A Criminal Magic
by Lee Kelly
February 2, 2016
432 pages
Goodreads Summary:
THE NIGHT CIRCUS meets THE PEAKY BLINDERS in Lee Kelly's new crossover fantasy novel.
Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive - and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal.
It's 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city's magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters' crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer's shine.
Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC's most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family's home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.
Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic - and when their paths cross at the Shaws' performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.
A CRIMINAL MAGIC casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties.
Quiz
What Role Would You Play in A CRIMINAL MAGIC?
Lee Kelly’s A CRIMINAL MAGIC takes place during the Roaring Twenties, the age of guys, dolls, molls and crime bosses. But in this story’s Jazz Age, magic instead of alcohol is prohibited. Sorcerers work hand in hand with gangsters in every aspect of their illegal dealings – from hiding robberies and murders to underground performance magic shows – as Prohibition Unit agents struggle to uphold the letter of the law.
If you were around during the Prohibition of magic, which type of player would you be? Take our quiz and find out!
1. Which one of these vacations most appeals to you?
a. A week at an all-inclusive resort in Hawaii with my family, with beautiful beaches, golf courses and lots of down time.
b. A long weekend in Las Vegas with a handful of my closest friends.
c. A ten-day backpacking trip by myself through New Zealand.
2. Most Friday nights I can be found:
a. On a date with my boyfriend or girlfriend, probably going to a movie or spending a nice night at home.
b. At the biggest party on campus.
c. It totally depends on my mood – sometimes I just want to spend the night reading, other times I want to go to a club or sneak into a VIP party with my friends.
3. Which of these quotes do you most agree with?
a. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
b. “The starting point of all achievement is desire.” – Napoleon Hill
c. “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Out of the following, what is your favorite color?
a. Blue
b. Red
c. Green
5. The way I’d describe my wardrobe is:
a. Classic, with lots of staples in neutral colors, so that I can mix and match everything.
b. Bold, lots of flair, with a lot of the latest trends represented.
c. Eclectic, I guess -- it’s hard to categorize as I like a lot of different styles.
6. My favorite social media site is:
a. Facebook
b. Twitter
c. Tumbler
