flotsam and jetsam - twenty-one curious tales

''Flotsam and Jetsam'' is a collection of diverse yet related tales. The short story is the Double Espresso of literature, delivering a powerful punch, whilst leaving a satisfying aftertaste. These stories set out to surprise or intrigue. Within the everyday lie undercurrents of mystery, the sudden revelation of secrets. The quite ordinary develops unexpectedly into the weird. An economy of expression offers a subtext which speaks to the imagination of the reader.

In the title story, ''Flotsam and Jetsam'', both protagonists have disturbed histories that are hinted at, but never fully revealed. Can two ''losts'' somehow equal one ''found''. On Uaigneach, a tiny island off the coast of Galway, Donal and his ailing father, live out a life of inexplicable austerity. When the old man dies and Donal brings his new wife to the island, what strangeness awaits her. In ''The Understudy'' , life and drama become dangerously intertwined when a fading actress finds her crowning role has devastating real-life repercussions.

Whether in the ancient seminaries of Milan or the humble local library of an English seaside town; whether during the heyday of the Lyons Corner Houses or at the traditional burial of a gypsy matriarch, there is always mystery to be found in this collection of curious tales.