REQUIRED READING

L.A. Weather

María Amparo Escandón (f iction, Flatiron Books) The Los Angeles-based Alvarado family is having a tough time as the city weathers a long dry spell. Oscar, the patriarch, has got a secret that’s keeping him distracted, while his wife, Keila, thinks the time has come to end their marriage. Their three adult daughters are rocked by this news — and left questioning just about everything they took for granted.

Nice Girls Catherine Dang (f iction, William Morrow)

Known as “Ivy League Mary” in her hometown of Liberty Lake, Minn., Mary used to be a nice girl known for good grades and her scholarship to Cornell. But three years later, she’s back in town, working at the grocery store — and refusing to tell anyone why she got kicked out of school. When Mary’s childhood best friend goes missing, Mary becomes obsessed with the case — and is convinced it’s connected to the disappearance of another young woman.

Bewilderment Richard Powers (f iction, WW Norton)

Astrobiologist Theo Byrne is searching for life in the cosmos while doing his best to raise his troubled 9-year-old son after the death of his wife. From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Overstory.”

Martita, I Remember You Sandra Cisneros (f iction, Vintage)

From the author of “The House on Mango Street” comes this dual-language book about Corina, who leaves Mexico behind to pursue a writer’s life in Paris. There, she is penniless and sleeping on floors — but befriends two amazing women, Martita and Paola. The years intervene and the women drift out of touch, separated on three continents — until a letter brings back all the memories.

Marked Man Archer Mayor (f iction, Minotaur)

Local millionaire/philanthropist Nathan Lyon died a natural death at his lavish home, surrounded by his loving family. A year later, Joe Gunther and his investigative team are finding out almost nothing about that story is true: For starters, Nathan Lyon was born Nick Bianchi, and his money came from the Mafia. Now his family members are dying off too, and there’s nothing natural about it.

Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead (f iction, Doubleday)

Ray Carney is a Harlem furniture salesman, doing his best to support his wife and kids. Business is slow, and his cousin Freddie — a small-time crook — sometimes drops off the odd bit of jewelry, no questions asked. But when Freddie teams up with a group planning to rob the Hotel Theresa and offers Ray’s services as a fence, the heist does not go as planned.