But where in an ordinary mystery novel the motive would be jealousy or blackmail, in this strange tale it's a spiritual cabal--shades of the Illuminati--behind the scenes eager to recruit Michael and reveal to him his own powers. Soon Michael and his wife Susan are caught in the nightmare of divine revelation, the ordinary world around them crumbling into pieces as Michael tries to prove his innocence yet also becomes increasingly aware of just how thin the veil of reality is. The lesson of this strange book is that spiritual mysteries are knottier than Agatha Christie, and more bizarre than any science fiction thriller.