The sudden tragic death of a middle-aged man hits the inhabitants of a small American town hard. It seems he had touched them all deeply, even though they actually knew very little about him. They mourn his loss for what he could have meant to them and, now that he is gone, they are faced with a sense of regret and dissatisfaction with their lot as they confront their own mortality.

There is no fast-moving plot, rather a gentle amble through the musings of people reflecting on past incidents and pondering future goals and ambitions. We follow the lives of different households in turn as they come to terms with Adamn's death. All the characters are well drawn and their crises are relevant to anyone of any age. It is a good lose-yourself-in-other-people's-lives read.