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As I child, I was in awe of magicians on television, who pulled off marvelous illusions. I remember wondering how on Earth they could saw a woman in half without her ending up dead. Now, of course, I know how it’s done—but what if the illusionist really sawed a woman in half? The Last Illusion answers that question in a highly entertaining, albeit gruesome, way.
While P.I. Molly Murphy watches an illusionist show on stage with her fiancé, New York cop Daniel Sullivan, she anticipates “The King of Handcuffs” Harry Houdini’s turn in the spotlight—but the show doesn’t get that far. The opening act actually saws into his assistant. Is it a terrible accident, or is there something more to it?
Convinced that her husband is in great danger, Beth Houdini hires Molly to investigate the so-called accident and find out who’s trying to put illusionists out of business. But, most of all, Beth wants Molly to keep Houdini safe.
When the investigation becomes more and more complicated and dangerous, Daniel asks Molly to drop the case before she gets hurt or worse. But Molly is an Irish immigrant, and she doesn’t obey a man just because early twentieth-century American society thinks she should. Instead, she continues digging into the case and learns some shocking things about illusionists—and Harry Houdini in particular.
Molly Murphy is a delight to spend time with; she’s her own person during a period when women weren’t taken seriously. They were expected to marry, obey their husbands, and live a life of leisure—certainly not chase after dangerous criminals.
At times, Daniel will make you want to punch him in the nose—especially when he tells Molly what she can and can’t do—but he’s true to his character for the time period when the story takes place, so I can’t fault him for that. Most of his reactions are due to his concern for Molly, though, which helps soften his character a bit.
The Last Illusion is a shining example of what a magnificent mystery should be. Filled with historical elements, unique situations, and baffling clues, The Last Illusion will fill your reading time with suspense while capturing the charm and beauty of New York at the top of the twentieth century.
With its spunky and delightful P.I. and its captivating plot, The Last Illusion will make you eager to pick up other Molly Murphy mysteries, too. Molly is a gal after my own Irish heart, and I’m already scrambling to look for author Rhys Bowen’s backlist.
