how about Jeffrey Eugenides, Virgin Suicides is a stunning book as is Middlesex, oh and Douglas Coupland. Hey Nostradamus is awesome
Oh an I should have said, for Horror, Poppy Z Brite! Brilliant, different and gritty
Lol this made me laugh. Brought back my 8 years with waterstones in all its self righteous customer glory. I have never taken a book back except for once when there was a printing error and it had missing pages. Peoples audacity never stops amazing me