The Big Picture, by Douglas Kennedy (Abacus, £5.99 in UK)

When worthy-but-dull New York lawyer Ben Bradford kills his wife's lover by mistake and is forced to freeze the body and go on…

When worthy-but-dull New York lawyer Ben Bradford kills his wife's lover by mistake and is forced to freeze the body and go on the run in the wild countryside of Montana, well, your heart just goes out to him, doesn't it? I mean, it could happen to any of us. Such is the stuff of thrillers, though, and this run-of-the-mill plot is given an appealing twist when Bradford creates an attractive life for himself as a freelance photographer in backwoods America. Kennedy's intelligent humour lifts him head and shoulders above many of the wannabee writers of best sellers, and The Big Picture is that rare bird, an easy read is actually lives up to the name.

Arminta Wallace

Arminta Wallace

Arminta Wallace is a former Irish Times journalist