After applying for a mysterious job advertised in the newspaper, six intelligent young people fresh out of university find themselves in the only house on a deserted island. There’s plenty of food, clothes and firewood, but there’s no phone or television, and no way to escape.

Doesn’t that sound like the most intriguing premise? I hadn’t heard of this book before I picked it up in Waterstones but I read The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas years ago and really enjoyed it, without realising that Thomas had quite so many other books to her name.

It’s a strange book, defying easy categorisation. The first thing I’ll say is to avoid the author’s introduction. Not only does it put you off reading the book by making it sound incredibly dull, but it also contains spoilers. What Thomas and her editor were thinking when they decided to include this introduction at the start of the book instead of the end is beyond me. Avoid it if you can.

It’s true that there’s not a whole lot going on in this book. It is, essentially, about a group of people forced into close quarters with each other and struggling to figure out their bizarre situation. Each of the characters is introduced in a few deft sketches and each is unique and interesting, with a potent mix of characteristics that will inevitably clash when they are thrown together.

Each one reacts differently to this frightening situation according to the sort of person they are, and I’m sure every reader will find at least one character to relate to. There were clever touches of humour here and there, and an underlying sense of dread keeps the reader on edge and intrigued enough to keep reading, even through the slower plot points.

This book definitely has its flaws. There are several parts where the pace slows to crawl and I was longing for something to happen. Thomas also has her characters resort to truth or dare, which to me seems like an easy get-out, rather than finding a unique way to have the characters get to know one another.

I really enjoyed the ending of this book. It seems to be leading just where you would expect it to, but a final twist changes everything at the last moment.

I’d recommend this book for anyone looking for something a bit different, something easy-going and not too taxing – just don’t expect a mind-blowing thriller.