The Quarry is a collection of interconnected short stories set in the fictional, working class, West London based Quarry Lane estate. The characters and settings reappear as themes of ambition, addiction and social mobility are examined in this state-of-the-nation book. The stories focus on a diverse collection of working class men and considers the concept of masculinity in a world where gender and gender roles are being revolutionised.

These stories follow everyday men: the guy stocking the shelves at a local supermarket, the doorman keeping order at the local pub on a Friday night. The Quarry examines how ideas of masculinity affect them, for better or for worse.