Five stories about discovery -- a perfume that attracts men, a book that shows people's thoughts, a remarkable change in a widow's life, the secret of high intelligence, and a way of making time stand still -- make up this entertaining collection.

Grand Central Station, New York in mid-July. It's early morning, but everyone is suffering in the heat. Private investigator Nathan Marley is on his way to another wasted day at the office. But a chance meeting with a homeless woman at the station and a surprise letter changes all of that. Marley starts a journey through parts of the burning summer city he has never visited.

Stephen and Anna Martins take a holiday break in a seaside village to escape the stress of London. They love it there and make a new friend, a local fisherman. But when Stephen is suddenly called back to London on business, their lives start to change.