I was thrilled to receive a copy of Kiersten White’s Mister Magic not only because the nostalgia horror premise matches vibes of the Public Access TTRPG and is right up my alley but also because I LOVED her book Hide. I am happy to say I was not disappointed.
Content Warnings:
Religious fanaticism/cult (Mormon), child abuse, danger to children, references to homophobia and racism
Also, isn’t this cover amazing!?! Its so eye-catching and intense. If I saw this book in a store and didn’t even know anything about it or the author, I’d probably still grab it just for this cover.
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.
Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.
After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .
5 Stars for Mister Magic
Kiersten White excels at character driven horror that makes you absolutely certain you know how this book is going to end, throw in a lil twist, and then even when you see the new ending coming you’re on a rush to get there because you can’t wait to see it play out!
I had a hard time putting Mister Magic down. I had to know what was going on. I had to know what Val was forgetting and if these people that had just torn their way into her life and mind were the genuine deal or all part of the darkness. White did a fantastic job with the mystery aspect of this book and making not only the main character but also the reader paranoid of ever character (including the main character herself) but also of every situation -was that really what is going on or is this all in a character’s head?
As for scares, there was one scene in particular that was written so well it felt like I was watching a traditional scare out of a horror movie and the gut wrenching was just as potent. I was practically talking to my e-reader “Don’t look! Don’t look! Its gonna get you!” but still reading, still watching the character look. Excellent writing.
All that said, I did waffle between 4 and 5 stars for this book. I loved it but I do wish it had gone harder with the horror. Instead we get the quieter side of horror with dread, eeriness, and a mystery. These are not bad things but honestly there are only about 2 scenes in the book that were genuinely scary and the rest was more creepy than scary. I decided on 5 because I could tell that this story wasn’t meant to be scare factor horror but rather a frightening commentary and the slow, soft horror of the evangelical death cult that too many people in our country are suffering from.
A note on the theme
I don’t think this is a spoiler but perhaps. The theme of Mister Magic is the author’s own issues with the Mormon church, its abuses and history. I am not Mormon and cannot talk about that particular faction of Christianity but I did come from an evangelical upbringing that harmed me and my family.
It is easy for people outside of this to look at evangelicals and call them weirdos and make jokes but not realize the very real harm and abuse these institutions are causing. They have literal books in Christian book stores on how to properly abuse your kids, your wives, and so on including physical abuse. They are the power behind many oppressing laws and political figures in this country and they can do that tax free. They hold huge amounts of wealth in this country while claiming they are helping the impoverished. They have insurance for and lawyers on standby regarding the heaps of sexual abuse that their leaders and members act on countless victims – and I say countless because their own churches and organizations cover it up, tell the victims it was their fault for having bodies of sin, and in our society and culture its nearly impossible to get out of this particular abusive group because the are EVERYWHERE. All of this on top of being a literal death cult that says our bodies, our neighbors who are not like us, and our planet are not worth saving (and sometimes encouraged to destroy) because everything we want is in some afterlife.
I point all of this out because Mister Magic has a necessary point that I can only hope people read and understand. There are kids today, not 30 years ago in some archaic past, but TODAY who are dealing with abuses from these institutions and our lawmakers are part of that. So please, rather than make a joke at the expense of victims or turn a blind eye because our country is so enwrapped with abusers its impossible to look at a screen of politicians or even drive down a road without seeing the source, please educate yourself, vote accordingly, and let your friends and loved ones know that there is a way out and a people out there who are not like the abusers.
Thanks.
Recommendation
If you enjoyed Kiersten White’s Hide, you should definitely read Mister Magic for the writing style, a group of friends facing a collective of human monsters with a splash of horrifying magic, and a purpose that carries off the page and into the real world where the real monsters are doing their work daily.
If you enjoyed Mister Magic and you want to be part of something the plays on analog horror, nostalgic and horrifying kids shows, and adults going back to where they grew up to solve a mind-bending mystery, check out Public Access ttrpg. It has all that and more, goes harder than this book with the horror scenes, and is an amazing game all around.
