Though readers may predict its ending, Leap’s power lies in its engaging cast of well-developed characters. Insights into human fragility shine through their interactions, such as Declan’s yearning for Joe’s affection masked by teenage nonchalance, the female friendship that buoys Elise in the fallout of her marriage, chef Lena’s unaffected warmth, and the wise acceptance of ageing in Joe’s Uncle Todd. Tender moments abound in this honest and uplifting tale about ‘moving forwards and overcoming with grace’.

While the book’s three-part structure – running, climbing, jumping – is effective, the use of Parkour as a theme is sometimes strained under the weight of the book’s feline metaphor, and the depiction of youth culture can feel exaggerated. However, Jones is a precise and attentive storyteller. In taut prose, she reveals the protagonists’ tumultuous inner lives with measured clarity, like a well-lit, high-definition image of a shattered vase. Or perhaps, as with Elise, like a detailed painting of a tiger devouring a human. Elise uses her art ‘to get to it, the elusive unnamable thing’. So does Jones, with great success.