Is it possible to write compellingly about a happy person? Celebrated Swiss author Schertenleib says yes. His protagonist is a smart, interesting jazz musician. He has a wife suffering from depression and a rebellious teenage daughter, but is still happy. His family is irritated by his contentedness, but he cannot bring himself down to their level of suffering. The mounting tension that results is beautifully evoked by Schertenleib's lyrical prose, the smoky setting of Amsterdam and edgy noir dialogue.