"You"

 Recently, the NYT named its top fifty thrillers of the century (thus far) -- one of the titles was "You" by Caroline Kepnes. This is like an update of "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Almost every character is insufferable but also cunning (and so the book is sort of entertaining).

"You" unfolds in the present tense. A troubled business-owner, Joe, meets a damaged aspiring writer, Beck. Joe writes in the second person -- the book is like one long letter to Beck. This makes you feel like you're in the middle of a Taylor Swift song.

Things become crazy right away. Joe murders Beck's lover, a purveyor of hipster seltzer water. Beck seems interested in Joe -- but she keeps cancelling plans to be with her deranged frenemy "Peach" Salinger, a descendant of J.D. Salinger. Peach eventually tries to rape Beck.

The "bad faith" complications multiply. Eventually, one of the two stars is confined to a subterranean cage -- and the other is designing a "lie detector" test (for fun). 

This is a debut novel, and it's too much. A more disciplined writer would have made subtractions -- the book would be better if it were significantly shorter. But the novel still became a "pop culture" phenomenon. I wish that the NYT had made room on its list for more Anthony Horowitz titles and at least one or two Ruth Rendell titles. But I can understand that only "You" became a "water cooler" topic over the last few years.

Not a bad effort.