Stars and Bars: William Boyd

Henderson Dores is an Englishman in New York - and completely out of his depth.

He should be concentrating on his job as an art assessor, but his complicated personal life keeps intruding. And that`s before we even get to his sense of alienation, of being a fish out of water. For Henderson is a shy man lost in a country of extraverts and weirdos. Subway poets, loony millionaires, Bible-bashers and sharp-suited hoods stalk him wherever he goes. But it is only when he`s sent to America`s deep South to examine a rare collection of paintings that matters take a life-threatening turn. Still, if it doesn`t kill you, they say it can only make you stronger . . .