Are we defined by the things that we imagine, as much as by the things we do? By turns poignant, sinister, hilarious, tragic, these short stories probe that question, dipping into very different private lives and visiting different places.

From the Northern Isles to Gascony, river bank to city centre, they show how small things reveal big things. Meet the rational-minded doctor whose son has gone to wage Jihad, the frantic would-be writer in search of a plot, the legatee challenged by an inheritance, the gallery attendant who’s learnt a thing or two about art.

Two Christmas tales add to the mix.

An eye for beauty and an ear for comedy make this a satisfying and varied read