Wonder Valley: A Novel

“A . . .kaleidoscopic thriller . . .[about] the dark side of Southern California. . . . Impossible to put down. . . . memorable characters and beautiful prose.” — Los Angeles Times, Best Fiction Pick

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.

“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)

© 2024 Ecco (Ebook): 9780062656377

Release date

Ebook: 27 February 2024