Ricky’s Hand

TV writer Quantick (Veep) serves up some bizarro body horror as a hard-drinking paparazzo and the superstar who would normally be his target for a payday create an unlikely bond when they each wake up with someone else’s hand having replaced their own in the night. Paparazzo Ricky Smart’s new hand feels and looks wrong, with a knuckle tattoo he’s sure he’d never get, even at his drunkest. Nearby, singer, actor, and influencer Scala Jaq becomes similarly convinced that another woman’s hand has replaced her own, though neither she nor Ricky have any pain or evidence of surgery. As they both search for answers, they stumble on the same support group for people who, like them, are dealing with mysterious body part replacements. Ricky and Scala bond over suspicions that the group’s leader knows more than he’s saying, and they team up to investigate even as members’ other body parts are replaced with ever greater frequency. It’s just as weird and wild as it sounds, but the truth behind the replacements, when it’s finally revealed, doesn’t quite satisfy. Still, this quirky and often humorous tale is sure to keep readers on their toes. (Aug.)