Here's the first great read of the summer. This story of a hardscrabble rock band that's being stalked, unaccountably, by a lone sniper, is full of heart-thumping suspense, but mostly it's just a damned good novel that I've lived in it happily (and gratefully) for the past week. It has reminded me anew that the right book at the right time can feel like a secret gift from the gods. (“The Five” is published by a small press. Order it from Amazon.)