Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini

The world of magic is secretive, but it can also be sinister. An aspiring detective investigates the murky line between magic and spiritualism as a plot against Harry Houdini unfolds, but she quickly finds herself tied up in more ways than one while serving as Houdini’s assistant and lover. When Houdini dies, Minky faces one of history’s most curious mysteries. But will her investigation find magic or murder involved in his death?v

Minky Woodcock: The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini is an intriguing, burlesque-inspired twist on true-crime storytelling, as noir elements enhance a classic mystery. The beautiful, stylish art style feels true to the time period — almost mixing the salacious bombshell imagery of naughty playing cards and calendars with the shadowy simplicity of dime novels.

The book offers marvelous gender reversals — where femme fatales are also capable detectives — strong antagonists, and sympathetic characters intertwined with a sinister plot that plays up the shady side of magic and the art of performance. Add them all together, and you’ve got a unique reading experience that feels fresh, even as the familiar ingredients lull you into a false sense of security.