Nakamura Reality

Hugh Mcpherson, the hero of Alex Austin’s first novel, is at an Oceanside, Calif., beach with his 11-year-old twin sons when a chance encounter with a former girlfriend distracts him. A short time later, the boys are gone. Austin’s writing is powerful and moving, whether he’s describing Hugh’s heartrending quest or quoting passages from the novel within the novel. The book’s interplay between fantasy and reality demands close attention, but readers who make the effort will be more than amply rewarded. —Publishers Weekly