The Real Life of Sebastian Knight is a perversely magical literary detective story – subtle, intricate, leading to a tantalizing climax – about the mysterious life of a famous writer. Many people knew things about Sebastian Knight as a distinguished novelist, but probably fewer than a dozen knew of the two love affairs that so profoundly influenced his career, the second one in such a disastrous way. After Knights death, his half brother sets out to penetrate the enigma of his life, starting with a few scanty clues in the novelists private papers. His search proves to be a story of mystery and intrigue as any of his subjects own novels, as baffling, and, in the end, as uniquely rewarding.