Naughtier than Nice

Dickey’s excellent second novel of the McBroom sisters (after 2003’s Naughty or Nice) spans a year from one Christmas to the next, delivering family drama, romantic angst, and sexual gymnastics by the boatload. When eldest sister Frankie McBroom is betrayed in love, her sisters, Livvy and Tommie, come immediately to her defense. But soon the rest of the McBrooms are struggling to conceal the flaws in their own relationships, and their secrets and lies endanger them all. Everyone in the book seems simultaneously focused on love, honesty, chaos, and self-destruction. Dickey has deft control of each voice, and the Los Angeles backdrop is so well drawn that it becomes a character in its own right. The resolution is messy, terrifying, and satisfying all at once, with fresh blooms of hope for all concerned. Agent: Sara Camilli, Sara Camilli Agency. (Oct.)