Mortal Coils is a collection of five pieces, which were written by Aldous Huxley in the 1920s. The first one, 'The Giaconda Smile,' is a short murder story. 'Permutations among the Nightingales' is a play concerning amorous problems had by patrons of a certain establishment. 'The Tillotson Banquet' tells of an old artist who was thought to be dead. 'Green Tunnels' is about the boredom of a young girl on holiday with her family. 'Nuns at Luncheon' is a story being told of a nun falling in love. The story mocks the writer's process, a concept Huxley used in his 'Crome Yellow.' Each story is read by the talented narrator, Simon Vance.