Peter Carey's highly charged, recklessly funny new novel is narrated by artist Butcher Bones and idiot-savant brother, Hugh. It recounts their adventures after Butcher's plummeting prices and spiralling drink problem force them to retreat to northern New South Wales, where the formerly famous artist is reduced to acting as caretaker for his patron and nurse to his brother. Then, one stormy night, mysterious American beauty Marlene turns up, clad in a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Claiming that the brothers' neighbour owns an original Jacques Leibovitz, she sets in motion a chain of events that could be the making or ruin of them all.