Fata Morgana Author:William Kotzwinkle Paris, 1861. Inspector Paul Picard is assigned to what seems to be a routine investigation. Confidence man Ric Lazare has been keeping a lavish salon with no visible means of support. What is his secret? To find our, Picard embarks on a whirlwind search that takes him to Venice, to Nuremberg, to remote points East -- and back to Paris. It is a w... more »ild, opium-dream search, a mesmerizing magic show of a book, full of erotic encounters, pursued despite repeated warnings that Picard will die. Well rehearsed and superbly performed by a master craftsman, the beguiling novel spins gaudily and dizzily toward its amazing climax.« less