Literary works are important in the novel's plot, so Grimes intersperses passages from two works throughout her novel. The most important one is the short story "Violette," which according to the manuscript discovered by Beverly Brown, is by Poe. The story, not yet authenticated, is read aloud by the main characters in brief sections because Ellen Taylor, who has both the manuscript and Beverly Brown's typescript, is reluctant to carry around much of it at a time.

The idea of possible literary theft is reinforced by the second work, Ellen Taylor's novel-in-progress Doors, a sequel to her acclaimed novel Windows.

She is convinced that another writer named Vittoria Delia Salvina (whose real name is Vicki Salva) has stolen her plot and characters. Ellen continues to work on Doors, going to unusual, humorous, and ultimately dangerous lengths to force herself to write. Her knowledge of...