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NPR Best Book of 2017

Los Angeles Times Best Fiction Pick

Refinery29 Best Book of the Year

BOLO Books Top Read of 2017

"Destined to be a classic L.A. novel."-Michael Connelly

When a teen runs away from his father´s mysterious commune, he sets in motion a domino effect that will connect six characters desperate for hope and love, set across the sun-bleached canvas of Los Angeles.

From the acclaimed author of Visitation Street, a visionary portrait of contemporary Los Angeles in all its facets, from the Mojave Desert to the Pacific, from the 110 to Skid Row.

During 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.

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"Incandescent... Pochoda keeps you guessing while bringing these lost souls wonderfully, intensely alive." People , Book of the Week

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