The Houdini Specter

When a friend of a friend’s recently widowed mother falls prey to a spiritualist medium, Dash Hardeen and his brother Harry Houdini step in to try to expose the deception. This fictional mystery is consistent with the real-life Houdini’s interest in exposing spiritualist fakery. The locked room mystery, the brothers’ attempts to replicate the supernatural effects, and the eventual solution kept me hooked. I wasn’t as thrilled with the depiction of Houdini. His younger brother, Dash, is the first-person narrator, and he comes across as the brains of the pair, with Houdini as the brawn. Houdini also seems full of himself at a time in his life when he hadn’t yet achieved name recognition. I’m left wondering if this is an show more accurate portrayal of the real man. show less

This is a charming and surprising little mystery that reads quick. The key here is the characterization and humorous portrayal of Harry Houdini. He is at the early part of his career before he has become a name and it is quite charming what Mr. Stashower has done.

The mystery has its twists and red herrings and the bodies fall quickly. That Houdini and our narrator, his brother, figure things out is fun to watch and of course in hindsight we see even better than if Mr. Holmes was leading us through the game.

All in all, a recommended read. Great historical feel for the era as well.

This is the third in a series by Stashower in which Harry Houdini & his brother, Dash, are the crimesolvers. I love books about uncovering the hokum behind seances and as an added bonus, there's a mystery to solve. Try it...but start with the first one, The Dime Museum Murders.