Olympus, Texas

 This debut novel by Stacey Swann takes place in the small town of Olympus, not too far from Houston. The Briscoe family is well-known there, both as one of the wealthiest families and because o the patriarch's (Peter's) many affairs. Wife June has reconciled herself to an extent but has also accumulated a well of resentment that sours her relationships with two of her three children, March and Thea. Two of Peter's illegitimate children, twins Arlo and Artie, have actually become loosely connected members of the family. When March had an affair with Vera, his brother Hap's wife two and a half years ago, it ruptured not only his relationship with Hap but with his family and he left town for self-imposed exile with no communication about his whereabouts. Now he has returned and a chain of events is ignited that will include broken marriages and a tragic accidental death. Publishers Weekly notes that "Swann's luminous debut" is "Rife with allusions to mythology (March's dogs are named Remus and Romulus, portending the explosive and deadly flashpoint in Arlo and Artie's conflict), this epic makes the most of its vivid Texan setting, becoming as well a love letter to the state's rugged beauty and homegrown familiarity..." The action takes place over just six days, but the occasional flashbacks provide "rich portraits of a character’s history" according to The New York Times.  Kirkus concludes, "Swann's debut is rich in Texas flavor and full of nods to classical mythology—quotes from Ovid, twins human and canine, and the kind of relentless bad luck that usually means you've offended a deity. A total page-turner." I also consumed this one in a single day.