A predawn call startles Andy Mann from slumber. The voice of a stranger breaks the news that Clayton Smith--childhood friend, world traveler, and flamboyant artist--has committed suicide; the revelation that he made plans for his own funeral a few days later in Hong Kong complicates the mystery, as does the fact that he was finally about to make the trip of his dreams to Inner Mongolia. Andy, by comparison a stay-at-home, chronically enervated Chicagoan plagued by a succession of failed careers, has ended up tending to his father's ailing business. With only a day's notice to prepare for Clayton's funeral, Andy hesitates; his father's business needs his attention, and his friendship with Clayton had been waning for a long time. In the end, though, he does attend, spurred on by Clayton's final cryptic message to him: "I've always been your wild card. Play me."
Reminiscences of the friendship and Clayton's rise from restless world traveler to successful artist in Tokyo add heart to the narrative, as Andy tries to piece together the events that led to Clayton's death. But the mystery evolves into a treasure hunt as it is revealed that Clayton had been on a quest for an exquisite piece of fabric mapping the "invisible world" that lies beyond the senses.
Invisible World sets a lively pace, creating exotic settings peopled by colorful, original characters. Myriad mysteries pepper the adventure: why did Clayton, finally enjoying artistic success, commit suicide? Why did he so desperately want to visit Inner Mongolia? What is the real value of the invaluable antique fabric? With this sure-footed mystery that doubles as an exhilarating expedition to the edges of the world, Stuart Cohen puts a new spin on the old truth that the lines between the material and the spiritual are an absolute blur.
A predawn call startles Andy Mann from slumber. The voice of a stranger breaks the news that Clayton Smith--childhood friend, world traveler, and flamboyant artist--has committed suicide; the revelation that he made plans for his own funeral a few days later in Hong Kong complicates the mystery, as does the fact that he was finally about to make the trip of his dreams to Inner Mongolia. Andy, by comparison a stay-at-home, chronically enervated Chicagoan plagued by a succession of failed careers, has ended up tending to his father's ailing business. With only a day's notice to prepare for Clayton's funeral, Andy hesitates; his father's business needs his attention, and his friendship with Clayton had been waning for a long time. In the end, though, he does attend, spurred on by Clayton's final cryptic message to him: "I've always been your wild card. Play me."
Reminiscences of the friendship and Clayton's rise from restless world traveler to successful artist in Tokyo add heart to the narrative, as Andy tries to piece together the events that led to Clayton's death. But the mystery evolves into a treasure hunt as it is revealed that Clayton had been on a quest for an exquisite piece of fabric mapping the "invisible world" that lies beyond the senses.
Invisible World sets a lively pace, creating exotic settings peopled by colorful, original characters. Myriad mysteries pepper the adventure: why did Clayton, finally enjoying artistic success, commit suicide? Why did he so desperately want to visit Inner Mongolia? What is the real value of the invaluable antique fabric? With this sure-footed mystery that doubles as an exhilarating expedition to the edges of the world, Stuart Cohen puts a new spin on the old truth that the lines between the material and the spiritual are an absolute blur.
