The Lodger — Drew Gummerson

Honza takes in a lodger, Andy, who seems like his opposite-a coarse straight guy who comes home drunk every night to fart happily in front of the TV. But when, in a drunken stupor, Andy confesses to murder, Honza refuses to believe him. Then one weekend Andy disappears, only to return with his face rearranged. This black comedy of misunderstandings is a deft debut with huge crossover potential.

Drew Gummerson, 30, is based in England's Midlands, and has lived in the States, Australia, the Czech Republic and Japan. This is his first novel and he is working on a second.