by Adam Ross
First published 2012
A prominent attorney carries years of bitterness toward his unreliable younger brother. When his sibling asks for help once again, the lawyer reluctantly agrees, only to find himself manipulated in a dangerous con game. Elsewhere, a university professor listens to wild stories from a maintenance worker until he realizes he might be harboring a killer on the run. A struggling man pursues a strange employment opportunity while helping his unstable neighbor, but his good intentions spiral into bizarre disaster. Four students dare each other to increasingly reckless acts that end in tragedy and confusion. A teenage former child star exploits his Hollywood connections to win over his friend's older sister, who seems completely out of reach. These interconnected tales blend dark humor with moments of grace, revealing how ordinary people navigate moral complexity and unexpected consequences.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: interconnected-stories, unreliable-narrator
Period: 21st-Century
256 pages · Kindle Edition · Vintage Digital