By Jasper Fforde Hodder & Stoughton, 416pp, £20

Early Riser

With Early Riser ,the master of the alternate universe Jasper Fforde returns after what he describes as a “creative hiatus” with his first standalone novel. It is set in a world gripped by icy winters that most people hibernate through. This just leaves the Winter Consuls to run things in the lawless world that remains. Consul novice Charlie Worthing has to learn fast how to navigate winter, while investigating a viral dream haunting a remote region of Wales. This highly-inventive story comes to a swifter conclusion than the reader might like, but along the way there are enough twists and turns and sinister corporate interests – not to mention dead bazouki players, aristocratic outlaws and a murderous apparition with a love of Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes – to keep any Fforde fan happy.

Emily Beaumont