A COLLECTION of short stories with a haunting quality that makes them stick in your mind long after you have turned the last page.

Human beings are quirky creatures at the best of times and it is this quirkiness that Arthur explores, whether he is writing about unrequited love, sexual repression, the influence of art or the impact of violence.

He goes down some strange and oft-neglected paths, but his passion, deft plotting and finely drawn characters make it well worth the journey.