Emotionless Souls by David S. Grant is a wonderful collection of 20 vaguely surreal short stories, written in succinct, tight prose that perfectly sets the mood for each and every one. The collection starts with the account of two couples spending New Year’s Eve in Dublin and ends with the account of one couple vacationing in Paris. Between these two we encounter (among others) a poker game gone wrong, an office prankster who goes to extremes, a one-hit-wonder, a white-collar pickpocket, and an accountant who isn’t quite as boring as she first appears. Unexpected plot twists abound and make each of the stories truly remarkable.