has helped murder him — the mystery, of course, is why. We go back in time, following Richard as he transfers to an elite New England college and becomes fascinated with a tight-knit, charismatic group of friends. The first time I read this book, I was completely carried away by the plot. The second (and third and fourth) times, I’ve been able to appreciate its exploration of beauty, morality, and the allure of belonging.
Long Bright River
Liz Moore
Two sisters in Philadelphia — one a cop, one lost to addiction — set against the opioid crisis. Part mystery, part family story, all propulsive.