I have just read exploring fundamental particles by Wolfenstein and Silva. I know the name of Wolfenstein because there is a famous parametrization of the CKM matrix that he invented, but I never understood. When I purchased the book I didn't realize that it was a popular science, but is more my failings than the authors.
The book describes old school particle physics, which most of the people who do particle physics worry about. There is no "mind of God" or multiverse hype, just the real physics problems such is there CP violation in neutrino physics or is there more than one Higgs boson. All the explanations are very clear and provide good insight.
They even complain that a paper by two Nobel prize winners on the same topic as one by a theorist who didn't win the prize on the same topic had 5 times more citations.