I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Wren was Houdni's apprentice and is now working on her own and gaining enemies along the way. Agent Elliot Matthews is investigating a murder where Wren keeps popping up as a witness/accomplish or worse.

Although the book is set in Massachusetts 1900's, it could have been set in any time era. I just didn't connect with the characters and struggled to get to the end of the book.

2 ☆

This is Kristy Cambron’s fourth novel, and I am really hoping it signals a permanent change in direction. That’s not to say her first three novels weren’t any good—they were. The first two were dual timeline stories with a present-day plot that linked back to Hitler’s Germany They weren’t exactly my preferred happy-ever-after (see above comment re: Hitler’s Germany), but they were excellent. Her third novel also moved around in time, but was primarily a historical romance set against a backdrop of Ringling Bros. Circus. I’ve read and reviewed them all, and they were all excellent.

The Illusionist’s Apprentice takes what was good about each of Cambron’s earlier novels and steps it up a notch. It’s said that we are each a combination of the five people we spend the most time with. Well, Cambron is now keeping company with some of the giants of the Christian suspense world, and it shows. She thanks Robyn Carroll, Colleen Coble, Lynette Eason, Ronie Kendig, Michelle Lim, and Carrie Stuart Parks with helping her brainstorm … and it shows.

Wren Lockhart is an illusionist, apprenticed under Harry Houdini himself. Like Harry, she has never believed in people coming back from the dead (with the obvious exception of Jesus), so she’s more than sceptical when she visits a graveyard one New Year’s Eve to watch a man be raised from the dead. But she’s as surprised as anyone when a man climbs out of the grave … and promptly dies.

FBI agent Elliot Matthews is also in attendance, and now finds himself in charge of a murder investigation. While no one knows the identity of who died in the graveyard that night, it’s obvious that a man was alive and talking and then he wasn’t. It’s equally obvious that something untoward happened.

Elliott approaches Wren for help, but that doesn’t go as planned when they are pushed together at a society party and followed home by live bullets. But were they aiming at Elliot … or at Wren? Why? Is it related to the death in the graveyard or something else? And what?

The Illusionist’s Apprentice follows some of the pattern of Cambron’s earlier novels, as we are shown some of Wren’s background through well-placed flashbacks. But it’s also definitely a suspense novel, as the flashbacks gave both all the clues necessary to identify the evildoer and their motive … and none of the clues. The ending was a complete surprise, completely logical, and completely satisfying.

Overall, The Illusionist’s Apprentice was an excellent historical suspense/murder with a pleasing romantic subplot, and some fascinating insights into the world of magic and illusion. Recommended.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

I was very, very excited to read this book because 1) The cover is beautiful 2) I had heard good comments about it, and 3) The plot is interesting!

The story had a great start. By chapter 4, I was completely drawn into it. I enjoyed the whole illusionists' world, the references to Harry Houdini, Wren and Elliot's exchanges. I was having a good time with this book.

Then, I'm not sure why, I began to lose interest in the characters and the mystery they were trying to solve. It might be just me. Maybe I wasn't in the mood of detective plots after all. However, I do believe that the second half of the story was quite different from the first half; there were important events in that second part that I couldn't feel very much, so I read them as facts.

Plus, Wren and Elliot are great characters, but I think they changed a bit too fast, especially Wren.

Basically, I can say that I was very involved in the beginning, but something happened along the way and I couldn't enjoy the rest as much. Nevertheless, I did like the setting and the general concept of the book, it was original and fun!

**I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins Christian Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own**

Is it real or is it make-believe? In the years leading up to his death, Harry Houdini made an art of defaming fraudulent mystics. We learn about a case of mystery and mayhem surrounding one of these debunked mystics, Horace Stapleton, in The Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron. (Amazon | B&N | Kobo)

Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron
Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron

In 1926 Boston Jenny “Wren” Lockhart is an original—an unconventional woman of wealth, famous for wearing gentleman’s dress and being a part of the world of vaudeville. When Horace finds himself at the middle of a murder investigation, Jenny takes on yet another unique role: amateur detective. She’s determined to get to the truth of what occured, no matter what it costs.

Helping her in her quest for justice is FBI agent Elliot Matthews. Their reluctant alliance quickly turns to mutual admiration and deepening affection as they work together to separate fact from fiction in a world of magic and illusion.

Elliot had always thought that touch was the most intimate way a man and a woman could connect. A kiss. A hand across the base of the neck or a brush of fingertips against the small of the back. But if his thundering heart gave any indication, the moment when Wren had shared that single look made the air crackle with tension of the kind he’d never known before.

A history of magic as mortal’s know it, this Inspirational Romance is a fascinating look at the world behind the curtain.

3.5 stars

At first, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I must have picked it up 2 or 3 times before it actually “stuck”, but I am glad it did because it turned out to be a really good historical fiction read. I think it took me some time to get used to authors style of writing, but eventually it all started to flow and I couldn’t stop reading it.

The story is really intriguing and not like anything I have read before. I liked the idea of Harry Houdini having an apprentice to carry on his debunking of magicians. I really liked the way the story unfolded, the pacing was excellent and the twists and turns were surprising.

This was the first book I have read by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last.

Watching an illusion performed, the audience likes to be drawn in, fooled. As a reader, I was drawn into this book. I did not guess the extent of the plot.

In a way, I became an illusionist while reading the book. I made my list of tasks disappear so that I could curl up and read. When I finished the book, I felt a sense of loss. I will miss the characters and the feeling of being immersed in the time period. Oh, yes...and of course, there is that reality-thing. The tasks not only reappeared, but they took a bow. Maybe I am an apprentice, not an illusionist, after all.

The main characters hold their own secrets. Nothing is as it seems and no one can be completely trusted. The Illusionist’s Apprentice was an interesting twist of historical fiction, mystery, suspense, and romance. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.
I liked the sections sharing about the time period and fascinating twist of including Harry Houdini into the storyline. It was interesting to read the various facts about spiritualists and illusionists. While I found The Illusionist’s Apprentice a little difficult to follow, it was an enjoyable read. And I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have been looking forward to this book ever since I first laid eye on the cover. And yes, the author's name may have had something to do with it too! When I started to read I was nervously excited. There has been a lot of hype over this from my blogging friends. Combine this with my own excitement and I found myself setting the expectations pretty high. Not to fear.....expectation was met and surpassed!

First I need to mention that this is a really creative storyline. I was as enchanted with it as the audience in one of Wren's shows! My goodness this author has a talent for writing in a way that grabs you and never lets you go. Just when you think it's time for a lull in the action, beware, something else is coming that surprises and intrigues you. She wrote Wren and Elliott's characters marvelously. They were both entertaining and mysterious. Neither character was willing to put their past on the table, and I liked that bit of suspense. Slowly, as you read through, little pieces of their past would come to light, and you begin to develop this whole new perspective of their character. I loved seeing bits and pieces of them come together throughout the story.

I cannot imagine the depth of research Ms. Cambron must have done in preparation for this. Not just writing about the time period, but the lifestyle, acts and well known individuals such as Harry Houdini. She masterfully weaved all these pieces into a captivating story. One that I did not want to see end.

This is my favorite book by Kristy Cambron, hands down. It blew my socks off, and now I know where there was so much hype about it! Because it is wonderful. I hope you'll jump on the Kristy Cambron bandwagon and give it a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Very rare is it that I read a novel and immediately want to read it again. Movies I do that with all the time. By the end, I know how everything turns out and I want to watch it again to see if I can pick up on those subtle clues. That's the case with this book. Cambron created her own illusion with this book with a bit of slight of hand and wrote a novel stunning in its story and mysterious in its plot.

The novel starts with curious circumstances with a man who claims to be able to raise someone from the dead. It's with this scene, that our main characters first see each other and are both forced into the events that unfold through The Illusionist's Apprentice. I loved watching these two main characters, Wren and Elliot interact on the page. How different they seem at first but then learn how similar they are as well. Both characters are so well developed and even the minor ones bring a life all their own to the pages of this story.

And then there is the plot. I was surprised at the level of mystery in this book. It certainly stands out from Cambron's previous three novels in that way. And she certainly handled it expertly. Illusions are known for everything usually being done in plain sight of the audience... there are just distractions that pull attention away. That's exactly how everything unfolds in this book. By the end, I loved understanding how everything happened but was amazed at how many things I didn't pay attention to.

The Illusionist's Apprentice is a unique story with a wonderful message. It brings to life the history of the 20's and the great Houdini. But it also speaks truth. If you enjoy historical fiction, unique and interesting settings, and mystery and intrigue, I highly recommend this novel.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Harry Houdini’s one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world in Kristy Cambron’s novel The Illusionist's Apprentice.

Growing up I was always fascinated with illusions. I remember purchasing the kits that teach you how to do little magic tricks. Even today I enjoy a good illusion. That was what really drew me to this book.

I had heard great things about Cambron’s previous novel, The Ringmaster's Wife, so I decided to give this book a try.

This book was different from what I expected, but it wasn’t exactly in a bad way. I typically don’t read historical fiction. For some reason that just isn’t typically a genre I typically enjoy. However, if you do enjoy historical fiction, Kristy did a nice job using the wording I could hear them using in the time period.

She also did a good job of painting the opening scene for me. I felt like I was there with the reporters watching Horace Stapleton try to perform his trick.

I didn’t really read the back copy before I picked up this book. I was interested in it from the title, which is probably why the book was different from what I expected.

I personally had trouble getting into the story, but I think that was more me than it was the author. Like I said, this genre just isn’t one I typically enjoy as much as others. While I thought this book would be different, I just didn’t get into like I wish I had. It isn’t anything against the author, who I think did a nice job with the writing.

FBI Agent Elliot Matthews meets the elusive and intriguing Wren Lockhart, former assistant to Harry Houdini, in a graveyard. A disturbing spectacle in the graveyard sets them on the trail of what is being revealed as a much bigger conspiracy, bringing up ghosts from Wren's past, and has her working with Elliot to clear a charlatan that Houdini exposed as a fraud, of murder.

Set in the 1920's the vaudeville sensation is waning, Wren Lockhart has branched out on her own after Harry's death, but there are are still many of his enemies out there who do not have short memories. Wren must risk her deepest secrets as they work to get to the bottom of who is behind the murder.

Wren is an unconventional woman, even more so for her time. She dresses as a man on stage, lives in her uncle's mansion, yet keeps a staff of one, and prefers to do for herself. She has always been sharp witted, earning her place as an illusionist. She stands strong for what she believes in, having a distaste for those that pass illusions off as magic.

Elliot is a clever man, who knows how to follow a lead and get results. He is intrigued by the elusive Wren, and the life that she has made for herself.

A wonderful read that captures the era perfectly within the vaudeville community, filled with bright characters, and plenty of mystery! There are definitely a lot of twists along the way. Well written and descriptive, I liked how well the flow of the storytelling fit with the story. Wren is a terrific heroine, strong and clever, she loves fiercely and fights for what is right, Elliot really helps to draw her out and come out of the shell that she has built for herself. A fantastic read from beginning to end.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

An incredible story brimming with suspense, illusion, questions, romance, sacrifice, and redemption. Spanning the course of Wren's life, we jump around quite a bit as her story and character unfolds, but it is easy to follow. We also get to see the world through a few different viewpoints which helps to draw your heart into the world of vaudeville.

LOVE - LOVE - LOVE Elliot. He is protective and gentle, yet firm and carries a strength that Wren needs, although she denies it. Wren is such an incredible person. I fell in love with her from chapter one. With her eccentric style and lifestyle, a performer, giving the public the illusion of grandeur...when in reality, her lifestyle is quite simple. A woman with a past that tears at her soul, longing for freedom, but not knowing where to turn. When Agent Elliot Matthews bullies his way on to her stage, her life takes a dramatic turn and the impossible becomes possible.

Wren struggles to forgive herself for something in her past that she has been led to believe is her fault. We follow her on a journey of realization that forgiveness is not just an illusion, but something very real. That it penetrates the very heart and soul of who we are. It shapes and molds us. And that we can be free if we choose to be. But if we spend too long believing in an illusion, it will distort our view of reality.

So, embrace the truth. Let Papa God open your eyes to see yourself as He created you. To see your gifts, your strengths, and the forgiveness that He has poured out on you. Take a step back in time to the Jazz Age. Step into the world of Harry Houdini and Wren Lockhart in the center of vaudeville. Let them dazzle you with a story of truth, forgiveness...and illusion.

I received a complimentary copy of The Illusionist's Apprentice through BookLook Bloggers and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This was my first book by this author, so I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised! The Illusionist's Apprentice brought me into the world of Harry Houdini, a world into which I'd never ventured before. I was intrigued by the difference between illusion and magic and learned quite a bit about the stage while reading a story touched with intrigue and romance. I would definitely recommend this book.

Not what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed this unique take on an aspect of the life of the Master Illusionist. Bonus that it was well written.

The Illusionist’s Apprentice is the latest novel by Kristy Cambron. It is December 31, 1926 in Boston, Massachusetts. Agent Elliot Matthews and his partner, Agent Connor Finnegan are standing in Mount Auburn Cemetery waiting for Horace Stapleton to start his show. He is having a Defy Death in Public Ceremony. Stapleton is going to resurrect Victor Peale from the grave. Agents Matthews and Finnegan are there to observe. Matthews notices a woman wearing a bright red cape standing in the background. Matthews is intrigued by her appearance. The lady is clad in gentleman’s clothing. Matthews finds out that she is illusionist, Wren Lockhart. Wren worked with Harry Houdini before he passed away. Before Matthews can approach Wren, Stapleton’s show begins. The coffin is opened and a doctor confirms that the man inside is indeed deceased. Amberley Dover, a rich widow, joins in on the show. Victor Peale then rises from his coffin walks across the stage and collapses. Victor Peale is dead and Stapleton is under arrest. Stapleton refuses to talk and Matthews needs an illusionist help to unravel this case. Agent Matthews approaches Wren and asks for her assistance. Wren is reluctant to agree. She does not want anyone invading her privacy and discovering her secrets. Matthews, though, is determined and finally gets Wren to consent to assist the FBI. It is soon apparent that someone is out to eliminate Wren, and Matthews has his hands full keeping her safe. Why is this person out for Wren? For magic, mayhem and murder, read The Illusionist’s Apprentice.

The Illusionist’s Apprentice sounded like such an intriguing book with illusions, magic, vaudeville, and a mystery. I found the pace to be catatonic. I had a difficult time reading this tome. Wren is a difficult character to like. She is extremely determined to keep her private life a secret (her reasoning is lacking). Wren is stubborn, determined, distant, and frustrating. The conversations between the Agent Matthews and Wren just kept going around in circles. They are exasperating to read (I was irritated). The author did a good job at capturing the time and place. I enjoyed the details provided on the illusions (what there was). I wanted more magic and illusions (escaping from handcuffs is an easy illusion to figure out). I was hoping Wren would be a more outgoing, gregarious character. Her costumes are outlandish, but they are just a disguise to keep people from looking deeper (like Agent Matthews). I give The Illusionist’s Apprentice 3 out of 5 stars (okay, but not for me). The mystery that the author created was very convoluted, but with an obvious solution (you have to piece together the clues and the solution will pop out at you). I think that most readers, though, will not guess the culprit’s identity. The “investigation” was lacking. Agent Matthews said he needed Wren’s help with the case, but I saw little examination of evidence. The story starts in the present and then it goes back in time. Every other chapter takes the reader back in time to another piece of Wren’s history. The reader is given another tidbit on Wren’s background. While the information is helpful on Wren, it makes it difficult to get into the story (at least for me). The romance between the characters (Wren and Matthews as well as Connor Finnegan and Amberley Dover) was very much in the foreground and the ending was inevitable.

I have enjoyed all of Kristy Cambron's previous books, but this one is by far my favorite. If you are a lover of historical fiction, I can't recommend this book highly enough. It was a great story with unforgettable characters. The chemistry between FBI agent Elliot and magician Wren was very well written. There was a slow build of romantic tension through out. I also enjoyed the back story featuring Harry Houdini and his quest to debunk the psychics of his time. I would recommend this book to fans of historical mystery and romance as well as readers interested in magicians and magic shows.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Our story opens on New Year’s Eve 1926 with the event of the year, “Famed Medium Horace Stapleton to Defy Death in Public Ceremony”

Agent Elliot Matthews and his partner Connor Finnegan are tasked with discovering the truth hidden in the illusion. Along the way, more mysteries are uncovered that only weave the story tighter and truth further from grasp.

Wren Lockhart is one of the Vaude performers. She is fiercely independent, thwarting every offer of any kind of assistance with her signature answer, “I have no interest in any entanglements. And no matter how many smooth talkers come along, I won’t be convinced otherwise.” A deep well of hidden secret is the only thing that Wren holds close, that and a book of Welsh Fairy tales. Over time, brick by brick we begin to peel away the layers.

Kristy Cambron has crafted a story rich in detail and woven together an intricate tapestry of mystery. The characters are complex and well-developed. The history well researched. I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a Christian mystery.

Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Illusionist's Apprentice is a piece of art if you ask me - and you did - and I am telling you - it is a piece of art. The author really knows how to paint in broad strokes of emotions here and mystery there. A shade of murder here and a lightening of discovery of evidence there. All to show at the end who did it and when you find out who it was you are like - WHAAAAT????? I did not see that coming. You want to go back and read it again to see all the signs you might have missed. This is about Wren who was an illusionist - a dark and secret life. A man dies at a spiritualist meeting and that brings in Elliott who is doing the detective work. Now, they start working together to prove Wren is not responsible for his death. All along the book it shows the truth of Light vs. dark, Good vs. evil - GOD can take care of you if you let HIM. There is some kissing - a little detailed some of them. Emotions shown - I know you will go through many emotions with this book.

**This review will post to my blog at www.myinterdimensionalchaos.blogspot.com on March 17th. I will post a link to the blog post once it goes live. The review has already posted to Goodreads.com. **

Once the apprentice to the amazing Harry Houdini, Wren Lockhart now performs her illusions on the vaudeville stage. She is talented, but eccentric...shutting nearly everyone out of her life, dressing in men's clothing and ignoring most social conventions. She relies only on herself. Her past taught her that. The past she keeps secret. After a man is supposedly raised from the dead by another illusionist, Horace Stapleton, the resurrected man promptly drops dead. Stapleton was previously debunked as a fraud by Houdini and Wren knows he didn't raise anyone from the dead. So, what did happen? She is approached by FBI agent Elliot Matthews to help with the investigation. Stapleton is a fraud, but Wren knows he isn't a murderer.

Set in the Vaudeville and flapper era of the 1920's, this book has much historical color amid the vibrant backdrop of stage performers, illusionists and all the magic of the Jazz Age. The mystery is engaging and the characters are believable. I loved Wren's strength and independence. Elliot is intelligent, patient and determined. The action is great, and the story perfectly paced to build tension. I found myself carrying my Kindle with me everywhere so I wouldn't have to stop reading!

Kristy Cambron is the author of several novels including The Butterfly and the Violin. To find out more about the author and her books, check out her website at https://kristycambron.com/

**I volunarily read an Advance Readers Copy of this book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

Despite the many wonderful things I’ve heard about Kristy Cambron’s books, this is the first of hers that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. There were several things about this book that intrigued me and I couldn’t resist giving it a go. The first to catch my attention was definitely the cover, then when I discovered it was a mystery set during the 1920s, I was hooked. I didn’t have much in the way of expectations, except the general ideas I have for any new books, but I can happily say that it did meet those and I’m looking forward to reading more of Ms. Cambron’s books.
I haven’t read many books set during the Roaring 20s and I was very excited to jump into a different time. Though I don’t know much about this time in history, the author did an excellent job of drawing me into the story and making it seem as though I was right there with Wren and Elliot, searching out the mystery and questioning what’s real and what’s just a clever illusion. I loved Ms. Cambron’s writing style and how it drew me into the story. Her words are almost poetic at times, with unique descriptions that perfectly fit the period. I do confess that it took me a couple chapters to really get into the story, but once I did, I didn’t want to put it down! I was curious about the mystery and anxious to learn how a man rose from the dead, only to keel over again moments later. Thinking back over the story now, I am wondering how accurate the portrayal of the FBI’s investigative methods is in this story. Granted, they didn’t have the copious amounts of modern technology that we have now, but it seemed odd that they pulled Wren in to help before they had much of anything to go on. Though that may have been common place, given how different everything would have been from our present television shows. Much of the story focused on Wren, her history and the person she became because of her past, while somehow also pulling the mystery along with it.
Wren Lockhart was a character that I struggled with for a while. She’s not particularly nice, or kind, or personable. Instead, she’s aloof, withdrawn, sarcastic, and defensive. Not traits that are overly endearing. But it was the glimpses of the broken person behind the mask that kept me from giving up on her. And after learning more about her past, my heart softened toward her. I could completely relate with Elliot Matthews, though, and his frustration with Wren’s relentless determination to be entirely independent. I’m sure it would embarrass him to hear it, but Elliot is such a sweet guy and definitely hero material. I loved how he continually tried to look beyond Wren’s defensive walls and see the hurting lady underneath.
Overall, this was a good story. Would I read it again? Maybe. Now that I know what’s going on and don’t feel as though I have to rush to the end to find out “whodunit.” I enjoyed the unique mystery and setting and am looking forward to finding Ms. Cambron’s previous books and diving into them.