By Chance

"The events that resulted in Bolsover's presence at the Alpha Hotel are closely related to his memories of his wife. James Watson Bolsover is an apparently normal middle-aged man, a shy yet soulful engineer turned technical writer who for many years shared a passionate marriage with his lovely wife, Katherine. Bolsover's wife and his deep interest in his work made his life perfect, but then--by chance, misfortune, bad luck--he lost Katherine and, with her, his innocence. Now he travels by sea to a remote island and checks into what seems to be an ordinary hotel; in this safe haven he hopes to understand the past and start afresh. But we quickly discover that all of the hotel's occupants, like Bolsover himself, have uncertain histories: all of them are "someone else," seeking to leave their former lives behind"--Publisher description.