[2] The protagonists are Koot Hoomie "Kootie" Parganas, an eleven-year-old boy, and Pete "Teet" Sullivan, a man in his early forties.

The novel takes place mostly in Los Angeles in the year 1992, and there are references to the United States presidential election.

As in Last Call, the previous novel of Tim Powers' Fault Line series, a prominent theme is the quest for immortality.

Oaks' age is unknown, deLarava is seventy-six years old (but she often appears to be younger); both have been prolonging their lives by ingesting ghosts.

Pete Sullivan has his own helper, a former psychiatrist named Angelica Anthem Elizalde.