The Shepherd’s Hut

Tim Winton Picador £16.99

When his bullying father is accidentally killed, troubled teenager Jaxie Clackton knows he will be blamed and flees into the unforgiving bush of Western Australia, ill-equipped for survival. His plan to head north to be with the cousin he loves is stalled by a chance encounter in the Outback. Or is it more than chance? Winton’s novel is layered, lyrical and intense. Its unforgettable young antihero tells his story in language that’s as seared and salty as the Australian desert and the heartstopping climax had me feeling, to use one of his expressions, ‘like a possum chewing at a live power cord’. Neil Armstrong