This year's shortlist for the ManBooker literary prize has proved something of a surprise with several big name favourites being left out.
Authors David Mitchell, Peter Carey, Howard Jacobson and Nadine Gordimer all of whom were at one stage fancied as likely winners failed to make the final six.
Instead the six authors vying for the £50,000 (€74,000) prize are Kiran Desai, Kate Grenville, MJ Hyland, Hisham Matar, Edward St Aubyn and Sarah Waters.
Bookmakers have immediately installed Waters as favourite to win for her wartime novel The Night Watch.
Of the shortlisted writers, Mataris the only debut novelist with his story of a young boy growing up in Libya under Colonel Gaddafi.
The other shortlisted books include The Inheritance Of Lossby Kiran Desai, The Secret River by Kate Grenville, Carry Me Downby MJ Hyland and Mother's Milkby Edward St Aubyn.
The winner of the prestigous prize - now in its 38th year - will be announced on October 10th.
Chair of the judges Hermione Lee said: "Each of these novels has what we as judges were most looking for: a distinctive, original voice and audacious imagination that takes readers to undiscovered countries of the mind, a strong power of storytelling and a historical truthfulness.
"Each of these novels creates a world you inhabit without question or distrust while you are reading, and a mood, an atmosphere, which lasts long after the reading is over."
Mitchell had been favourite to win with his book Black Swan Greenwhen it was included on the 19-strong longlist.
Two-time Booker winner Peter Carey was also strongly fancied for his novel Theft: A Love Story, as was Andrew O'Hagan for Be Near Me.
Explaining why the three authors failed to make the shortlist, Lee said: "These were all books that had extremely strong support and books which we thought were really considerable and moving and impressive, but in the end some books are more exciting and interesting to you than others.
"What I feel, though, is that they are such talented and exceptional and splendid writers that they don't need us. They will go on regardless."