Shelf life
THIS WEEK: Gangsters and strong women populated Jennifer Egan’s latest novel. Plus we revist more stories from the city so great they named it twice
Manhattan Beach Jennifer Egan (£ 11.99, CORSAIR)
OPENING IN DEPRESSION- ERA BROOKLYN, Egan introduces Anna Kerrigan, whose father takes her on a visit to the home of Dexter Styles, where she witnesses a secret pact between the two. Later, during WWII, Anna is working at the Navy Yard – where she has become America’s first female diver – when a chance meeting with Dexter sets her on a journey to understanding her now missing father and his complex life. Organised crime, the class system and a transformative moment in history are skilfully rolled up in this masterful novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Visit From The Goon Squad.