Wonder Valley

“A . . .kaleidoscopic thriller . . .[about] the dark side of Southern California. . . . Impossible to put down. . . . memorable characters and beautiful prose.” — Los Angeles Times, Best Fiction PickDuring a typically crowded morning commute, a naked runner is dodging between the stalled cars. The strange sight makes the local news and captures the imaginations of a stunning cast of misfits and lost souls.There's Ren, just out of juvie, who travels to LA in search of his mother. There's Owen and James, teenage twins who live in a desert commune, where their father, a self-proclaimed healer, holds a powerful sway over his disciples. There's Britt, who shows up at the commune harboring a dark secret. There's Tony, a bored and unhappy lawyer who is inspired by the runner. And there's Blake, a drifter hiding in the desert, doing his best to fight off his most violent instincts. Their lives will all intertwine and come crashing together in a shocking way, one that could only happen in this enchanting, dangerous city.Wonder Valley is a swirling mix of angst, violence, heartache, and yearning—-a masterpiece by a writer on the rise.“Destined to be a classic L.A. novel.” — Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times–bestselling author“Incandescent . . . Pochoda keeps you guessing while bringing these lost souls wonderfully, intensely alive.” — People, Book of the Week“Audacious. . . . Each character is realized with vivid empathy. . . . A richly Californian novel, drenched in enough sunlight to illuminate the harshest of truths.” — Entertainment Weekly“Enthralling. . . . A compassionate look at the displaced that treats each with respect and humanity.” — Associated Press“Evoked by Pochoda in shimmering detail. . . . Absorbing, finely detailed, nasty California noir.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)