Review of The Bullet Catch by John Gaspard

I'm personally not much a fiction reader and I don't regularly do mysteries (it's been years since I dipped my toes into a juicy Agatha Christy novel). So why did I read "The Bullet Catch" by John Gaspard, a new mystery novel set in the present day?

You see, the book stars a compelling magician character named Eli Marks. After all, doesn't it make sense that a magician would make a good crime solver? And in Gaspard’s hands, the tale is like a great magic trick – you don’t know where it’s going and when the revelation occurs at the end, everything comes together. It's lots of fun. 

Magic Minnesota
The setting is modern day Minnesota. Eli is a magician and film magic consultant who resides with his uncle, who, by the way, runs a brick and mortar magic shop. While the magic shop may be a throwback to another era, the book features a contemporary world populated with iPads, Netflix and more.

No surprise, there’s been a mysterious murder in town just as a movie’s being made about a magician whose life ended tragically by (what else?) a bullet catch gone wrong. Add in some shady characters that includes a masked magician who once gave away secrets on TV (sound familiar?), a psychic with a dire prediction and assorted other characters, and you’ve got the makings of an enjoyable mystery and read.

The Magic Angle
Particularly fun for magicians is the magic angle. Author Gaspard knows his magic and history (or he did some in-depth research). From the tricks that the lead character performs (Dr. Daley's Last Trick, Invisible Deck and more) to the historical references (Morrit's Donkey Vanish, center deals and more), there are definite insights.
 
There are also aspects of performing and working as a magician. The lead character deals with tough crowds in his shows as well as with recalcitrant witnesses as he tries to solve the mystery. It's all spot on.

So who did it and why? Gaspard weaves a tale of deceit and lies that's fit for a magician. And while it all comes together in the end, I certainly didn't see it. Referenced in the novel is the old magician's adage, "don't run if no one is chasing you." I think it's particularly fitting. 

I enjoyed this book and recommend it. It's truly mystery and magic.

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