Creation Lake

But here is how the state does things: They have a deer population that's getting out of control, so what do they do? They bring in lynx. When farmers get upset about the lynx, the government reintroduces wolves. The wolves kill livestock, so the state makes it legal to shoot them. Hunting accidents increase, so they build a new clinic, whose medical staff creates a housing shortage, necessitating new developments. The expanding population attracts rodents, and so they introduce snakes. And so far, no one knows what to do about the snakes.

--Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner

I've started excellent novel recently. Wow, two winners in a row. I'm on a roll. 

Creation Lake, the story of "a 34-year-old American undercover agent of ruthless tactics and bold opinions" (as the book cover blurb has it) was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 2024. It is offbeat, intelligent, quietly witty, extremely well written, and most of all not what it seems to be on its face. Just my cup of tea.