This first tale follows a writer-turned-detective whose interest in detective fiction eventually was so overwhelming that he became a detective himself. He finds a case and is overwhelmed by it. As he considers the odds and ends of it, he feels he might be going crazy. In this story, the detective works closely with the author, Paul Auster, who may or may not be real; the character has a hard time remembering where the lines of reality are. The protagonist is revealed to be Daniel Quinn who wonders extensively about Don Quixote throughout the prose.
Ghosts
Another tale about private investigators, Ghosts follows Blue. Blue's mentor in the PI world was Brown, and together, they're working for a paying client, a man named White, trying to figure out more intel for a case involving a man named Black who lives on—yes—Orange Street. As Blue struggles to piece the case together, he begins to feel a deep identification with the target, Black.
The Locked Room
A writer struggles immensely with the art of fiction. He cannot seem to provide details that satisfy him, and he isn't sure about the direction of the story either. He hears from a childhood friend, a guy named Fanshawe. When Fanshawe goes missing, the writer realizes that he has an opportunity to plagiarize the art. He does so. He also invests himself in Fanshawe's family, assuming the roles that he served in the Fanshawe home.
