It's Not a Cult, Joey Batey
Joey Batey's first novel is a front row seat to the creation of legend.
Al is part of a band with no name. They've never needed one, never been popular enough to want one. But seemingly overnight, they attract a devoted following that rapidly spirals out of control. As their fans attribute unintended meaning to their lyrics and fictional mythology, parasocial relationships blur and distort into violence.
Batey writes with a keen sense of how social media and popular movements work, and impressive work for a debut novel.