The central "trick" of Parsifal’s life was his claim of having no living relatives. Following his death, Sabine discovers a startling reality:
The novel introduces Sabine, who served as the faithful assistant to the Los Angeles-based magician Parsifal for twenty years before they finally married. Their relationship was built on a complex foundation: Sabine deeply loved Parsifal, despite knowing he was gay and mourning the loss of his long-term partner, Phan. When Parsifal dies unexpectedly from an aneurysm, Sabine is left to manage his estate and his carefully constructed history. the magician's ass-istant angela white
: His mother, Dot, and two sisters are very much alive and eventually travel to California to meet the widow they never knew existed. The central "trick" of Parsifal’s life was his