Reading somewhat like a fever dream, the narrative unevenly skips from story lines to academic examinations of polyamory and polygamy written directly to the reader, and from China to the American Midwest. In China, there’s the at-times stalkeresque Luna, the massively judgmental Isham, and the well-educated, mercurial Kitty; stateside, in Wisconsin, there’s laid-back, blues-loving Jim, a friend of Isham’s who’s ex-Navy, and Marguerite, who bounces between Asia and the U.S. On both continents, mind-altering drugs are consumed freely and all parties are driven by sex—whether it’s erotic massage, swinging, or straight missionary—much of which references Isham’s book on erotic massage. (“Isham’s publication was not a guide and it lacked illustrations. It was something else altogether, an essay collection and a travelogue, but above all an exegesis, with massage the master metaphor for the inextricable relationship of all things therapeutic and all things sexual.”)

The author mixes clever and imaginative turns of phrase throughout (“Gambling had about as much appeal to Isham as a methamphetamine addiction; the casino atmosphere was as menacing as a mental hospital”), but his characters are not fleshed out enough for readers to feel much emotional connection to them. As well, the plot meanders, there is a lot of telling and less showing, and Kitty’s improbable amnesia feels contrived. Still, lovers of quirky, erotic mysteries will enjoy Cook’s words.

Takeaway: Readers who enjoy quirky, erotic mysteries will savor this tale of love, sex, mystery and revenge.

Great for fans of: Franz Kafka, the Marquis de Sade.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A