Houdini's Last Illusion by Steve Savile
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
The master magician has the will to make the greatest escape of all; the evasion of death itself. How he sets about accomplishing this is as simple yet ingenious as many of his genuine tricks. Houdini, in reality and in this story, thrived on publicity which described what he did as magic. Although he always said that his show was not supernatural, he cleverly encouraged others to believe the deceit of their own eyes.

Secret Life of Colors by Steve Savile
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Gabriel Rush is a shattered man. Once a dedicated cop and family man, he is now little more than a walking corpse. His occupation is private investigation, mainly of the sleazy variety, complete with photographs. But one photo is about to give him purpose, and draw him back into the terror that haunts him.

Icarus Descending by Steve Savile and After Magic by Bruce Boston
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Icarus Descending contains some of the most impressive short fiction of the year. Plus, it is a tantalizing opening act to the two Savile novels that are coming out this year. In After Magic, you can forget the dark, bohemian settings and jump back to Victorian England, where a medium, a magician, and a somewhat holy man are about to bump in an amusing collision that gets a bit wilder with each paragraph.