An actor is wrongly taken as a professional killer by a band planning to murder the Governor. Then he is hired by the Security Dept. to try to unmask and to catch the leaders.

A jaded political campaign operative gradually realizes the horrific true nature of the popular yet brash candidate she is working for.

The seamy side of Los Angeles is revealed through the lens of a stolen video camera as it passes through a succession of owners.

A real estate agent is shot while trying to sell a rural farm and tries to bring the shooter to justice.

Authors Libby Daricek and Mark LaSalle are each working to finish their respective novels — Mark’s being a crime thriller, and Libby’s an emotional drama. But as they describe scenes from their works (and propose changes to their pieces), their collaborative relationship is put to the test, especially as they learn they may be competing for the same goal.

The flashes of memory that return to Carrie Wallace as she lies bloodied in the street all share a common trait: Each culminates in an insincere apology. A casual bump in the street, a father’s indifference, a boyfriend’s exit, youthful disappointments. But despite her lifetime’s experience, she holds out hope that she may yet witness a true expression of remorse.

Jack Reade is a mild-mannered academic who finally has a chance to publish his own Great American Novel. But just as he thinks his tome will see print, Pete Willoughby, a smug and influential editor, informs Jack that the book will remain locked in publishing purgatory. After an accident befalls Pete, Jack forges a desperate alliance with Carrie Singer, a disgruntled employee who also happens to be the book’s number-one fan. Together, they concoct an insane scheme to cover up Pete’s death and greenlight the book. Unfortunately, the publishing process is chock full of required approvals, and before long, other denizens of Dennison Publishing begin to fall prey to “accidents.”

When three sudden deaths befall members of a small law firm, Karen Dunmore begins to suspect that they may be retribution for a terrible crime and its subsequent cover-up. Fearing for her family’s safety, she desperately tries to convince her husband and his associates to take action. But will it be too late?

Chain Mail International has had a banner year; the tanking economy is proving an unexpected boon for the firm’s time-honored business — creating and forwarding chain letters. Through the lens of the firm’s holiday party, we get a glimpse into the inner workings of the business, and come to see that as progress moves relentlessly onward, not everyone will be sharing in the group’s success.

Richard and Kate have lost everything: Job, home, lifestyle. Now, with everything they own packed into their battered old station wagon, they’re just trying to make it to Cleveland, where Richard’s brother has offered a chance to start over. But making the journey is easier said than done, and when Richard’s plans to borrow money from an old friend fall through, they are left with no choice but to seek out an old flame of Kate’s for help. But will this truly be a chance to move on, or the catalyst for a larger life change?