I enjoyed this novel about a working-class Mormon family in Lancashire tremendously. It takes place during a single day (a Friday, per the title), during which the younger son, Gary, is returning home after two years as a missionary in Utah. The day's events and backstory are narrated by the various family members (their gospels?) - Gary himself; mum Pauline, who has a mysterious illness and had been hugely invested in the honour of having a son who's a missionary; dad Martin, anxious about finances and seeking solace in his dog and a fellow dog-lover; older son Julian, who seems a bit creepy; and teenage daughter Jeannie, grappling with a secret of her own and the weight of her religious upbringing.

The events as they unfold are perhaps not all that realistic, but it's wonderfully and compassionately told, properly funny-sad and kind to its protagonists. Interesting as well to learn some more about the LDS church, of which I knew little: not an uncritical view at all, but again a compassionate one.