Mister Magic

March 1, 2023

The classic children's program Mister Magic was shut down 30 years ago owing to a fatal accident, and after Val unexpectedly encounters her remaining castmates, they hold a reunion at the remote desert compound where the show was filmed. They never knew the identity of the show's mysterious host, and Val is beginning to fear that they've been lured into a trap. From the No. 1 New York Times best-selling, Bram Stoker-honored White. Prepub Alert.

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Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 22, 2023
Grappling with religious trauma and childhood abuse, this suspenseful tale from White (Hide) calls to mind old-school internet creepypastas. Val leads a quiet life on a ranch with her ailing father. She has no contact with the outside world or memory of her childhood. After her father dies, strange men approach her claiming that, as kids, they were all costars on cult-classic children’s show Mister Magic. Now a podcaster wants to interview them about the show, which ended after a mysterious tragedy, and all the previous cast members are invited. Even as Val slowly comes to terms with the strangeness of her lost childhood, her unexplained memory loss, the secrets kept by her possibly untrustworthy costars, and the marvels made by the theoretically CGI star of the show, Mister Magic himself, all hint at some greater, possibly supernatural conspiracy. Transcripts from fan forums interspersed throughout only enhance the ambiguity surrounding what exactly ended the show—and whether the show ever existed. These questions keep the pages flying on the way to a climax that satisfies even while not delivering typical horror action and gore. Both eerie and surprisingly heartwarming, White’s examination of the perils of nostalgia is sure to win fans. Agent: Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary.

Starred review from July 1, 2023
In the popular, mid-1990s kids' show Mister Magic, the Mary Poppins/Willy Wonka/Peter Pan-like titular character used a catchy tune to teach a group of children, called the Circle of Friends, helpful lessons. They learned right from wrong while using their imaginations to play. When a cast member disappeared, the show ended abruptly after a decades-long run. Information about the show was scrubbed from the internet and no footage can be found. All that remains are rumors, legends, and conspiracy theories. Did the show really exist? Can recollections of it be trusted? When a podcaster arranges a reunion of the remaining Circle of Friends, they return to the house where their parents lived during filming. But why have they really been brought back together, and what happens when their circle is broken? As the former cast members exchange memories, they are forced to keep secrets and their loyalties are questioned. In this frightening, nostalgic, and original plot, White explores themes of racism, homophobia, and sexism. Savvy readers will devour the subtext and ponder philosophical questions about reality.

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July 1, 2023

The allure and untrustworthiness of memory and childhood experiences are deftly explored in this compelling and eerie slow burn, perfect for fans of Clay McLeod Chapman's The Remaking. Believing herself to have been kidnapped by her father at age eight, Val has lived with him in isolation in Idaho for 30 years. She has no memory of her life before and, upon her father's death, is confronted by a potential link to the unknown pieces of her past when two men show up and claim to have been her costars on the famed children's television program Mister Magic. With nothing to lose and desperate for information, Val accepts an invitation to appear on a reunion podcast for the show, which ended abruptly in the early '90s. Prose with natural tenderness and well-placed interstitial chapters that provide glimpses into both the nostalgia and a conspiracy theory will have readers simultaneously desperate for answers and fearful of what more will be revealed. VERDICT With seamless commentary on parent/child dynamics and unacknowledged trauma, this deeply personal and mesmerizing work from White (Hide) is sure to please, especially readers with '90s nostalgia.--Emily Vinci

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.