In 1949, an architect and amateur magician named George Fenwick was to leap from an apartment building that he had designed and first occupied when it opened in 1936. Twenty six years later, John and Patricia Delaney rented the same apartment that George Fenwick had occupied. For reasons that neither of them were ever able to determine, the mystery of Mr. Fenwick's suicide appeared to have something to do with certain photographs found in their apartment, photographs an obsession shared by George Fenwick and his father, Richard. Their pursuit of this puzzle would led John and Patricia Delaney through all manner of investigation, from peculiar neighbours, newspaper reporters, policemen, a private detective, magicians, libraries, bookstore owners, and even each other.