Four different people find themselves on the same roof on New Year''s Eve, but they have one thing in common–they''re all there to jump to their deaths. A scandal-plagued talk-show host, a single mom of a disabled young man, a troubled teen, and an aging American musician soon unite in a common cause, to find out why Jess (the teen) can''t get her ex-boyfriend to return her calls. Down the stairs they go, and thoughts of suicide gradually subside. It all sounds so high concept, but each strand of the plot draws readers into Hornby''s web. The novel is so simply written that its depths don''t come to full view until well into the reading. Each character takes a turn telling the story in a distinctive voice. Tough questions are asked–why do you want to kill yourself, and why didn''t you do it? Are adults any smarter than adolescents? What defines friends and family? Characters are alternately sympathetic and utterly despicable, talk-show-host Martin, particularly. The narrators are occasionally unreliable, with the truth coming from the observers instead.

A quirky book with a hopeful ending. In the event of dark despair, give life another 90 days, and you''re bound to find some brighter spots on the horizon, hopefully enough to convince you that things will get better.