In Wendy Perriam's arresting short stories, we are plunged into the dreams and delusions of contemporary life and love. Her frail and fallible characters seek solace through the power of the imagination, finding release in fantasy worlds. Escape, whether make-believe or literal, is an all-important theme. Another common thread is conflict: between desire and impotence, freedom and suppression, rational thought and a belief in the miraculous. In such ambiguous territory, happy endings may be few, but there is always hope, in even the darkest stories, of self-fulfilment and personal redemption. Perriam's wide ranging humanity, coupled with her lively mix of comedy and menace makes this, her fourth collection, a deeply satisfying read.