Big Machine by Victor LaValle

In this gripping tale, a former heroin addict named Ricky Rice receives a mysterious letter summoning him to a secret society known as the "Unlikely Scholars." Tasked with investigating paranormal phenomena, Ricky embarks on a journey that intertwines his troubled past with a world of supernatural intrigue. As he delves deeper into the society's enigmatic mission, he confronts questions of faith, redemption, and the nature of belief, all while navigating a landscape where reality and the supernatural blur in unexpected ways.