Double Identity

"Double Identity" by Henry Farrell is a mind-bending science fiction story from the 1950s that looks at identity and the connection between stories and what is real. It follows Fleetwood Cassidy, a tough private eye who discovers he is actually a character made up by a writer named Grant Dermitt. As Fleetwood deals with a world that mixes his gritty detective life with the strange reality of being a fictional creation, the story looks at what it means to be free and have a purpose when you're just a character in a book. He deals with tough guys like Mario and tricky women like Evelyn while trying to make sense of his made-up world. Realizing he's just a figment of Dermitt's imagination, Fleetwood fights for control of his own life, questioning whether to accept or reject his role in the story, leading to big questions about choice and fate.