“e2”

Matt Beaumont, a former copywriter, made his fiction debut in 2000 with “e,” a novel about a dysfunctional advertising agency in London. Now, ten years later, he picks up where he left off, with the straightforwardly named “e2” (or “e-Squared”). Written as a series of e-mails, “e2” follows David Crutton and his employees as they dream up ad campaigns and become embroiled in various Web sites and online schemes. The novel’s draw comes from characters and humor rather than a unified plot—as described by Publishers Weekly, it is an “ensemble piece with meandering plot lines.” It could be classified as a light read, but readers are likely to identify with its characters as they navigate the world—and the Internet. Writing for Beat Magazine, Carol Dixon-Smith praises Beaumont’s “clever writing, razor sharp humour, and precise comic timing,” calling the book “a 21st century, electronic-age satire.” And Publishers Weekly says, “Beaumont’s dry wit and pithy writing will have readers laughing out loud.”