Mallory is very interested in the magician’s float because at a recent magic show in Central Park, Oliver Tree was killed during a crossbow act. Oliver was part of a group of European World War II generation magicians that have been making a comeback in New York City, presenting a group of old illusions that were the legacy of one magician.

Mallory is convinced that the death was a homicide masterminded by one ore more of the magicians. She is also certain that one aging magician, Malahkai, who is also slowly losing his mind, knows not only the truth about Oliver’s death, but also the truth about his wife Louisa’s death over fifty years ago.

As Mallory investigates Oliver Tree’s death, first unofficially and then officially, she gets caught up in the magician’s lives, both now and fifty years ago. The closer she gets to them, however, the harder it gets to distinguish fact from fiction from distorted memory, and the harder it is to tell what is real and what is smoke and mirrors - they are all illusionists, after all.

Mallory is a very unusual protagonist. She is very meticulous and controlling about her person and surroundings. She is also very tough and has a suspicious mind. She was a tough street kid, as a child, taken into a loving foster home, but never lost her street smarts. While she is not an especially likable character, she isn’t one to entirely dislike either. Her partner, Riker, has known her since she was a teenager and always tries to keep her past in sight when dealing with her at her most difficult.

The other characters, while quite possibly very interesting people, are numerous and so similar, it is hard to keep track of them. Malakhai is the most developed of the magicians and has a very interesting side to his personality: through illusions, he gives the appearance that his wife is with him much of the time.

The setting is very well drawn, especially the parade scene. Details are included that will make the reader feel like an insider. In some scenes, however, the details become overwhelming and almost burdensome, detracting from an intricate, detailed plot that not only involves actions and consequences that occur today, but the actions of the magicians and many others over fifty years ago.

The ability to sort out past and present and keep the players straight will aid in the enjoyment of this book. Despite being bogged down with detail, though, the mystery is a very intriguing one, and the use of past sins and waiting fifty years for revenge is a very effective one. Mallory is a character that will need to be revisited many times to fully appreciate all the depths of her personality.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry