What is the name of this book featuring daring escapes and maybe some pirates?
September 29, 2008 8:54 AM   Subscribe

Another remember-a-book question: it was published in the last 10 years or so, and features magicians. (Potential spoilers inside).

I read this book two years ago at my mother's house, and would like to find it again. The main character is a magician or an escape artist in old-timey USA (probably at the beginning of the 20th century). As I recall, he started on that path because his fatherly-figure used to chain him in the basement. There's a typical "learn to best an older, asshole magician" plot. The asshole magician has an annoying dog.

Near the end of the book, I remember that he helps a political figure fake his death, and that there are some pirates.

Hivemind: please work your magic.
posted by muddgirl to Media & Arts (3 answers total)
 
Best answer: Could it be Carter Beats the Devil?
posted by Atom12 at 9:12 AM on September 29, 2008


Atom12 beat me. It is a great book, though.
posted by synecdoche at 9:19 AM on September 29, 2008


Response by poster: Thanks Atom12! I tried google searches for various terms, but it seems like I missed "illusionist".
posted by muddgirl at 9:30 AM on September 29, 2008


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