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

Superb historical thriller: compelling, unpredictable and completely convincing.

One of the more racy Booker winners. It actually has a plot - although not a brilliant one.

Gutsy and romance-free picture of Tudor England. Better by far than Philippa Gregory, at least in capturing a genuine feel for the age.

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.

Grisly, lop-sided, overwritten and sentimental - with some good scenes here and there.

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