Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord Penguin, HK$104

Hector and the Search for Happiness is a placebo you can give, worry-free, to someone who is sad. With sugary sentiments taking the place of active ingredients, it is simple, easy to digest and hits the spot. Not surprisingly, it is the work of a psychiatrist, who would know what unhappy people want to read. Francois Lelord's protagonist is Hector, a shrink who is genuinely interested in people and not shy to dole out four types of pills: those you take when sad (anti-depressants), when scared (tranquillisers), when you hear voices (anti-psychotics) or when you're too high or low (mood stabilisers). He's successful yet dissatisfied because he knows he can't really make people happy. So he takes a trip to discover the ingredients for happiness. First stop is China, where he meets an old friend and makes a new one, Ying Li. After they spend the night together he finds out she's a hooker, which leads to the realisation: 'Sometimes happiness is not knowing the whole story.' His experiences make him wiser. 'Happiness comes when you feel truly alive,' he notes. The platitudes suit the child-like style of writing, which can be charming but also cloying.