The Magician's Lie
A Novel
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
She’s the most dangerous woman in America—according to the headlines. But in the flickering gaslight, truth is just another illusion.
A murdered man. A vanishing act. One night for a fugitive illusionist to tell her story—and for a small-town cop to decide if he believes her.
The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister is a spellbinding historical mystery with psychological suspense and a fiercely unforgettable heroine. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus, Water for Elephants, and The Alice Network, this genre-bending novel invites readers behind the curtain, where secrets hide in plain sight and freedom may be the most dangerous illusion of all.
Arden, a brilliant performer accused of murder, recounts her life in a locked-room interrogation laced with secrets, betrayals, and survival. Set against the backdrop of early 1900s America, this atmospheric tale explores gender, truth, and the stories we tell to escape them.
Praise for The Magician’s Lie:
USA Today Bestseller
"[A] well-paced, evocative, and adventurous historical novel..." - Publishers Weekly
“The Magician's Lie is a rich tale of heart-stopping plot turns, glittering prose, and a cast of complex, compelling characters." - Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Traitor's Wife
“The Magician's Lie is a mesmerizing novel of illusion, secrets, and suspense. Bravo!" - Erika Robuck, author of Call Me Zelda and Fallen Beauty
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This well-paced, evocative, and adventurous historical novel from Macallister, a poet and short story writer, chronicles the career of America's preeminent female stage illusionist at the turn of the 20th century, who, as the Amazing Arden, created the lurid, controversial stage act known as the Halved Man. When Arden's husband is found murdered following her performance in Waterloo, Iowa, she falls under suspicion, particularly after she goes on the lam. Later the same night, officer Virgil Holt, en route to his home in the nearby town of Janesville, nabs Arden and charges her with her husband's murder. Holt escorts her to his office where she maintains her innocence and urges him to release her. The skeptical Holt compels Arden to relate her life's story, from her birth as Ada Bates in Philadelphia to her growing up on a Tennessee farm. And so the tale begins, as Arden describes learning to dance and fearing her older cousin Ray, who self-mutilates and fancies himself a magical healer. Arden hires on as a laundress at the Vanderbilts' Biltmore estate in North Carolina, where she befriends the gardener, Clyde Garber, and they run away to New York City. She begins work as a chorine before entering the magic business under the tutelage of the crusty, colorful Adelaide Herrmann. After Adelaide retires, Arden takes over the traveling magic show. She again crosses paths with Ray to set in motion the violent conclusion, bringing Arden's rollicking life full circle and satisfyingly capping off this top-notch novel.
