Billy Summers by Stephen King features an assassin who only kills "bad men" and who commits to one final killing. It is a brilliantly enjoyable novel with a thrilling conclusion. I also loved Panenka by Rónán Hession. Adventures of a political nature are chronicled by In the Thick of It by Alan Duncan. These diaries of a former Tory MP and minister narrate the twists and turns of Brexit and the ups and downs of ministerial life. Confronting Leviathan by David Runciman is a collection of essays on the power of the state. The elegance and warmth of this collection will earn it classic status.

Paschal Donohoe is Minister for Finance