Publishers Weekly
Now you see it, now you don’t: Swain, a magician himself, takes the concept of a psychic conjurer pursued by dark spirits and spins it into pedestrian straw in this supernatural thriller, a sequel to 2012’s Dark Magic. Magician Peter Warlock, who was born with an internal demon that he struggles to control, lives in parallel worlds of good and evil. Amorphous “shadow people” shanghai him into the near future, where he pursues “Dr. Death,” a serial killer of women who do good deeds. Back in his own time, Peter, supported by nonpsychic girlfriend and stage assistant Liza and FBI agent Garrison, fends off his own destructive impulses, the forces of Satan, and the spells of a lustful young witch. Lame dialogue, flat characterizations, partially undigested lumps of stage magic history, and lapses in credibility (how could a tattoo artist embellish 90% of his own body?) reveal the creaky apparatus behind this ambitious but unconvincing fictional sleight-of-hand. Agent: Robin Rue, Writer’s House. (June)
From the Publisher
A darkly brilliant story of magic and witchcraft...Curl up in your favorite chair and prepare yourself to be fully enthralled.” —David Copperfield
“Jim Swain's books are must-reads for me.” —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of The Affair
“Keeps the reader guessing from the first magic act to the final curtain call. A definite page-turner!” —Lisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Born to Die
“Dark Magic is entertainment magic, a thrilling and wildly creative ride that surprised me every step of the way.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Girl
Kirkus Reviews
Swain's latest thriller featuring magician and psychic Peter Warlock. Having survived the previous thriller Dark Magic (2012), Warlock would clearly prefer to stick to his magic shows, where he excels. The trouble is that shadow people from the spirit world seem determined to give him grief. Are they evil? They certainly seem so. He gets pulled through a dark mirror into a different place and time, where the devil's deputies mean him only the vilest of fates. Luckily, he has his faithful girlfriend, Liza, to try pulling him back. The plot requires suspension of disbelief, as characters die in one world and un-die in the other. Horrible things happen and then un-happen. One minute, Warlock is in his bedroom, and the next minute, he's on the other side facing Dr. Death on a lonely dirt road. And then he's back again. One minute, a man's head is severed, and the next minute, it's reattached. Though not exactly a superhero, Warlock is reminiscent of Peter Parker of Spiderman fame, with those special powers that are both his blessing and his curse and a girlfriend who tries to ground him in the here and now. This comparison is hardly a criticism, as many readers like to lose themselves in a well-crafted alternate reality. Warlock is a likable and multilayered hero, a good man who must face his dark childhood secrets and his own capacity for evil. He is lucky to have Liza, whose humanity saves him from himself more than once. But Holly, a witch, loves him too. Will she ruin his life? Swain is a master storyteller who fills his scenes with action. The book stands alone quite well, but fans will be glad to know that it carries the virtual promise of a sequel. The battle against evil never ends. A fine read for lovers of escapist fiction.
