Neil Gaiman's -Neverwhere- is a sure hit. Gaiman is not just an author, but a graphic novel (comic book) author. He has many books that would be suitable.
Isaac Asimov always was a good spellbinder - his I Robot series, or the Foundation Trilogy are great.
Phillip K. Dick has many decent edgy books available.
Perhaps the best hard boiled detective writer ever, Raymond Chandler's works, while not 21st Century modern, are a great read and a glimpse of the very recently lost past of Americana.
These should be a good start.
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