In this fictional tale, Harry Houdini took on a young girl as an apprentice after seeing her talent on the street. He taught her all the things he knew and many in the illusionist circle coveted her close relationship to him. She has also has secrets from her past that she is trying to keep out of the spotlight and all of these things are going to come to a head in this book.

I loved the deep dive into the world of illusion. Wren Lockhart was a great character to follow into this world and I like the point at which this book started and stopped. I would characterize this book as part historical fiction part mystery/thriller. If you tend to skip out on the historical fiction the angsty mystery/thriller part may thrill you enough to forget that this is a historical fiction book! To say the twists and turns were great is an understatement, I had a few moments where I may have said "Oh No" OUT LOUD, but they were perfectly timed and not completely from left field which at times can be frustrating.

This was my first Kristy Cambron read and I may have to look into her backlist to add to my TBR.

I am sorry but this book didn't grab me as I hoped it would. I found the beginning too long and wordy. Knowing the background of the story I think that I was hoping for more.
That said, the writing was colourful and descriptive and I could picture the scene easily and I liked the FBI link.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristy Cambron and TN Fiction for the opportunity to read this book.

The year is 1926 and Agent Elliot Matthews is overseeing a famous medium’s latest publicity stunt claiming he can bring a dead man back to life when something goes wrong and the “resurrected” man, dies in front of the gathered crowd. How to categorize this? Did the man die twice? Or was the stunt well executed, and the man was murdered?

Just before the trick went badly, Matthews’ eye was drawn to a young woman with flaming red hair along the periphery of the crowd who remained aloof and angry. Following up on this leads him to a collaboration in the case with vaudeville illusionist, Wren Lockhart, who trained under Harry Houdini himself. As Wren helps Matthews to discover the truth behind the stunt gone wrong, the two find themselves the new target of an increasingly desperate villain and are drawn deeper into the plot and closer to each other than either is comfortable with.

First off, I have never read a book by Kristy Cambron, though I have attempted to get a hold of other ARCs of hers in the past as I have heard great things about her. That being said, as I understand it, this is her first mystery, which is impressive as she seems adept at handling suspense scenes. I was a bit worried that certain things would be tied up with answers that would not make sense, but she did an admirable job of explaining the various mysteries throughout in a credible way. I also enjoyed the fact that she has clearly done her research as I am familiar with the time period and the various operating mediums as well as Houdini’s work in debunking them and she did a great job of following the history. There were also no obvious anachronisms I could see which was refreshing, and the whispers of Conan Doyle’s presence throughout are a nice touch considering his own connections to Houdini.

Overall, I thought this was not just a great work of Christian fiction, but also a good work of fiction period, which is saying something. All too often when reading Christian fiction, I find the piece so sanitized (admittedly this is often due to publisher’s restrictions), that there is no real issue going on, or not one that leads the reader to care. Francine Rivers is an exception to this rule, and now I would say Kristy Cambron is as well. The characters were well drawn and the issues presented in the work were believable and taken from the real world and led the reader to care about what happened. My only issue with the work was the romance itself as it often felt like the scenes between Wren and Elliot were a little forced and felt a bit stilted rather than true to life. A well written work of historical fiction that is well-researched and defined. I would be interested to pick up more of Cambron’s works in future.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I just couldn't get into the story.

Thank you for the opportunity read and review this title! I didn't enjoy it as much as I"d hoped, and rather than post a negative review, I chose to not feature it on my blog. I look forward to seeing what new releases you have in store!

I really enjoyed this one as I have Kristy Cambron's previous novel The Butterfly and the Violin. The book follows Houdini's former apprentice Wren Lockhart who gets roped into a murder investigation. This book had plenty of mystery, romance and a sad emotional undercurrent. I really liked it. The Christian undertones in the other book I read by this author was more overt which is the only thing that put me off from it. This novel revolves around the fraud of mysticism but there were no parts that segued too far into the religious realm. I felt this was a good thing since it will appeal to Christian fiction readers and those who just like a good historical mystery.

Wren Lockhart was apprenticed to Harry Houdini, now he is dead and someone will stop at nothing to gain his secrets. Wren has many secrets other than those learned from Houdini. She has never had time for romance. FBI agent Elliot is determined to keep her alive. He must figure out who is the real Wren Lockhart before she is silenced forever. Kristy Cambron has recreated Jazz age Boston and the world of Vaudeville in the Illusionists Apprentice. I really enjoyed the story.

From Amazon:

Harry Houdini's one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world. But someone wants to claim them . . . or silence her before she can reveal them on her own.

Boston, 1926. Jenny "Wren" Lockhart is a bold eccentric--even for a female vaudevillian. As notorious for her inherited wealth and gentleman's dress as she is for her unsavory upbringing in the back halls of a vaudeville theater, Wren lives in a world that challenges all manner of conventions.

In the months following Houdini's death, Wren is drawn into a web of mystery surrounding a spiritualist by the name of Horace Stapleton, a man defamed by Houdini's ardent debunking of fraudulent mystics in the years leading up to his death. But in a public illusion that goes terribly wrong, one man is dead and another stands charged with his murder. Though he's known as one of her teacher's greatest critics, Wren must decide to become the one thing she never wanted to be: Stapleton's defender.

Forced to team up with the newly formed FBI, Wren races against time and an unknown enemy, all to prove the innocence of a hated man. In a world of illusion, of the vaudeville halls that showcase the flamboyant and the strange, Wren's carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her. Layered with mystery, illusion, and the artistry of the Jazz Age's bygone vaudeville era, The Illusionist's Apprentice is a journey through love and loss and the underpinnings of faith on each life's stage.

About the Author:

Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut novel, The Butterfly and the Violin, was named to Library Journal's Best Books of 2014 and nominated for RT Book Reviews' Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and for the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal's Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction) for February 2015 and a Top Pick for RT Book Reviews. Kristy holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three young sons.


Following
Biography
Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the bestselling author of THE RINGMASTER'S WIFE, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews' Best Books and RT Reviewers' Choice Awards Best lists and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations. THE LOST CASTLE (HarperCollins, 2018) is her fifth novel.

Kristy holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University and has 15 years experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation. Kristy lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

I was given this book by NetGalley.com for review purposes. All thoughts are my own.

The Illusionists’s Apprentice was a well written story that transported me back into time by including important but not dull, historical facts. And the best part? The story included Harry Houdini.
Wren Lockhart has guts to live outside the box. Wearing men’s clothes, she’s the ultimate illusionist, not to be confused with anything involving magic. I thought this angle was intriguing. She’s loyal to her family to a fault and keeps herself closed off from the world. Thrown into solving a mystery, she finds herself falling for the investigator, Elliot Matthews.
I loved the backstory, which is super strange to say but it was intricately told without being overwhelming. The whole book had me hanging on for more.
This is my first of Kristy Cambron’s books and I’ve added two more to my must read pile. I will admit, her cover designs are a huge draw (even when I shouldn’t be judging a book by its cover).
The Illusionist’s Apprentice is a great story and totally worth the read. A five out of five stars.
I received this book from NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Publishers and the Fiction Guild without requirement of a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
https://wordynerdyblog.wordpress.com/2017-book-reviews/the-illusionists-apprentice/

I think it was the cover for this book that drew me towards it, isn't it gorgeous!? As well as being introduced to a new to me author - who doesn't love discovering a new author?

Wren Lockhart is a fictional apprentice of Harry Houdini. Although this book takes place after his death there are flashbacks to her time with him. The synopsis does a great job outlining the plot here so I won't go into what takes place. This book doesn't just jump back and forth in time between Houdini and the present (1927) but also to Wren's childhood.

The author was able to describe Boston and the vaudeville era nicely as well as some of the illusionist details. This was an interesting read but I will confess that I wasn't totally enamored with the mystery part here. It didn't really grab my attention and at times my mind wandered. With many 4/5 star ratings here it seems like I am in minority here.

I am giving this book 3 stars because I did like it and will read more by this author (they are patiently waiting on my kindle). Thank you to TLC Book Tours for the invite to be part of this tour.

The Illusionist’s Apprentice was utterly charming, and quite surprising. We’ll talk about the charming first, and get to the surprising at the end.

Just like last week’s Blood and Circuses, the story in The Illusionist’s Apprentice is set in a world that is gone. In this case, that world is the vaudeville circuit. Vaudeville flourished during the period just before the American Civil until the 1910s, with the advent of movies. During the period of The Illusionist’s Apprentice, it is clear to the participants that vaude is dying, if not yet dead.

For our main character, the illusionist Wren Lockhart, vaudeville is the only life she’s ever known.

This is also a mystery, wrapped not so much in the proverbial enigma, but in a profound conundrum. Also in a web of contacts and enemies. A web that Wren entered as the late Harry Houdini’s apprentice, but must now maintain all by herself.

Or so it seems.

In the 1920s there was a rise in interest in spiritualism. Everyone had lost someone in recent memory, either to the Great War or the Spanish Influenza Epidemic. Lots of people were willing to latch onto any possibility of communicating with their deceased loved ones. And all too many con artists were willing to latch onto the money of those who grieved.

Harry Houdini, the famous illusionist and escape artist, had almost a secondary career in exposing fake mediums and spiritualists. Wren Lockhart was his apprentice, both as an illusionist and as a fake medium buster.

So she has come to see whether one of those fake mediums that she helped ruin, Horace Stapleton, really can bring the dead back to life. In a cemetery. It’s obviously yet another gag, but how did he do it? And why did someone put him up to it?

The FBI is watching Stapleton and the crowd, because it’s so obviously a scam even if they can’t figure out how. FBI Agent Matthews is watching Wren in particular, when the unthinkable happens. Twice. Stapleton, in a flourish of showmanship, seems to actually raise one of the corpses from the grave. Only to have the man walk a few steps and collapse, dead again.

Among the very meager evidence, Matthews finds a note linking the late Houdini and the still living Wren Lockhart to the crime, or event, or whatever-the-heck it was. And Matthews is all too eager to follow that trail, if only for a chance to speak with the woman who fascinates him.

Wren and Matthews find kindred spirits in each other. Both driven, both workaholics before the term was invented, both using their focus on their work to keep others at a distance. They discover that they need each other. At first, Matthews just needs an entree into the world of vaudeville. He needs Wren’s help to figure out just how Stapleton did whatever it was he did.

Wren needs Matthews. She’s not used to relying on anyone, keeping her feelings and her secrets carefully locked away. But someone is targeting her, and she needs an outsider, particularly a very protective outsider, to help her find the snake in the grass at her feet.

They manage to keep each other alive, long enough to dig up all the truths, not just the ones that Wren has been hiding, but also the ones that have been hidden around her, under the cover of illusion.

Escape Rating A-: This was absolutely charming from beginning to end. Just like a member of her audience, I was sucked into Wren’s illusions from the very beginning of the story. She is an absolutely fascinating character. She is so completely eccentric, so much “out there” even for a female vaudevillian, that one can’t help but be captivated. At the same time, her position in the world of vaude gives her the opportunity to be unconventional in a way that makes her easy for a 21st century woman to empathize with. Her perspectives feel like hers, but they also mirror ours.

FBI Agent Elliot Matthews wants to be a hero. More correctly, he discovers that he wants to be Wren’s hero. But in spite of his status as an FBI Agent, he is not a hero in the usual mold. While he’d like to protect her, he comes to recognize that what he wants isn’t what Wren needs, or is willing to accept. Wren is looking for a hero who will walk beside her, letting her fight her own dragons. And Matthews discovers that he is willing to be that person, even though it isn’t easy.

The story here is one of wheels within wheels within wheels. It’s not a traditional mystery, but it is a mystery. And it’s one with ever widening circles of puzzles as it unravels.

Initially the mystery is all about Stapleton and whoever it is that is or isn’t dead. Then it widens to include who wanted to link Wren to the stunt, and why. Then it’s who is trying to kill Wren, and why. And finally, what is the deep, dark secret in Wren’s past that she has spent so much time, effort and money in concealing, and that someone is trying so hard to expose.

The secret of Wren’s past, and her present, is a very slow reveal, as she comes to trust Matthews more and more over time, and she peels away some of her protective layers. Some of the way that this is done is by skipping backwards into Wren’s past, so that we see those events as they happened. The jumps back and forth are a bit disconcerting at first, but in the end it does work.

And keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. Just like one of Wren Lockhart’s performances.

Now for why I was so surprised that I loved this book. Like The Hideaway, which I reviewed a few weeks ago, The Illusionist’s Apprentice was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, a well-known and well-respected publisher of Christian inspirational literature, both fiction and nonfiction. And also like The Hideaway, The Illusionist’s Apprentice is not inspirational fiction, even though it is billed as such. And I was wary of it, like The Hideaway, because of that billing and that publisher. So I am left, as I was after reading The Hideaway, both confused and concerned. It is quite possible that people looking for inspirational fiction will be disappointed by this book. It is excellent historical fiction, but not inspie. It is also very possible that readers like myself, who steer far clear of inspirational fiction, will miss this book because of the publisher. I want this book to find its much deserved audience, and I worry that it won’t.

If you love historical fiction, particularly set in the 1920s (which is a fascinating period that’s getting a LOT more love since Downton Abbey), The Illusionist’s Apprentice is marvelous. And that’s no illusion!

I enjoyed this book a lot. Kristy Cambron did an excellent job weaving history and fiction together to create a memorable story. I liked how she combined a little romance, mystery and suspense together. Wren's character was believable and complex. It's always fun to learn about new things and time periods. I didn't know a lot about illusionists before reading this book.

Harry Houdini's apprentice, Wren Lockhart, has grown up and become an illusionist in her own right. Now, garbed in men's clothing and bearing a name as false as the tricks she practises, she is a rising star hoping to forget her illicit past. But when a dead man turns up in another's performance, Wren is unaccountably dragged into the ensuing drama. Assisting the police in their investigations about the deceased only seem to cause more problems for the illusionist, and not even she can spirit her way out of what is about to ensue.

Whilst I found this a fascinating historical account, drawing on inspiration from the famed escapist, it didn't concern Mr Houdini, or illusions of any kind, as much as I had originally anticipated. Instead, the focus lay largely on the characters.

Their motivations and their personal movements were discussed quite minutely, which left little room for the plot to expand. I do appreciate character-driven stories, which is what this is, but I think perhaps this gave too large a focus to individual elements concerning the characters that were not of a huge interest to me. I had expected a magic and illusion heavy story, but instead this delivered dialogue and inner-monologue heavy in-depth character studies.

Well done but, ultimately, not entirely for me.

Cambron continues to write excellent well-researched historical fiction!

Secrets and illusions abound in this interesting tale. I found the topic of vaudeville in the Roaring 20’s to be fascinating. I liked Wren instantly and only grew to love her as her secrets from her past were slowly revealed throughout the novel. Elliot too is a dashing hero and his ability to keep up with Wren’s writ is enjoyable. I liked how the author did not give away all the secrets of the characters’ pasts immediately but disclosed snippets as were necessary to the storyline. The book has great suspense and the villain is not readily apparent. Of course, any novel is made even better by such a gorgeous cover. I highly recommend this book!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Have read...and enjoyed...all of Kristy Cambron's work. Have recommended this book...highly...to all of my reading friends...and library.

I have read all of Kristy's books. She is so talented. Her style is unique. She writes books that I believe only she could give life to. She's take history and breathes life into it. Parts of our history that I never thought I would find interesting and I become enthralled.

The Illusionist's Apprentice takes you backstage in the world of magic or illusion. What is real and what isn't? Who is telling the truth and who is hiding something?

From the beginning we learn that Wren Lockhart is hiding and hiding something. Her story is slowly revealed and you can't help but love her.

Elliot is easy to like, he is a strong protector and has an instinct to protect, but not really trust, Wren.

If you are looking for a book that is a bit different but very well written I would say look for further. This book is highly engaging.


A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

Well researched and written historical mystery with a good heroine in Wren. This is quite a different sort of tale but the storytelling carries it through. I'd not read Cambron before but I understand why she has a big following. The story is carefully plotted, the characters are complex, and you'll learn a bit about vaudeville and illusion (but not the seamy, steamy side of things.) Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Following Houdini’s death in 1926, one of his contemporaries, Horace Stapleton, announces that he will bring a dead person back to life. Horace has been overshadowed by Houdini for his entire career and hopes his public showing on New Year's Eve will make him famous. The event becomes a tragedy when his “volunteer” dies at the performance. The FBI is called in to investigate the possibility of foul play. Houdini’s former apprentice, Wren Lockhart becomes involved when her name is found on the on the dead man’s body. With her background as an illusionist, the FBI pursues her assistance. This puts her in a bind since she is hiding many personal and industry secrets related to the case.

Wren Lockhart is reluctant to help the FBI investigate this case. She is protective of her role in the community of illusionists and she does not want to align herself with law enforcement. As events unfold, her life is threatened and she is forced to change her role in the investigation. She will do her best to uphold her promises while chasing down leads from the case.

Kristy Cambron's novel is full of suspense and weaves in many interesting characters. This book is a compelling combination of historical fiction and mystery. Wren Lockhart is a fictional character loosely inspired by Dorothy Young who was Houdini’s stage assistant for many years.

I have read each of Kristy Cambron’s novels to date and would find it difficult to choose a favorite because they are all so different. That being said, I really, really liked “The Illusionist’s Apprentice”. This book is delightfully mysterious with appropriately spooky and curious settings throughout.

The author set the stage perfectly for her narrative with well researched historical details and just the right characters and background. Wren Lockhart was extraordinary and I loved the way her story was revealed to the reader one layer at a time as she learned to trust Elliot. Wren was a strong and independent woman, yet surprisingly feminine and vulnerable. As elements of her past were slowly revealed, it was easy to understand how her personality and love of privacy had been shaped.

“The Illusionist’s Apprentice” is an emotionally charged story filled with drama, danger, mystery, suspense, betrayal, and romance. Its pages are filled with twists and surprises and I was particularly surprised to find out who was behind the plan to destroy Wren.

If you enjoy historical suspense, “The Illusionist’s Apprentice” is not to be missed.

Wren Lockhart a.k.a. Jennifer Charles was a houdini’s apprentice. When she observed one of the illusion gone wrong and someone was dead. When F.B.I. agent Elliot recognized Wren from the crowd, he decided to ask her for help on illusion.
The story is surrounding this murder...

My book club read this book as our March book club book and we talked about what was missing from this book.
This story had so many potential to be great. First I was expecting more about Houdini, or at least about her apprenticeship with Houdini since title had it.. But it only had couple of pages and he appeared less than a page. Second, her past seem dark but not much is described. What about her sister Charlotte, what really happen to her???
Third, her encounter with Houdini and timeline as well and after losing her mother, what happen to his wealthy uncle who loved Wren so much but he didn’t take care of her??
There were so many storylines missing.. But this book definitely intrigued my interest on Houdini.