A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY (2009) by Lauren Grodstein

Like this one a lot. Centers on a father/son relationship but slowly expands into a multi-family suburban tragedy. Dr. Pete Dizinoff finds himself living in a room over his family garage after his wife kicks him out of their house. The book takes you through the sorted details that got him their. The last hundred pages are riveting!

The CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG AT NIGHT-TIME (2003) by Mark Haddon

I'm sure you have already read this book. What...you haven't?!? Well pick up a copy (at your local indie bookstore, of course). This has been called "The Catcher in the Rye" for the Autistic Set. Young John Boone finds his neighbors dog, Wllington, stabbed to death and uses his unusal abilities to solve the case. Along the way, you learn a little bit about how the Autistic mind works. Touching, hilarious, captivating. I actually cried at the end. (Don't tell anyone.) Read it!

LOOK AT ME (2001) by Jennifer Egan

Jennifer Egans lastest book A Visit From The Goon Squad has gotten a lot of buzz this year (and happens to be very good). But I recently read her 2001 book Look At Me which is really excellent! It centers on former model Charlotte Swenson who is recovering from a car accident that has altered her appearence. Self-image also guides her other characters story lines, including a would be terrorist bent on destruction. The fact that this book was published in 2001 is just one of the reasons this book is remarkably prescient. It also imagines a world where social media plays a major role in peoples lives, like Facebook and Twiter would do a decade later. An extremely engrossing and thoughtful read!

Book of Illusions by Paul Auster

I really liked this one. Story revolves around a vanished silent film star. You see his movies through the eyes of a Vermont professor named David Zimmer who then writes a book about this long forgotten actor. Then a package arrives at Zimmer's home. The story takes off from there. The middle part of the book is a bit slow but the begining and ending are worth it.

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

I don't read classics as much as I should but I found this at the Westsider Bookshop and it blew me away. Every alien first contact movie you have ever seen had its origins with this book. But it doesn't feel dated (even though it was written in 1953!) I'm now reading a book of his short stories from the same era called Expedition to Earth.

Mr. Peanut

I really like this book. Reminded me a bit of Stephen King (who called Mr. Peanut "..Riveting!"). Combines true crime with a Hitchcock film. (Hard to explain, really) Just trust me. Great Halloween read.