''One of the best opening lines of any novel'' Guardian

''It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach''s Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.''

Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances...

Praise for Iain Banks:

''The most imaginative novelist of his generation'' The Times

''His verve and talent will always be recognised, and his work will always find and enthral new readers'' Ken MacLeod, Guardian

''His work was mordant, surreal, and fiercely intelligent'' Neil Gaiman

''An exceptional wordsmith'' Scotsman