The Vacation

This captivating ensemble thriller from journalist Marrs (The Marriage Act) peeks into the secret lives of several tenants at an international hostel in Venice Beach, Calif. Among the cast are Nicole, an English nurse who’s traveling all of Route 66 in honor of a recently deceased patient; Savannah, a pole dancer being hunted by ruthless henchmen sent by her evangelical father; Matty and Declan, two Irish lads intent on making American memories before an undisclosed deadline makes it impossible; Eric, an Englishman desperate to reinvent himself; and Ruth, an Australian woman who has come to Los Angeles to meet her favorite screen idol. Flashbacks disclose how each protagonist ended up at the hostel and why they’ll do almost anything to keep their pasts hidden. Marrs keeps readers off-balance, shedding new light on each character’s actions and motivations with every new bit of information, and he gradually reveals links between the cast that feel surprising and well-earned instead of Crash-level contrived. Intricate and captivating, this fractured crime saga will hook readers from start to finish. Agent: Jon Mitchell, Pan Macmillan UK. (Dec.)