Love and involuntary time travel: a winning combination, even if the book does have its dull patches.

Classy historical thriller: unsettling, unpredictable and completely convincing.

One of the more accessible Booker winners, although neither brevity nor concision are to be found among its many virtues.

This was the book that started the young adult vampire craze. A 'will they, won't they?' story with fangs.

Clever dissection of polygamy, wrapped around a murder mystery.

Impressive and persuasive family saga set in the period 1890 -1920. A strong Booker contender.

Prequel to the above. Similar but still very involving, even if the language is a bit wooden sometimes.

Expert dissection of what it means to "settle down" given a new lease of life by the recent movie. Far from uplifting, but very well done.

In commercial terms the publishing event of the year. By other measures a damp squib, accompanied by a sound of escaping wind. Freemansons? For gawd's sake, who cares?

Good book for anyone with an interest in Africa and its troubles.

The better of the two Hosseini books: compelling if a little contrived.

Much more fragmented than the movie, and lacking its narrative drive; but still it has other qualities of its own.

Waters turns to the supernatural in this odd, but quite pleasing semi-genre effort