Moondogs — Alexander Yates

A singularly effervescent novel pivoting around the disappearance of an American businessman in the Philippines and the long-suffering son, jilted lover, slick police commissioner, misguided villain, and supernatural saviors who all want a piece of him.

Benicio has not spoken with Howard -- his jet-setting father -- in five years, but after his mother's unexpected death he decides it's finally time to mend their relationship. They arrange to meet in the Philippines, but when Benicio arrives Howard is nowhere to be found -- leaving an irritated son to conclude he's been let down once again. He could hardly guess that Howard has just been kidnapped by a meth-addled cabdriver and his villainous accomplice, a rooster.

The search for Howard uncovers the truth about his womanizing ways and suspicious business deals. Interspersed with Benicio's intense inquiry and his father's calamitous life in captivity are the high-octane interconnecting narratives of Reynato Ocampo, the local celebrity-hero policeman charged with rescuing Howard, and his rag-tag team of wizardry-infused soldiers. Each member of this special operations unit, aptly named Ka-Pow, is endowed with a magical skill-set: there's a man who can transform himself into any animal at will; another who is a magnet for everyone else's bad luck; and their newest recruit, a troubled young soldier who can shoot to kill from any location so long as he knows the person's name.

There are also slippery politicians, a scheming lady-of-the-night, and a handful of harried diplomats, including Monique, a novice officer at the American Embassy whose husband and grouchy teenage kids still feel desperately unmoored in the Philippines. These storylines connect in playful, surprising, and profound ways with a distinct emotional precision beneath the wondrous, off-kilter surfaces. It's equal parts fantastically weird and fiercely affecting.

With blistering speed, an electric generosity of spirit, wonderfully bizarre turns, and glimpses into both Filipino and ex-pat culture, MOONDOGS marches toward a stunning climax and challenges our conventional ideas of family and identity.