The Illusionist

The Illusionistis the sensuous and haunting tale of Dean Lily, an amateur magician whose arrival in Sparta, New York, upsets the landscape of this small town on the wane. Dean, a master of the sleight of hand, is also a master of seduction and charm -- which becomes apparent as he woos and wins the hearts of more than one of Sparta's female citizens.But the enigmatic newcomer has more to hide than the tricks of his trade -- his mysterious identity and his closely guarded privacy arouse suspicion and jealousy -- and while he cures Sparta of its midwinter ennui, he also unleashes a destructive force that rocks the foundations of this town to its core. Inspired in part by a true story,The Illusionistis a fiercely erotic novel that thwarts conventions of gender and love.

Dinitia Smith is the author of two previous novels, Hard Rain and Remember This. She is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and has taught creative writing at Columbia University. She is now a national correspondent for culture at The New York Times and lives in New York City.