Put together a conservative Dutch financial analyst, a Trinidadian who dabbles in murky waters, set your story in New York and introduce the game of cricket as the link and you have an very unusual mix. Unusual mixes often lead to unpredictable outcomes and so it is in Joseph O' Neill's

"Netherland". This is a book that gently draws you in as you gaze through the windows into the respective characters' lives and leaves you fascinated at the resilience of each and every one of them. Dreams, hopes and aspirations can all come to nothing or, against the odds, are realised. Cricket is clearly more than just a game..