It is set in the city and surrounding areas of contemporary São Paulo, Brazil, and follows the story of a young, favela-born man, Ludo dos Santos.

The book was nominated for the 2009 Man Booker Prize and is Scudamore's second novel.

[1] Critic Henry Shukman of The Guardian notes, "The novel is cleverly pitched to explore the two socioeconomic poles of modern urban Brazil.

"[2] Writing in The Telegraph of London, reviewer Sinclair McKay calls the novel "a dark, gripping, often comic novel concerning appetite, urban poverty and identity.

"[3] Heliopolis was listed as one of the final dozen nominees for the 2009 Man Booker Prize.