Review: Smoke & Mirrors

By Rosalyn Ransaw

New York: Amulet Books, 2025. Fiction. 274 pages.

Andy is not happy to be forced to live with his aunt while his father is in prison. But he's even more unhappy that he has to spend his summer repairing his neighbor (Mr. Gilbert's) house after he is blamed for setting fire to the roof of Mr. Gilbert's barn. The good news is while listening to Mr. Gilbert's stories about the magician who used to own the house, Andy arranges an alternative deal. If he can figure out who really killed the man who the magician was accused of murdering, he doesn't have to help at the house anymore. The who-done-it story leads him through town, questioning what really happened in 1954.

While the cover may scream horror novel, this book is actually only slightly spooky. Give this one to kids who want contemporary realistic fiction that talks in deep ways about prejudice and grief, or for fans of a solid mystery.

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