I got this UK-edition softcover from Better World Books. Looks to be stories set in the world of the author's novel The Crimson Petal and the White, which I admit I didn't get into. Will see if I like these tales any better!

Later: The stories are beautifully written, but oh! so harrowing... The characters live in often-bleak situations, and while they cope as best they can, the narrative makes it clear what kinds of things they're dealing with. The book opens with "Christmas on Silver Street" with its hard-working prostitute finding a way to provide unexpected holiday cheer to the young lad-of-all-work at the brothel, touches on other characters - including Clara and the creepy/poignant Rat Man - and concludes with "A Mighty Horde of Women in Very Big Hats, Advancing" [a candidate for coolest short-story title of all time!] in which Sophie Rackham, a key character from the novel, looks back on her long, long life.

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book on the book-swap shelf in the Tyngsboro post office lobby; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2020 April Showers/May Flowers challenge. ***