How does William Boyd use imagery in The Blue Afternoon: A Novel?

Examples of Imagery:

The day was cloudy and an erratic and nervy wind rattled the leaves of the palmettos that the contractor had planted along the roadside.

There was a peculiar bluish, icy tone to the body's general pallor, it was true. The fat on the buttocks seemed to shine through the skin like ice cream wrapped in parchment, Carriscant thought, quite pleased with his simile.