After weeks crisscrossing the country in support of his long-awaited new novel, "We Are Water," Wally Lamb returns home with a reading and signing Friday at the Otis Library in Norwich.

Told from the point of view of five central characters, "We Are Water" is the story of rebellious artist Annah Oh, who, after nearly 30 years of marriage and three children, is going to marry Viveca, the Manhattan art dealer behind her late-breaking success. At first whimsical and charming, the novel turns darker as the wedding stirs long-buried family secrets.

Lamb's other New York Times bestselling works include the "The Hour I First Believed," "She's Come Undone," "I Know This Much is True" and "Wishin' and Hopin'."

Oh, and to the musical at heart: yes, all of these book titles are also the titles of songs Lamb likes - and "We Are Water" is a tune by Patty Griffin.

- RICK KOSTER

Wally Lamb, 7 p.m. Friday, Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich; free, registration required; (860) 889-2365, ext. 127, otislibrarynorwich.org.