The restraint of beasts - Magnus Mills

Shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Whitbread Award: a modern comic classic from 'A British writer to be treasured' (Independent on Sunday)

The news couldn't be worse for Tam, Richie and their new supervisor: Mr McCrindle's fence has gone slack.

The three of them are duly dispatched to the McCrindle farm, where they finish off the work, then go to England where, after rain-sodden days bashing in fence posts, they wolf down baked beans in their shared caravan and spend their evenings and cash in the local pub. But then they encounter the Hall Brothers - butchers, rival fencers and local heroes.