Hoping to save his disintegrating marriage Edward Poulter brings disaster on himself and many other people by causing a major motorway accident. The physical and practical impact of the crash leads to a sequence of cause and effect which is brought to life in this novel by author Colin Arnold. He has intertwined the activities and professions of people before the disaster with the consequences and results on their immediate and longer term involvements and intimacies. The before and after stories of the families and participants reveal the pressures and stresses on the emergency services in addition to those directly involved in the accident and the delays to their planned activities. Colin Arnold reveals an in-depth awareness of people and their reactions to events and interactions with each other and authority. He shows a deep understanding of the nature and role of human relationships in coping with disaster and stress.