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Spirit Sleuths: How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes
The latest from acclaimed author Gail Jarrow reveals how magicians—including Harry Houdini and his team of investigators—exposed fake mediums who exploited the vulnerable and gullible in the early twentieth century.
After millions of people died during World War I and from the 1918 influenza pandemic, the popularity of Spiritualism soared. Desperate to communicate with their dead loved ones, the bereaved fell prey to extortion by fraudulent mediums and fortune-tellers.
But magician Harry Houdini wasn't fooled. He recognized the scammers' methods as no more than conjurer's tricks. Angered by the way people were exploited, Houdini set out to expose the ghost hoaxes. In his stage show, he revealed the fraudsters’ techniques, and he used a team of undercover investigators to collect proof of séance deceptions. His head secret agent was a young New York private detective and disguise expert, Rose Mackenberg—a woman who continued her ghost-busting career for decades, long after Houdini's death in 1926.
Ideal for young readers and adults who are drawn to the worlds of psychics and magicians, this riveting book uncovers a little-known chapter in American history and details the ways people were (and still are) deceived by mediums and fortune-tellers.
After millions of people died during World War I and from the 1918 influenza pandemic, the popularity of Spiritualism soared. Desperate to communicate with their dead loved ones, the bereaved fell prey to extortion by fraudulent mediums and fortune-tellers.
But magician Harry Houdini wasn't fooled. He recognized the scammers' methods as no more than conjurer's tricks. Angered by the way people were exploited, Houdini set out to expose the ghost hoaxes. In his stage show, he revealed the fraudsters’ techniques, and he used a team of undercover investigators to collect proof of séance deceptions. His head secret agent was a young New York private detective and disguise expert, Rose Mackenberg—a woman who continued her ghost-busting career for decades, long after Houdini's death in 1926.
Ideal for young readers and adults who are drawn to the worlds of psychics and magicians, this riveting book uncovers a little-known chapter in American history and details the ways people were (and still are) deceived by mediums and fortune-tellers.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published September 10, 2024
4 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Gail Jarrow
33 books87 followersGail Jarrow is the award-winning author of nonfiction books and novels for readers 8-18. Latest book: WHITE HOUSE SECRETS: MEDICAL LIES AND COVER-UPS. Visit GailJarrow.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 14, 2025
So this is another one of those books that I found hard to finish because my interest in it was seriously lagging. There just wasn't enough oomph to keep me reading it. And don't think this is spooky in the slightest because it's not. It's not so much about ghosts and mediums as it is about stage magicians, slight of hand and how very clever people scam those who really want to believe.
The book explains many of the tricks mediums use during seances. There are even illustrations that show how some of them are done.
At first I did find the book rather fascinating but then it just went on and on and on with more of the same. By then I had lost interest. It's like once you know all the "secrets" there is really no reason to keep reading. Because there is nothing left to explain. Because it's just more of the same.
I think the book could be useful if you want to try setting up a seance for Halloween or something for fun as it does explain how the tricks were done. And it certainly teaches history too...
But the book failed to keep me curious about the stuff in here. Even the famous Houdini who is the star at the back of the book couldn't save it. But then I never actually was interested in Houdini.
The book explains many of the tricks mediums use during seances. There are even illustrations that show how some of them are done.
At first I did find the book rather fascinating but then it just went on and on and on with more of the same. By then I had lost interest. It's like once you know all the "secrets" there is really no reason to keep reading. Because there is nothing left to explain. Because it's just more of the same.
I think the book could be useful if you want to try setting up a seance for Halloween or something for fun as it does explain how the tricks were done. And it certainly teaches history too...
But the book failed to keep me curious about the stuff in here. Even the famous Houdini who is the star at the back of the book couldn't save it. But then I never actually was interested in Houdini.
November 4, 2024
This reads like a magician’s tell-all of how the tricks are done. It’s absolutely fascinating, but with added rage when you realize how spiritualists have manipulated vulnerable people out of their money for 150 years. I had no idea Houdini was so wrapped up in exposing the frauds, and learning about Rose Mackenberg (an undercover female detective) in the late 1800s was genuinely inspiring. It all felt very historical and removed from me until suddenly there was a paragraph on Miss Cleo! Oh, how I had wanted to call her as a kid when the ads would run on tv. Turns out she was a fake, too. It all just goes to show that misinformation and bias can affect people in the past, present, and future.
September 27, 2025
Another accessible, entertaining, and creepy Gail Jarrow read. 👏🏼
This was a fun look at Spiritualism, the long endeavor to stop scammers from harming vulnerable people in mourning, and explanations of the tricks fake mediums use to try to imitate spirits and psychic abilities. Primary source documents and photos are very cool to see and help break up the text.
I loved learning about a fascinating lady I’d never heard of— detective Rose Mackenberg!! For more on Harry Houdini’s involvement in “spirit sleuthing,” check out another middle grade nonfiction book, The Magician and the Spirits by Deborah Noyes.
Lastly, in her author’s note, Jarrow wisely writes, “Misinformation, disinformation, bias, and propaganda permeate today’s media and social interactions…Perhaps these moments in history will encourage readers to question and analyze what they see and hear.”
This was a fun look at Spiritualism, the long endeavor to stop scammers from harming vulnerable people in mourning, and explanations of the tricks fake mediums use to try to imitate spirits and psychic abilities. Primary source documents and photos are very cool to see and help break up the text.
I loved learning about a fascinating lady I’d never heard of— detective Rose Mackenberg!! For more on Harry Houdini’s involvement in “spirit sleuthing,” check out another middle grade nonfiction book, The Magician and the Spirits by Deborah Noyes.
Lastly, in her author’s note, Jarrow wisely writes, “Misinformation, disinformation, bias, and propaganda permeate today’s media and social interactions…Perhaps these moments in history will encourage readers to question and analyze what they see and hear.”
February 24, 2025
Very haunting, very creepy. This book delves into the world of mediums, ghosts, and “spirit” photos. I absolutely loved this book, because it was eye opening into what people did to make dead people’s relatives believe that they were there with them. Fake hands, and plaster casts were given to people to show them that their relatives were still loving, but in another dimension. Several magicians also recreated what mediums did. For example, the Keller Box Of Horrors. And the Davidson Brothers. All were magicians that exposed frauds. One experiment had a pressure sensor in the bottom of his chair. When he was sitting down, the light was on. When he got up, the light turned off. The assistant in the next room took note of when the light was on and off. Then they compared the notes from in side the seance. Very good!
October 30, 2024
*4
“It is all hocus-pocus.”
Short, clear, and accessible, with an interesting focus on Harry Houdini as a decades-long leader in exposing spiritualist frauds (along with others, including Rose Mackenberg, a “ghost detective” who worked with Houdini before blazing her own path). In particular, Houdini marked a clear line between illusions and tricks as entertainment (i.e., magicians), to which people tacitly buy-in, versus con-artist mediums and psychics, preying on the very real grief and suffering of believers for fame and money.
“It is all hocus-pocus.”
Short, clear, and accessible, with an interesting focus on Harry Houdini as a decades-long leader in exposing spiritualist frauds (along with others, including Rose Mackenberg, a “ghost detective” who worked with Houdini before blazing her own path). In particular, Houdini marked a clear line between illusions and tricks as entertainment (i.e., magicians), to which people tacitly buy-in, versus con-artist mediums and psychics, preying on the very real grief and suffering of believers for fame and money.
October 3, 2024
Fun but a little diffuse and scattered — nowhere near as tight, gripping, or character-driven as Deborah Noyes's The Magician and the Spirits, which covers similar territory. I loved Gail Jarrow's medical mysteries, so this was a disappointment.
January 18, 2025
Jarrow turns her astute attention to the phenomenon of spiritualism and the investigators who worked to disprove the con, including Harry Houdini.
December 14, 2024
Short but interesting.
dnf
April 13, 2025dnf @ 85 pgs. I want to finish it...but I'm also struggling to stay interested while I'm reading.
July 20, 2024
This book completes Jarrow's "Spooky Titles" trilogy of books (The Amazing Harry Kellar: Great American Magician and Spooked!). It joins her other series of award-winning standalone titles, including The Deadly Trilogy (Red Madness, Fatal Fever, and Bubonic Panic), The Medical Fiascoes Series (Blood and Germs, Ambushed!, and American Murderer), and The Poison Eaters.
The subtitle pretty much sums up the contents of this informational nonfiction book: "How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes". Jarrow focuses on the history of mediums/spiritualists, tricks used during seances to scam customers, and ghost detectives and psychic frauds. Several chapters cover Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle's friendship/estrangement, Houdini's work in exposing fraudulant mediums, and Houdini's short-time colleague, Rose Mackenberg - who continued her career of being an undercover operative working on busting up fraudulent mediums after Houdini's death. It concludes with a chapter of modern mediums and psychics, as fraudulent mediums continue their scams today. The backmatter includes a timeline of important events surrounding mediums/spirituality in the U.S., a glossary of terms used, a bibliography of suggested titles and places to consult for more information about the topics covered in the book, an Author's Note on the background of the book, Source Notes, extensive list of sources consulted, Index, and Photo Credits.
Jarrow's conversational tone makes reading this book a pleasure - more like reading a fictional title than a history book. Liberal use of newspaper headlines, captioned B&W and full-color photographs, sidebars (in the form of partial-pages, full pages, and 2-page spreads) printed on color pages, and lots of white space make this book appealing to read cover to cover or just to browse. (When reading the chapter on contemporary mediums, I recalled a memory of my own visit to one in the early 1980's.)
Suggested follow up activities for students:
1. To "experience" a seance, older students may want to explore the first half of Gian Carlo Menotti's 1-hour, 2-act tragic operetta "The Medium". There are many videos of this production online. Or they may want to read the libretto (script) aloud: https://www.opera-arias.com/menotti/t... Written in 1945, the seance is in the first act. (Trigger Warning: in the second act, one of the characters is accidentally killed by a gunshot.)
2. Younger students may want to "experience" how mediums perform mind-reading questions in envelopes. Watch one or both clips from the 1947 version of the movie "Nightmare Alley" streaming; Stan performs his mind-reading trick in a night club twice (approx. 1:07:51-1:11:09 or 1:57:00-2:01:54).
3. A third is to watch video modern psychic medium John Edward. There are lots of clips of him on YouTube. Students should note that he charges $850 for a private reading and compare this with the pricing of mediums in the book.
Students interested in ghosts and mystics, criminal justice, and detective work will seek this one out!
Note: A typo was noticed on p.54, the second to last sentence. The sentence should read: "When Harry and Bess included the material in their act, the audience was amazed."
Highly Recommended for grades 7-12.
The subtitle pretty much sums up the contents of this informational nonfiction book: "How Magicians and Detectives Exposed the Ghost Hoaxes". Jarrow focuses on the history of mediums/spiritualists, tricks used during seances to scam customers, and ghost detectives and psychic frauds. Several chapters cover Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle's friendship/estrangement, Houdini's work in exposing fraudulant mediums, and Houdini's short-time colleague, Rose Mackenberg - who continued her career of being an undercover operative working on busting up fraudulent mediums after Houdini's death. It concludes with a chapter of modern mediums and psychics, as fraudulent mediums continue their scams today. The backmatter includes a timeline of important events surrounding mediums/spirituality in the U.S., a glossary of terms used, a bibliography of suggested titles and places to consult for more information about the topics covered in the book, an Author's Note on the background of the book, Source Notes, extensive list of sources consulted, Index, and Photo Credits.
Jarrow's conversational tone makes reading this book a pleasure - more like reading a fictional title than a history book. Liberal use of newspaper headlines, captioned B&W and full-color photographs, sidebars (in the form of partial-pages, full pages, and 2-page spreads) printed on color pages, and lots of white space make this book appealing to read cover to cover or just to browse. (When reading the chapter on contemporary mediums, I recalled a memory of my own visit to one in the early 1980's.)
Suggested follow up activities for students:
1. To "experience" a seance, older students may want to explore the first half of Gian Carlo Menotti's 1-hour, 2-act tragic operetta "The Medium". There are many videos of this production online. Or they may want to read the libretto (script) aloud: https://www.opera-arias.com/menotti/t... Written in 1945, the seance is in the first act. (Trigger Warning: in the second act, one of the characters is accidentally killed by a gunshot.)
2. Younger students may want to "experience" how mediums perform mind-reading questions in envelopes. Watch one or both clips from the 1947 version of the movie "Nightmare Alley" streaming; Stan performs his mind-reading trick in a night club twice (approx. 1:07:51-1:11:09 or 1:57:00-2:01:54).
3. A third is to watch video modern psychic medium John Edward. There are lots of clips of him on YouTube. Students should note that he charges $850 for a private reading and compare this with the pricing of mediums in the book.
Students interested in ghosts and mystics, criminal justice, and detective work will seek this one out!
Note: A typo was noticed on p.54, the second to last sentence. The sentence should read: "When Harry and Bess included the material in their act, the audience was amazed."
Highly Recommended for grades 7-12.
November 5, 2025
Gail Jarrow introduces readers to the magicians and detectives who worked to expose fake mediums and spiritualists who were conning people out of their money during the first half of the 1900s.
The two main magicians/detectives highlighted in this book who helped expose frauds are Harry Houdini and Rose Mackenberg. It was interesting to learn about them and their methods of exposing frauds. The book focuses on how many mediums and spiritualists were capitalizing on people’s grief, and how that really upset both Houdini and Mackenberg (the author also shares at the back she had a family member who was taken in by false mediums for this reason too). I was surprised by some really big platforms/cases where Houdini and Mackenberg were called on to testify, including a Congressional hearing. Definitely bits of history I had never heard about before. I do feel like Jarrow was extremely careful in how she worded things. She never said anywhere in the book that there isn’t an afterlife or spiritual world or spirits. She quoted Houdini and Mackenberg saying they had never met a legitimate medium in all their work, but Jarrow didn’t say anything more. She did say in the back of the book that her primary purpose was to provide a warning that if someone is charging money for a spiritual service, then you need to be very careful and cautious and have a healthy level of skepticism. Which I think is a very good warning for life in general, especially in an AI world. Having a healthy level of skepticism and caution is very wise. The cover of this book makes it seem spooky, but it really isn’t. It is a history of uncovering con artists in a specific area, and on the side a biography of Harry Houdini and Rose Mackenberg.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: People who have lost loved ones feature prominently among the victims of con artist mediums.
Ethnic diversity: Many of the false mediums exposed are white Americans or white Europeans. Harry Houdini was Jewish American.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: A lot of talk about people taking advantage of other people, especially grieving people.
The two main magicians/detectives highlighted in this book who helped expose frauds are Harry Houdini and Rose Mackenberg. It was interesting to learn about them and their methods of exposing frauds. The book focuses on how many mediums and spiritualists were capitalizing on people’s grief, and how that really upset both Houdini and Mackenberg (the author also shares at the back she had a family member who was taken in by false mediums for this reason too). I was surprised by some really big platforms/cases where Houdini and Mackenberg were called on to testify, including a Congressional hearing. Definitely bits of history I had never heard about before. I do feel like Jarrow was extremely careful in how she worded things. She never said anywhere in the book that there isn’t an afterlife or spiritual world or spirits. She quoted Houdini and Mackenberg saying they had never met a legitimate medium in all their work, but Jarrow didn’t say anything more. She did say in the back of the book that her primary purpose was to provide a warning that if someone is charging money for a spiritual service, then you need to be very careful and cautious and have a healthy level of skepticism. Which I think is a very good warning for life in general, especially in an AI world. Having a healthy level of skepticism and caution is very wise. The cover of this book makes it seem spooky, but it really isn’t. It is a history of uncovering con artists in a specific area, and on the side a biography of Harry Houdini and Rose Mackenberg.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: People who have lost loved ones feature prominently among the victims of con artist mediums.
Ethnic diversity: Many of the false mediums exposed are white Americans or white Europeans. Harry Houdini was Jewish American.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified.
Other: A lot of talk about people taking advantage of other people, especially grieving people.
August 22, 2024
Who would have thought that aside from being the Houdini that we all know from his death-defying stunts spent quite a bit of time showing the public that spiritualists were frauds by doing the things they were doing out in the open and in the light. He spent the majority of his life with his sidekick/wife ferreting out the mediums who peddled their talents preying on the sentiments and pocketbooks of the vulnerable or those that wanted to believe. His friendship with Sir Conan Doyle was strained because of this as well because Doyle believed.
There was a lot to learn, not having known a lot of spiritualism aside from a few historical fiction titles (namely my favorite atmospheric read In the Shadow of Blackbirds) about the people who were integral in the movement, but then the machinations at work to create the opportunities for these people to conspire to create ghostly sightings and hear knockings, and the historical context of the time period that made people want to believe.
What crazy contraptions that were created and the ectoplasm was particularly astounding.
The book feels a little disjointed in the storytelling with the amount of textboxes as asides often time with some repetition of information however as a whole, the sheer research Jarrow is so adept at doing wants to come out. Plus I was shocked at the amount of visual information from that time period and that was included in the book. Another stellar nonfiction for teens about a topic that is perennially in the background now more as tarot and psychic readings.
There was a lot to learn, not having known a lot of spiritualism aside from a few historical fiction titles (namely my favorite atmospheric read In the Shadow of Blackbirds) about the people who were integral in the movement, but then the machinations at work to create the opportunities for these people to conspire to create ghostly sightings and hear knockings, and the historical context of the time period that made people want to believe.
What crazy contraptions that were created and the ectoplasm was particularly astounding.
The book feels a little disjointed in the storytelling with the amount of textboxes as asides often time with some repetition of information however as a whole, the sheer research Jarrow is so adept at doing wants to come out. Plus I was shocked at the amount of visual information from that time period and that was included in the book. Another stellar nonfiction for teens about a topic that is perennially in the background now more as tarot and psychic readings.
January 28, 2026
So maybe more like a 3.5- and I feel like I’m being generous because I love the subject matter- but this book just didn’t land for me.
Without even getting into the book’s topic- I hate the size of the book. It was large and unwieldy and I have a hard time seeing kids pick this up and finish it. Yes- ghosts are cool, and if they manage to actually get into the book, they might like the history about Houdini- but I found the whole thing confusing. About half way through I went “wait- is this a book about Harry Houdini?” It’s not, exactly, but he plays a big part!
For a topic that I LOVE and desperately want to believe in (ghosts- not spiritualism- I total believe those folks are all swindlers and fraudsters) I had a hard time following everyone’s timelines - and it kinda turned out not to matter! I also kept getting key characters mixed up- Pierre Keeler and Harry Keller! One is a fraud whom Houdini busted and the other is a great magician just like Houdini who was world renowned for his act and his honesty! lol- the whole story changes if you mix them up 🤣🤣🤦♀️
I kept thinking that the only kids who would pick this up are the kids who were into the cave trapped boys book- but that was adventure and suspense…this is just history and timelines- and whomp whomp- all their hard work and people are still suckers! So I’m not sure who to recommend this too? Kids working a book report for Harry Houdini? Or learning about Spiritualism?
Can’t even come up with an age range…this is like a YA version of an adult book- like a coffee table book? It’s only 140 pages (plus end notes, glossary, index, etc…) but it too FOREVER to read!
Without even getting into the book’s topic- I hate the size of the book. It was large and unwieldy and I have a hard time seeing kids pick this up and finish it. Yes- ghosts are cool, and if they manage to actually get into the book, they might like the history about Houdini- but I found the whole thing confusing. About half way through I went “wait- is this a book about Harry Houdini?” It’s not, exactly, but he plays a big part!
For a topic that I LOVE and desperately want to believe in (ghosts- not spiritualism- I total believe those folks are all swindlers and fraudsters) I had a hard time following everyone’s timelines - and it kinda turned out not to matter! I also kept getting key characters mixed up- Pierre Keeler and Harry Keller! One is a fraud whom Houdini busted and the other is a great magician just like Houdini who was world renowned for his act and his honesty! lol- the whole story changes if you mix them up 🤣🤣🤦♀️
I kept thinking that the only kids who would pick this up are the kids who were into the cave trapped boys book- but that was adventure and suspense…this is just history and timelines- and whomp whomp- all their hard work and people are still suckers! So I’m not sure who to recommend this too? Kids working a book report for Harry Houdini? Or learning about Spiritualism?
Can’t even come up with an age range…this is like a YA version of an adult book- like a coffee table book? It’s only 140 pages (plus end notes, glossary, index, etc…) but it too FOREVER to read!
May 7, 2025
Gail Jarrow's Spirit Sleuths offers a compelling and thought-provoking journey into the world of spiritualism, tracing its history from 1838 to the present. This insightful exploration honors the courageous efforts of dedicated debunkers, including the legendary Harry Houdini, who challenged the deceptive practices of the movement. Gail Jarrow deftly highlights the allure of spiritualism, noting how it can provide solace during tumultuous times, such as World War I or personal tragedy. Yet, she boldly urges us to look beyond the surface and critically examine the truths behind spiritualist claims, as many are often shrouded in deception and manipulation.
With Spirit Sleuths, readers are taken on a fascinating tour of notable figures in spiritualism, ranging from the Fox sisters to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and “Psychic Zoe.” The book shines a spotlight on the remarkable sleuths Harry Houdini and Rose Macjenberg, who tirelessly fought for the truth. The inclusion of vivid photographs and captivating illustrations enriches the narrative and makes the story accessible to all, inviting every reader to engage with the content. This is more than just a book; it’s a rallying cry for all who seek truth in a world often clouded by illusion. Join Gail Jarrow on this enlightening quest—your journey toward uncovering the reality of spiritualism starts here!
With Spirit Sleuths, readers are taken on a fascinating tour of notable figures in spiritualism, ranging from the Fox sisters to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and “Psychic Zoe.” The book shines a spotlight on the remarkable sleuths Harry Houdini and Rose Macjenberg, who tirelessly fought for the truth. The inclusion of vivid photographs and captivating illustrations enriches the narrative and makes the story accessible to all, inviting every reader to engage with the content. This is more than just a book; it’s a rallying cry for all who seek truth in a world often clouded by illusion. Join Gail Jarrow on this enlightening quest—your journey toward uncovering the reality of spiritualism starts here!
December 14, 2024
In the mid-1800s, in upstate New York, rapping sounds in an old home were attributed to the presence of ghosts. A pair of teen aged sisters claimed to be able to communicate with the dead and Spiritualism was born. But were the clairvoyants and mediums real? Some people believed others did not. Fake mediums put on elaborate shows, making people believe their departed loved ones were trying to reach them, and swindled many people out of lots of money. Harry Houdini (the magician and escape artist) and others made unmasking these fakers their life's work.
I love Gail Jarrow's books so very much. I can't put them down. Well researched, well told and I know it will be well read. Spirit Sleuths kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't help but tell about it to anyone who would listen. While most of the book is about the 1850s - 1920s, Jarrow includes a look at 21st-century psychics and mediums as well. Includes a timeline, glossary, and sites to find out more. I even loved the author's note. An essential buy for a school library. I have all her books.
I love Gail Jarrow's books so very much. I can't put them down. Well researched, well told and I know it will be well read. Spirit Sleuths kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't help but tell about it to anyone who would listen. While most of the book is about the 1850s - 1920s, Jarrow includes a look at 21st-century psychics and mediums as well. Includes a timeline, glossary, and sites to find out more. I even loved the author's note. An essential buy for a school library. I have all her books.
October 25, 2024
I was disappointed in this. It was interesting to learn about Houdini and Rose Mackenberg, but I felt it was pretty one-sided. It is admirable that Houdini and Mackenberg wanted to rid the world of scam artists, and Houdini went to great lengths to learn all of the tricks. I also have no doubt that there were/are many who claim to be psychic who are cheating people and playing on their emotions. However, on the flip side, I personally know a couple of mediums who do not use tricks or investigators and who tell people things that they could not possibly know. I think simply because Houdini could replicate the parlor tricks does not mean that there aren't people who can contact the spirit world without deception and asking for thousands of dollars.
October 29, 2024
Gail Jarrow does it again, this time discussing spiritualism starting in the early 1900s. Why it was popular, who was drawn into it, how Harry Houdini crusaded to show that mediums were frauds. I didn't know anything about Houdini's involvement in this, so that was interesting, and the work of a female investigator was even more interesting. It's less of a "big mystery" than some of her books but it's really illuminating.
June 15, 2025
I found this audiobook truly fascinating—it kept me engaged from start to finish, and I learned so much. Before listening, I knew very little about spiritualism. Although I was somewhat familiar with Harry Houdini, thanks to a childhood visit to the museum in Appleton, I had no idea about his efforts to expose spiritualists as frauds. I really enjoyed learning about the life of Rose Mackenberg. She was such a fascinating woman who I would love to learn more about.
July 12, 2025
The audiobook version of Spirit Sleuths by Gail Jarrow brings the world of spiritualism and ghost hoaxes to life. Narrated by Mia Barron, the performance is clear and engaging, with just the right tone to match the mix of mystery, history, and skepticism woven throughout the book. It’s paced well for younger listeners and adults alike, making the stories of Houdini and Rose Mackenberg’s investigations feel both accessible and intriguing.
December 8, 2024
There are times that serving on the Excellence in Non-Fiction award committee doesn't do books any favors.
The author covers the materials competently, starting with the Foxes and their knocking and ending in the 1900s and how things haven't much changed (esp. when you go to a psychic or tarot reader). More about Lily Dale and other spiritualist towns or areas could have helped; I live near a Spiritualist Church and showing how they still exist today would have been a great addition. We spend too much time with Houdini and Rose Mackenberg, which makes the plurals in the title questionable.
And then, there's the production. Ugh. First, that trim size is horrible. Too many of the images are blown up and thus fuzzy, while a smaller trim would have changed that. If you're adding that kind of matter to a book, the readability is important! Adding more modern images showing (clearly, crisply) how the various scams were produced would also have helped. I've never been a fan of the way YA non-fiction does citations, as that's contrary to what they'll be taught in school and adult NF has the more academic citations.
Still, it's a decent starting place for teen researchers.
The author covers the materials competently, starting with the Foxes and their knocking and ending in the 1900s and how things haven't much changed (esp. when you go to a psychic or tarot reader). More about Lily Dale and other spiritualist towns or areas could have helped; I live near a Spiritualist Church and showing how they still exist today would have been a great addition. We spend too much time with Houdini and Rose Mackenberg, which makes the plurals in the title questionable.
And then, there's the production. Ugh. First, that trim size is horrible. Too many of the images are blown up and thus fuzzy, while a smaller trim would have changed that. If you're adding that kind of matter to a book, the readability is important! Adding more modern images showing (clearly, crisply) how the various scams were produced would also have helped. I've never been a fan of the way YA non-fiction does citations, as that's contrary to what they'll be taught in school and adult NF has the more academic citations.
Still, it's a decent starting place for teen researchers.
December 19, 2024
I enjoy Jarrow's writing and this did a great job. I was a little disappointed that the last half was on Houdini and his determination to ruin spiritualists and not on other spiritualists, but it has a good start. The multiple pictures are a delight and all the resources are wonderful. Well worth the read.
February 13, 2025
This was a fun nonfiction read about the history of spiritualism. I appreciate how many photos and images Jarrow includes, they really add to the text. I'm also glad I now know about Rose Mackenberg and others who dedicated their lives in trying to teach people to use critical thinking and not be taken advantage of by people who claim to be able to speak with the dead or know the future.
February 25, 2025
This book enlightened me on the trickery behind the scenes. I am a huge fan of Harry and did not realize he was dedicated to proving the fraud. Disheartening to read of the usage of spirituality for grieving victims. And the presidents involved! Honestly, the kids read it and I didn’t want to be left out. Did not disappoint!
September 28, 2025
Interesting history on mediums and the world of spiritualism. I guess I didn't realize it was a much bigger scam in the past - and how well it was believed! The beginning was really interesting and then it was a lot about Harry Houdini and his work on debunking these hoaxes. I did not realize he did more than just his own magic tricks/escapes!
January 22, 2026
rating: g+ for ghosty talk. no profanity, no sex, war is mentioned and death, of course. no details.
recommend: 5th and up, a good spooky book.
I really enjoyed this glimpse into parts of Houdini's life that I was not at all familiar with. And overall, it was a well-told tale, tying lots of little historical threads together.
recommend: 5th and up, a good spooky book.
I really enjoyed this glimpse into parts of Houdini's life that I was not at all familiar with. And overall, it was a well-told tale, tying lots of little historical threads together.
November 23, 2024
So disappointed ☹️ I usually love Jarrow's books, but this one lacked the usually shock and pizazz to make a topic interesting. It was also very repetitive in its information. Hopefully her next book is back to her typical quality.
December 6, 2024
I’ve got to say that for a Non fiction book, it was good! Pretty interesting information presented in short chapters. This makes it easy to follow along and not get extremely bored (like most non fiction books for me)
January 2, 2025
What is more horrible than to exploit the grief and fear of another person? Harry Houdini and crack private investigator, Rose Mackenberg, exposed the many ways psychics and mediums tricked their patrons. This was quite informative.
January 12, 2025
How Houdini went from "medium" acts to debunking those same acts has always interested me, so this book was very informative. The chapter on Rose Mackenberg, while interesting as I hadn't known about her previously, was a bit boring as she basically used Houdini's methods of debunking.
September 1, 2024
Fabulously researched with lots of photos and images, “Spirit Sleuths” offers captivating insight into the spirit world, charlatans, and the great Harry Houdini.
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