Godshot

In a drought-stricken California town, a teenage girl grows up in thrall to her troubled single mother and a pastor with a cultish power over his flock, struggling to assert autonomy over her mind, soul, and body. Debut novelist Bieker employs muscular language and Technicolor imagery with the deftness of a seasoned pro in creating what might be an entirely new genre, Central Valley Gothic. And from the department of small victories comes this news: while many books are being postponed this spring, the publisher of Godshot decided to grace readers with it ahead of schedule. More than a few of you will be grateful for the extra time you get to spend in the grip of its feverish intensity. —James (from the Madison Books newsletter)