In a wealthy suburb in Atlanta an ambitious young architect is building a dramatically contemporary house. The neighbors' easy friendship and relaxed get-togethers are marred by strange accidents and inexplicable happenings as a succession of families move into the new house.

Fifteen illustrated short stories, some humorous and some haunting, set in the Australian suburbs.

On a quiet street in the suburban Midwest, a popular, seemingly stable family keeps a terrible, dark secret behind closed doors -- a secret that will have life-changing consequences for all who know them Sarah Laden, a young widow and mother of two, struggles to keep her family together. Since the death of her husband, her high-school-age son, Nate, has developed a rebellious streak, constantly falling in and out of trouble. Her kindhearted younger...

"Mary and Eddie are meant for each other-- but love is no guarantee, not in these suburbs. Like all children, they exist in an eternal present; time is imminent, and the adults of the street live in their assorted houses like numbers on a clock. Meanwhile ominous rumors circulate, and the increasing agitation of the neighbors points to a future in which all will be lost. Soon, a sorcerer's car will speed down Mary's street, and as past and future...

The idyllic lives of civic-minded environmentalists Patty and Walter Berglund come into question when their son moves in with aggressive Republican neighbors, green lawyer Walter takes a job in the coal industry, and go-getter Patty becomes increasingly unstable and enraged.

"Bertrand Place intertwines seventeen luminous narratives about the secrets of an unforgettable cast of politicos, filmmakers, and housewives, all tied to a suburban D.C. cul-de-sac. Linked through bloodlines and grocery lines, they respond to life's bruises by grabbing power, sex, or the family silver. As they atone and forgive, they unmask the love and truth that hop white picket fences"-- Provided by publisher.

With hits like Election and Joe College to his credit, author Tom Perrotta has established himself as a master of satire. Unhappily married Sarah passes her days at the local playground with her three-year-old daughter. When happily unemployed Todd (also married) and Sarah meet, their attraction is immediate. They begin a passionate affair just as their suburban utopia is rattled by the arrival of registered sex offender Ronald James McGorvey. With...

"What lengths will a mother go to protect what's most important? Ginny Miller's re-marriage is a great opportunity to move with her quirky eleven year-old daughter to an upscale New Jersey suburb-but reality in the Real Housewives of NJ town isn't everything she hoped it would be"-- Provided by publisher.

Griffin is a happy man, secure in the comfort of his family, until he wakes one morning to hear of his wife's love affair and her request for a divorce. Now he must either move on or fight for his marriage, forgive his wife or condemn her for her betrayal, deny or face up to his part in the sudden undoing of his seemingly perfect life.

Teenager Emily Vidal tries to navigate through the assortment of eccentric adults at her father's fiftieth birthday party, a celebration organized by her mother, despite her parents' impending divorce.