e-Audio, 05:17:14
Narrated by: James Fouhey
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Published by: Recorded Books, Inc. (Harry N. Abrams)
Read from: July 17-19, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
Content Warning: Racism, Murder, Child Abuse, Death, Fire/Fire Injury
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary, Family Diversity (Incarcerated Parent), Sparkly Cover, Middle Grade, Mystery, Own Voices, Racial/Ethnic Diversity (Black), Realistic FictionAn exciting and twisty middle-grade debut mystery novel—perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and The Parker Inheritance—about the disappearance of a famous magician, and one boy’s quest to find the truth
Spending the summer with his aunt as the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town was bad enough, but now Andy Carter’s summer has been effectively ruined. His dad’s parole hearing is postponed, he misses his friends, and—when an old barn burns down—he’s stuck taking the blame.
Andy is sentenced with helping the barn’s owner, a cantankerous old man, renovate his crumbling mansion—a mansion that hides a mystery. It was once owned by the famous magician the Red Nave. In 1954, the Nave was a wanted suspect in the town’s most infamous murder before disappearing without a trace.
The whole town is sure the Red Nave is guilty, but to Andy, things just don’t add up. Investigating a mystery from the ’50s isn’t the same as spending time with his dad, but Andy can’t help but be drawn into the Red Nave’s exciting world of magic and illusion. To solve the Nave’s final vanishing act, Andy teams up with another boy he doesn’t quite trust. Secret by secret, they try to uncover the Red Nave’s identity and learn why his last performance came to such a tragic end.
With a gripping combination of hidden doors, shocking twists, and deep emotional heart, Smoke & Mirrors asks the How much of the truth is what you can get people to believe?
*MY THOUGHTS*
I came here for the magician and stayed for the cold case lol This was such a fun book! So much I wasn’t expecting. And I think any tween that picks this up will also love it too.
Ok so the mystery was the cool part. I didn’t know anything about the book when I picked it up. But I had seen the cards, so I assumed that there was something in there dealing with magic. And let me just say, I had no idea what I was in for. The mystery was a cold case that featured a magician. But I was a little disappointed because I thought this was really about a magician and we were going to see some of their act. But it’s not that, so don’t get your hopes up like me lol
The main character tried to solve this mystery while also trying to keep his head down and stay out of more trouble. He had a special pull to this case because he and his dad also seem to find themselves in situations where they can be blamed for something they haven’t done. His father is actually currently incarcerated. This is part of how he got into this situation. He was faced with some people who were teasing him about that, and he took it to heart.
The only thing I didn’t care for was the writing style. I don’t know how to explain it, but it just seemed to be telling me everything. There was no showing. And it was basic? There was nothing that set it apart from every other book I have read this year. And idk, I was just disappointed because this was a hella cool premise. And like a 12 year old solved a cold case?! Like DAMNNNNNN, that’s crazy. I really hope there is going to be more. I want to see his dad HOME!
This was a surprise in so many ways to me. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to spoil it, but please know this has some of everything. You’ll be happy with this book no matter what your favorite thing to read about is.
Overall, I give this
