<P><B>''Its snarky hero is a joy'', a<I> Times</I> and <I>Sunday Times</I> Novel of the Year, 2020 </B><br><B><br>''Clever, witty and perceptive . . . Gekoski writes movingly about love, loss and grief, while handling the difficult issue of assisted dying with considerable balance and finesse. Beautifully written, engrossing and heartbreakingly funny'' <I>Mail on Sunday</I></B><br><br><B>''Stylish, funny and daring . . . the clarity and energy of <I>Darke Matter </I>fill you with light'' <I>The Times </I>(best summer books)</B><br><br><B>''Harrowing, funny, tender and nearly always beautifully written'' <I>Sunday Times</I><br></B><br>James Darke is dreading the first family Christmas without his wife Suzy. Engulfed by grief, his grudging preparations are interrupted by a persistent knock at the door. Questions about the circumstances of his wife''s death force him to confront the outside world and what really happened to her.<br><br>Isolated, angry and diminished, James soon faces a cr