Fibromyalgia has no known cause or cure and is impossible to detect through blood tests or other diagnostic techniques. Because it's so difficult to pinpoint or alleviate, fibromyalgia tends to cause guilt and shame in those who suffer from it.

Barbara Keddy examines the experiences of 20 female sufferers, and also investigates the disease within larger societal contexts of gender, class, and race. By taking an already existing personality theory (the highly sensitive person) developed by Elaine Aron and relating this theory to a specific physical condition, the author emphasizes societal and family pressures on women to overextend themselves to the detriment of their health.

On board a Jumbo jet approaching Heathrow airport there is an explosion and the giant aircraft plunges to earth in the London suburbs. Even as crash investigators begin their painstaking task amid the carnage, a message is received claiming that the aircraft was shot down by terrorists and threatening further shootdowns if world political leaders fail to take immediate action to meet their demands. Mark Holtby, Middle East based correspondent for the International Press Agency, is one of the few survivors from the crash. Despite harbouring doubts about the authenticity of the terrorist message, Mark sets out to try and track down its authors.