Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

The emails fly fast and furious between characters in this droll, sarcastic, humorous saga of Bernadette, brilliant architect turned nutsy Seattle housewife and the bane of Galer School moms Audrey and Soo-Lin (whom Bernadette not so affectionately calls the "gnats").  Sometimes the emails switch to narrative by 13 year old Bee (short for Balakrishna), daughter of Bernadette and the equally brilliant Microsoft computer wizard, Elgin.  Things start to go awry when Bernadette removes the blackberry bushes which were apparently holding back the hillside that comes crashing through Audrey's window.  It's all downhill from there (pun intended).  A promised trip to Antarctica holds the promise of getting the family back on track but there is the small matter of the Russian mob posing as an Indian internet travel agent.  There are many ways that Bernadette disappears but she always leaves just the right amount of crumbs in case someone wants to come looking.  Using the email format to expose all the absurdities of the affluent-Seattle-Microsoft-Internet culture is just the right amount of quirky.  Either a light or insightful read depending on your mood.  I think the regional connection is the reason for it's popularity here.