Katie's choice, How it all Began, by Penelope Lively, is a multitude of stories that intersect all due to one event. Different lives connect and disconnect due to one lady's mugging in London. It's sort of a butterfly effect book -- how all lives change because of one thing.
Penelope Lively is a prolific writer, and has lots of published works. She's won awards (Carnegie Medal, Whitbread Award, Booker Prize) and has been shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award.