ON SWIFT HORSES

Shannon Pufahl/ Fourth Estate

A rich and atmospheric novel about Muriel, a lonely newlywed, and her wayward gay brother- in- law, Julius, as they pursue their individual quests for freedom, new horizons and love across the American West in the 1950s. Muriel begins slipping off to the Del Mar racetrack, to eavesdrop, bet and win. Meanwhile, itinerant thief Julius is working at a Las Vegas casino, where tourists watch atomic tests from the roof, and falling in love with young card shark Henry. When Henry’s cheating is eventually discovered, he’s run out of town, and Julius takes off to find him. Through the parks and plazas of Tijuana and the bars and beaches of San Diego, On Swift Horses is a seductive read. Out now