Known for his epic-length novels about crime down on the US-Mexico border, Don Winslow challenged himself to write some shorter format material and Broken, featuring six short stories, is an out-and-out winner. The title is a clue to the theme – it’s a book about broken laws, broken lives, broken dreams and a broken system – as Winslow takes us from New Orleans to San Diego to Hawaii and then back to his favourite stomping ground down in Texas. Tonally, he shows an impressive range – hard and heavy, flippant and fun, quirky and melancholy too. If you read our full review here you’ll get more of a rundown on the stories and characters, but the bottom line is that bitesize Winslow is just as good as the seven-course meal.