The ten short stories featured in this book are essentially about people confronted by life-changing events: some of their own making, some forced upon them. Whether it is the hasty removal of a key from a cupboard, a man’s discovery of his long-lost brother, a tourist’s decision to snatch the passport of a dead man who has just robbed him, a radio presenter faking his own death or a fateful phone call to a woman who is about to meet her illicit lover, these kind of turning points link all the tales together.
The stories recount how individuals react to such events. While most of the protagonists seem to be outwardly likeable, their actions do not always deserve our respect. However, as fellow human beings, their motivations (revenge, love, duty or just curiosity) should be familiar to us.