Mrs. Houdini: A Novel by Victoria Kelly. Atria Books (Simon and Schuster), 2016. Adult fiction.While much has been written about Harry Houdini himself, few novels feature Bess, his loyal and beautiful wife and assistant. Victoria Kelly minds the real to use as a jumping off point for the imaginative. Bess, Mrs. Weiss, Harry's sister Gladys, and Harry all are major figures in this well written tale. A photographer and reporter, Charles Radley becomes a stranger with an intriguing secret. Houdini fans know that while Bess attempted to contact the great magician for some years after his death, she finally conceded that Harry had not contacted her. This novel provides a magical ending that will satisfy the legions of Houdini fans in an unexpected way. Kelly's debut novel has much to recommend it and her author's note provides titles and research she did to make the book authentic.
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