Paperbacks new and noteworthy

by Rachel Cusk. (Picador, $16.) The second volume of a planned trilogy,

nsit”follows Faye, a writer settling in London after her divorce. A series of what Times reviewer Monica Ali called “beautifully precise micro-fictions” form the grist of the novel, based on Faye’s interactions with others.“Cusk has torn up the rule book,”Ali wrote,“and in the process created a work of stunning beauty.” by David Dayen. (New Press, $19.95.) A story of the Florida homeowners who helped expose the 2008 mortgage crisis, and their moral crusade to hold banks to account. Dayen“and his characters find the banks’ behavior not just indefensible but criminal,”Times reviewer Frank Partnoy wrote.“Prepare to be surprised, and angry.”

by Charles Finch. (Minotaur, $16.99.) In this installment of the Charles Lenox mystery series, Lenox discovers that a childhood friend, Gerald Leigh, has disappeared under sketchy circumstances. The case harks back to Lenox’s inspiration for detective work: the anonymous benefactor who helped Leigh after his father died. As Lenox investigates the case, he must determine the motives of the shadowy donor.

18 Classics of Jewish Literature,

by Adam Kirsch. (Norton, $17.95.) Books have been central to Jewish culture for centuries, Kirsch, a literary critic, writes, calling them“the binding force that sustained acivi lization.” In this whirlwind tour, he showcases the diversity of Jewish experience and expression, drawing on texts from over 2,500 years. His selection includes books written in seven languages and ranges from religious texts to philosophical treatises, fables, history and fiction.

by Javier Marías. Translated by Margaret Jull Costa. (Vintage, $16.95.) In 1980 in Madrid, as Spain recovers from Franco’s reign, Juan begins working for an aging filmmaker, Eduardo Muriel. He asks Juan to investigate a friend accused of carrying out heinous crimes. Muriel’s toxic marriage, along with the betrayal and heartbreak that underpin it, is the novel’s true emotional center. his