"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 Knight`s death, his half brother sets out to penetrate the enigma of his life, starting with a few scanty clues in the novelist`s private papers. His search proves to be a story as intriguing as any of his subject`s own novels, as baffling, and, in the end, as uniquely rewarding.