Writing, for me, is more than just telling great stories; it is a way of probing for the things that truly matter to us as human beings. My characters, like all of us, are striving to discover some kind of truth, to answer a fundamental question about themselves as they confront life's dilemmas. Having been involved in the art world most of my life as a historian, connoisseur, and collector, I find that the visual arts inform my writing, both in terms of description and physical setting—always a character in its own right—and the struggle artists endure to explore the world from every angle. Great art, like great literature, must never give up all its secrets; there must always be enough mystery and ambiguity to keep the thing fresh and alive. Most profound art is about conveying feeling and the sense of spiritual quest—the fluttering glimpse of the unseen at life’s ecstatic heart. We exist under the spell of memory, infused with the metamorphic glories of the visual world.
In Gods of Deception, acclaimed novelist David Adams Cleveland has created a thrilling tale of espionage, a family saga, a stirring love story, and a meditation on time and memory, taking you on an unforgettable journey into the troubled human heart as well as the past-a past that is ever present, where the gods of deception await our distant call.
As Robert goes about his daily activities during April, he encounters an ever-increasing number of rabbits.
Set against the backdrop of political intrigue and personal discovery, the novel follows Michael Collins, a political fixer entangled in a bribery scandal, as he returns to his childhood city for his estranged brother's funeral. Revisiting his past, he confronts the betrayal of his first love, Sandra Palmer, whose recent suicide leads him on a quest for truth. As he delves into Sandra's family's troubled history, including her radical twin sister, Michael uncovers connections to a legacy of art and heartbreak that shape their identities. Themes of memory, love, and metamorphosis weave through this poignant exploration of how the past influences the present.