Jennifer Egan, who won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for her book “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” went in a whole different direction with her latest novel, “Manhattan Beach.”

The innovative “Goon Squad” consists of 13 stories that step forward and back in time, among a group of people that, the reader eventually realizes, are connected through a record company exec and his assistant.

“Manhattan Beach,” by comparison, is traditional, but it is just as masterful. Set in Brooklyn during World War II, “Manhattan Beach” revolves around Anna, a girl who grows up to work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where she wants to become its first female diver. But the multifaceted story is much more than that simple description — it’s about family (including her disabled sister and her MIA father), it’s about her relationship with a mobster, and it’s about the community at the Navy Yard. Egan’s research and detail really enrich the tale. It’s a great read.

Egan will be at North Stonington’s Wheeler Library on Tuesday to discuss her work and do a book signing in an event presented by the library and Bank Square Books. This is a can’t-miss event for avid readers.

Jennifer Egan, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wheeler Library, 101 Main St., North Stonington; free; reservations encouraged: (860) 535-0383.