THE MAGIC STRIPTEASE

Most of the magic is in the title of this collection of three longish stories/novellas by the author of Death of the Fox and many other little-known tales. Taking place in the South, these perforce contain more than their share of inexplicable murders, rapes, robberies, car crashes, sexual freaks, et al The best and title tale is that of a mimic so extraordinaire that he can transform himself into any shape -- animal, vegetable, mineral -- with which to shock, astound, and revenge himself upon the world which has made him, existentially, nothing. Unfortunately, this clever idea almost becomes banal by Garrett's treatment as if the actual writing bored him; the prose only begins to become alive when it comes out of the mouths of the various personae the author only moderately successfully imitates: southern sheriffs, accused prisoners, faggot photographers, nympho ladies, unlikely to appeal to most people.