Howell's much-celebrated stories interweave elements of the commonplace with darkness, subterfuge and sheer weirdness, all realised with natural narrative flair. In this striking new collection, we see Howell explore a wide range of cultures, including Hawaii, Portugal and Japan, alongside these are period tales, and sinister and sexual encounters, all related with a cool eye for our desires and obsessions.

Brian Howell is an author and teacher living and working near Tokyo, Japan. He has published three novels and over thirty-five short stories online and in print, including one short story collection in 2004 and inclusion in Best British Short Stories 2018 (edited by Nicholas Royle). His novels have often dealt with themes around Dutch genre painting and optical devices. He writes poems, is a keen cinema-goer and cyclist, and listens to many podcasts.