Lee Rourke is one of England’s leading young literary critics, writing regularly for The Guardian, The Independent, TLS and the New Statesman, as well as leading book blogs such as RSB. And his first novel shows that he knows what he is talking about in terms of his craft. Essentially it is a novel about boredom. Not promising material you might think. But in Rourke’s hands, with his build-up of tension and emotion, it really works. It is writing you want to read, and it is clear and clever and reminiscent of J G Ballard. So that is high praise indeed.