Why does that man deliberately choose to sit next to you on the bus? How do you start a conversation in the hospital waiting room with someone who looks vaguely familiar? Why are we such creatures of habit? What do you do when dinner guests turn up a week early? How would you feel if your son disappeared without trace? Should you confide in your hairdresser?

Ivor Rawlinson's short story collection, The 88 Bus: and other stories, is all about people and situations you'll recognise at once. They tap into our everyday fears, reveal our obsessions, and reflect our frustrations. They show us quiet saints, brilliant teachers, eccentric husbands, inspired wives –and the occasional con-man.

These short stories are mostly set in London, where the author lives, but others are set in North Africa, Canada and France where he worked as a diplomat. The quirkiness of our neighbours, the surprises round the corner, the beauty that surrounds us, the kindness of strangers are the themes. Some are sad, some are enigmatic, most are humorous – and we need to laugh more than ever, don't we?

Ideal for readers wanting to dive in and out, the stories are genuinely short – ten minute reads – and all have a twist at the end. Which story will resonate most with you?