Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa (Faber, £6.99 in the UK) is a compelling study of the diversity of Peruvian society, past and present. A lonesome and haunting story of helplessness and discouragement in the face of social upheaval and terrorist brutality. It is a love story, too, told in a language as beautiful as its Andean setting. The fusion of the fantastic with the earthy, the topical with the mystical past is a journey of breathtaking landscapes, of insight, humour and compassion. This is a fascinating book.