The magician's lie: a novel

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. Agent: Elizabeth Weed, Weed Literary. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Turn-of-the-century illusionist the Amazing Arden is apprehended by a policeman outside Waterloo, IA, after the murder of her "husband." In his small jailhouse in the wee hours of the morning, Officer Holt demands that Arden confess to the murder. She insists she is innocent and instead she tells him her life story-one of abuse, fear, and violence. Officer Holt must decide if she is telling the truth or simply creating another illusion. Macallister crafts her story by jumping between the present and the past, passing the narration between Arden and Holt, the parts beautifully read by Julia Whelan and Nick Podehl as the two central characters revealing themselves bit by bit. VERDICT Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book. ["Macallister...has created a captivating world of enchantment and mystery that readers will be loath to leave," read the review of the Sourcebooks Landmark hc, LJ 9/15/14.]-Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A female illusionist is questioned about a murder in Macallister's debut, set at the turn of the 20th century.Janesville, Iowa, police officer Virgil Holt worries that an injury could mean the end of his law enforcement career, but a stroke of luck offers hope. A man identified as the husband of The Amazing Arden, aka Ada Bates, has been hacked up like a ham at Christmas, and Ada, the logical suspect, has just landed in Holt's custody. Eager for information that might bolster his chances of continuing his career, Holt handcuffs his prisoner to a chair at the station and encourages her to talk. And Ada obliges and obliges and obligesthroughout the course of one very long, dull night. Launching into an autobiographical dissertation, Ada protests her innocence and describes how she was once tortured by her stepfather's sadistic nephew, which led to her remarkable discovery of her body's ability to heal itself quickly. Fearing for her safety, she gathered the courage to run away. During a journey that culminated with a job in a touring magic show, Ada made her way to New York City with a young man who won her heart. Unfortunately, his actions proved questionable, so she left him, at least for a time. Ada soon learned the subtleties of her art and, adding more ambitious acts to her repertoire, took over the show. But the past eventually caught up with her in a smoky theater in Chicago, and Ada faced a tough decision. Holt also tells his storyalbeit with more brevityduring Ada's infrequent pauses for breath and finally gets around to making a desperate offer before the unsurprising resolution. Macallister makes a concerted effort to ensure historical accuracy, but her prose is labored and lacks intensity.Nevertheless, devotees of illusion may enjoy the story based on the author's detailed focus on early costumes, movement and techniques. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

What happens when a magician's illusion becomes real? Ada Bates, aka the Amazing Arden, is the most famous female illusionist in turn-of-the-20th-century America. Touring the vaudeville circuit with her company, Arden is known far and wide for her spectacular Halved Man illusion in which she saws a man in half. While performing in Waterloo, IA, Arden trades in her saw for a fire ax and completes the act with her usual aplomb. Policeman Virgil Holt is in the audience that night, and when the body of Arden's "husband" is found in the Halved Man prop after the show, Holt suspects that Arden has used an illusion to commit a very real murder. When the officer chances upon the fleeing Arden and takes her into custody, she tells him her version of what happened, and it is a story far more moving and spectacular than any of her stage acts. It will take everything Holt has to see beyond the magic to the truth hiding underneath. VERDICT In her historical fiction debut, Macallister, a poet and short story writer who has penned a contemporary novel under a pseudonym, has created a captivating world of enchantment and mystery that readers will be loath to leave. Fans of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants may also enjoy this title as the exotic settings (circus, magic show) are more of a backdrop for a larger story in both cases than an integral part of the plot.—Elisabeth Clark, West Florida P.L., Pensacola

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. Agent: Elizabeth Weed, Weed Literary. (Jan.)