"These stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. 'Two talented bastids' explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In 'Danny Coughlin's bad dream' a psychic flash upends dozen of lives. In 'Rattlesnakes', a grieving widower receives an unexpected inheritance- with major strings attacked. 'The answer man' reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries. You like it darker? You got it"--Cover page [4].