Roddy Doyle’s an Irish novelist who’s written (among other things) a Booker prizewinner (Paddy Clarke ha ha ha) and a novel that was turned into the smash hit movie of 1991 (The Commitments … ride Sally, ride). Chances are that anyone’s going to love his books then, from the biggest literary snob to the biggest literary peasant.

Last year he published Wilderness, about half-brothers and -sisters, disappearing mothers, and an adventure holiday in Finland that goes wrong … reserve it, have a read and see what you think.