Chris Cleave, author of the blockbuster bestselling novel "Little Bee," will appear at Nicola's Books, at 2513 Jackson Ave. in Ann Arbor, on Monday, October 15 at 7 p.m., to discuss and sign copies of his most recent book, "Gold."

"Gold" is the story of Zoe and Kate, two world-class athletes who have grown up as best friends and rivals on and off the Elite cycling track, and who now find themselves competing for a single spot on a team in their last shot at Olympic glory.

Readers also meet Kate’s 8-year-old daughter, Sophie, who is battling a recurrence of leukemia; and their coach and father-figure Tom, who has trained them for years and is now facing the twilight of his own career.

This past summer, "Gold" earned positive reviews in People, Elle, Marie Claire, and O, and USA Today called it “a real winner of a novel," while The Economist wrote, “Novels about sport are notoriously hard to pull off. … "Gold" … is a skillful demonstration of the form. … A book to savor long after the Olympic Games are over.”

Cleave's research into professional cycling turned into a personal obsession. He’s now an avid cyclist, and ranked at the second highest elite level in the amateur category.

For more information, visit Cleave's website, or the site for Nicola's Books.