An English film director heads to New York and soon becomes consumed in a relentless pursuit of alcohol, drugs, sex and money. A humorous and shocking portrait of the excesses of the Thatcher/Regan era follows. Hugely entertaining, although the ending is not as well executed as what precedes it.

Set in an indeterminate future between London, New York and California, the story follows the twisted lives of an intense gangster and his son, a rag journalist with an  embarrassing problem and a heiress in trouble. Critically slammed, but it’s an entertaining novel with a well-thought-out plot.

Set in East London, in a pub between Islington and Hackney. Writing a novel that is aware of itself is difficult to achieve, and Amis struggles here. Characters are bold and real, and the plot is fantastical and original. The metafiction leads to an unsatisfying and overly complex ending.