The reputation of Paul Torday is founded upon his first novel, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, which, published in 2007, told the gently satirical story of an indefatigable sheikh’s attempt to breed salmon in his homeland. The book’s wry and endearing tone eased its journey onto the bestseller lists and, soon, to the cinema, where it will be interpreted by a trio of stars: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Since this deservedly successful debut, Torday has been prolific. His second novel, The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce, was released in 2008 and a new volume has followed in each subsequent year – The Girl on the Landing