Unfortunately overall, the novel, like Eva, never really goes anywhere. As with all her other books, Townsend is brilliant at taking the temperature of society in general, and it's all in here -- domestic violence, loneliness, the NHS, mental illness, Viagra, people using text speak in actual speech (Brian's girlfriend feels moved to shout OMG while in bed with him), Alan Titchmarsh, missing children, cyber crime, computer hacking, Alzheimer's and eBay. While the plot might falter, Townsend's trademark humour is as sharp as ever, and no doubt fans will enjoy this book.

f a comic novel is to have a vaguely preposterous premise, it helps if it's one that seems immediately enticing to a high proportion of the readership. And which of us, in a moment of feeling insufficiently cherished, harassed by pedestrian responsibilities and bewildered by the world's demands, has not felt that the most sensible option would be to take to our bed?