Several Deceptions

Acclaimed in England, these wicked and wonderfully entertaining novellas deal with the infinite human capacity for deception and self-deception. The four stories in this remarkably assured work are beautifully shaped and deftly plotted; each is narrated by a richly distinctive voice, and each ends with a genuine surprise. The themes are wide-ranging: the mysteries of identity, the pitfalls of intellectual arrogance, the damage wrought by cleverness, the role of time in human affairs.
SEVERAL DECEPTIONS is a dazzling debut; it gleams with intelligence and wit. |

"Four exquisitely crafted novellas introduce a brilliant new writer." --Harpers & Queen

“An impressive first collection . . . These stories are refreshingly, unapologetically erudite. They are also extremely funny.”

Observer

“Here is a gossipy, smart, critical, intellectual, high-spirited and literate voice. It is like a secret retreat where readers can simply rejoice in intelligent, stylish prose.”

Times Literary Supplement

"Witty . . . cultured and ironic . . . lavish and precise at evoking place through culture and language."

The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Like a small box of chocolate truffles, these delicious novellas. . . should be carried in a handbag or briefcase . . . for a quick hit of wit or the jolt of a . . . clever surprise ending." USA Today