Sergio de la Pava Books

Casi is a hotshot public defender working on the front line of America's War on Drugs. So far he's on the winning side. He's never lost a case. But nothing lasts forever, and pride like his has a long way to fall. Funny, smart and always surprising, A Naked Singularity speaks a language all of its own and reads like nothing else ever written. Casi's beautiful mind and planetary intelligence make him an inimitable and unforgettable narrator. In De La Pava's hands, the labyrinthine miseries of the New York Justice System are as layered and diabolical as Dante's nine circles of Hell. But the Devil doesn't hog the best lines. There are plenty here to go around.

A protest against America's mass incarceration, an underdog sports odyssey, and a tender portrait of lives going to seed in suburban New Jersey - the extraordinary new novel from the author of A Naked Singularity

Sergio De La Pava’s debut novel was widely acclaimed, described as a “propulsive, mind-bending experience” and recognized as one of the best books of the year. In contrast, this new work is slim and focused, diverging from the expansive nature of his first. While the previous novel featured a singular, unforgettable protagonist, this one shifts among various perspectives, locations, and narrative styles. However, astute readers will recognize the same distinctive voice and energy in De La Pava’s writing. His sentences brim with absurd humor and a steadfast commitment to justice, guiding us through the story of a troubled psychic detective entangled in a murder case. The narrative evolves into a Sartrean exploration of responsibility, fate, and death, interspersed with humor. As the investigation unfolds from different angles, the intertwined lives and deaths become increasingly poignant, even as definitive answers elude us. Critics have heralded the author as a tremendous talent, and this new work, despite its brevity, proves even more surprising and challenging. With its ambition and fierce intelligence, it solidifies De La Pava's place in contemporary literature.