Given that the central character of this book is a stage magician, it’s probably not surprising that the reviewers quoted on the jacket, in seeking to praise the book, have borrowed so many phrases from the world of illusion and presti­di­git­ation. It’s certainly an elegant read, full of charm, misdir­ection and the occasional pyrotechnic.

I was surprised that this book seemed to have been so well received when it was published in 2001. Not because it isn’t good, but because it seems in many ways unfash­ionable. Gold doesn’t come across as a showy writer, but his precise, effortless descrip­tions of action and motive are always economical and often beautiful. And he’s brilliant at constructing scenes, partic­u­larly in the second half, giving the book all the qualities of a great thriller.

Gold’s finest achievement, though, is his hero, Charles Carter: based on a real magician, but brought to life with all the character and complexity that fiction can supply.