Just out of college, Clay Jannon becomes a Web designer for a small business, then quickly loses his job to the sands of economic collapse. Unemployed and without much experience, he accepts a job as the night clerk for a bookstore—an unusual one with stacks upon stacks of books and late night visitors exchanging one hefty tomb for another. Clay’s task as explained by the bookstore’s peculiar owner is to chronicle every aspect of a visitor’s appearance, mood and conversation. And Clay is never, ever supposed to look inside one of these books but, alas, he does . . . Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is a techy mystery with a warm and funny protagonist who explores the connection between humans and technology—books being one of the most amazing technologies we have—and leads readers to discover surprising ways that they intersect. The story overall is engaging and clever. A fun and fast read.