Here are three novels that I’ve read recently and that I heartily recommend:

1. The Futurist (James P. Othmer)
Yates is a business guru who travels the world preaching his futuristic gospel. One night — triggered by a romantic breakup and fueled by the contents of his hotel mini-bar — he has a dark night of the soul. Complications ensue. This novel is a bit too cynical at times, but it’s very perceptive and very funny.

2. The Night Gardener (George Pelecanos)
I’m a huge Pelecanos fan, though I’ve felt he’s been somewhat off his game in recent books. But his latest, which I had the good fortune to read in galleys, is outstanding. I think it’s my favorite since Shame the Devil. Look for it next month. And if you’re new to Pelecanos, start with The Sweet Forever.

3. Apex Hides the Hurt (Colson Whitehead)
Whitehead’s latest tells the story of a “nomenclature consultant” — a guy with an uncanny ability for naming products — who’s called in to mediate a dispute in a small midwestern town. At issue: Should the town be called its current name (Winthrop), a rebranded name proposed by a dot-com dude (New Prospera), or the name preferred by descendants of slaves who helped settle the town (Freedom)? Plain and simple, this book is brilliant, one of the best novels I’ve read in years. It’s not for everyone. But it pains me to see all the drek on the fiction bestseller list when there’s something as good as this on bookstore shelves.

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