DonRigoberto-arathergreyinsuranceexecutivebyday,adedicatedpornographerandsexualenthusiastbynight-missesLucrecia,hisestrangedsecondwife.Hedesperatelycompensatesforherabsencebyfillinghisnotebookswithasteamymixofmemoryandsexualfantasy.HusbandandwifehavebeenseparatedforayearbecauseofasexualencounterbetweenRigoberto'spre-pubescentsonAlfonsoandhisstepmother.Alfonsoisastrangefeycreatureofangelicappearanceandapparentlydiabolicalimpulses-moreseducerthanseduceddespitehisage.HevisitsLucrecia'shousewithouthisfather'sknowledgeandinsiststhathewantshisparentstomakeup,havingapparentlyforgottentheincidentthatcausedtheoriginalbreak-up.Meanwhile,RigobertoandLucreciaareeachreceivinghighlyeroticletterswhicheachbelievetohavebeensentbytheotherbutmaywellhavebeenwrittenbyAlfonso.AddtoallthisthenotebooksatthecoreofthenovelandthereaderisdrawnintoDonRigoberto'sownconfusionbetweenimaginationandphysicalreality.TheNotebooksofDonRigobertoisafunny,sexy,disquietingandverycompellingnovelthatisoneofVargasLlosa'sfinestworks.