American scholar Rachel Farraday accepts a position researching a decaying chateau in France during the height of the French/Algerian war. Mysteries envelope the property, including a honeycomb of underground tunnels her employer is reluctant to discuss. A sudden death makes Rachel a surprise co-inheritor of the chateau with an attractive, possibly insane young man. Intrigue follows and now Rachel’s life is threatened. Trompe l'Oeil is another exquisitely crafted tale of suspense: a lovely setting, harrowing situations, paranormal overtones and every ending a sinister surprise.