A gourmand's guide to the slim life shares the principles of French gastronomy, the art of enjoying all edibles in proportion, arguing that the secret of being thin and happy lies in the ability to appreciate and balance pleasures.
Reluctantly taking in a smooth-talking Texan who survives an apparent attack on his life, Manhattan attorney Stone Barrington becomes increasingly concerned about the man's credibility when a dead body is found in his own house.
Jeremy Marsh, a science journalist and professional skeptic, finds himself in over his head when he arrives at the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, and falls head over heels for the granddaughter of the supposed town psychic.
Following the death of her husband, Betta Nolan fulfills her promise to him to move to a small town and build a new life for herself, as she strives to cope with her grief and find pleasure and solace in the ordinary things of everyday life.
Oskar Schell, the nine-year-old son of a man killed in the World Trade Center attacks, searches the five boroughs of New York City for a lock that fits a black key his father left behind.