The Trick

by Chris Johnson

The Trick is a tale of two brothers, both in blood and in the golden art of stage magic. Jealousy and blind ambition clash as Maximillian searches for The Trick of True Magic, and his brother Fanto would do anything to steal the Prize for himself. Set in Vaudeville's Golden Era, The Trick is a tale with a terribly true message that steps from the past into modern history and beyond.

15 pages, ebook

First published March 21, 2016

About the author

Chris Johnson writes high-stakes thrillers with a sci-fi and supernatural edge—think ancient secrets, time travel, and rogue agencies chasing ghosts.

When he’s not writing, Chris performs as a mentalist at private and corporate events, bending minds with psychology and sleight of hand. He lives in Brisbane, Australia, with his family, and still reads The Phantom when no one’s looking.

“Life’s an adventure. So are my books.”

Reviews

[K.C. Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, brief story with magic, a bit of mystery, and an unconventional ending. At times, I felt the writing "told" more than it "showed," but overall, I really liked The Trick.

[Rachel Chelmecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly wonderful book that is definitely worth reading. Will not be disappointed.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of two short stories and a preview of a longer work is not worth your time. The first story typical of self-published obvious stories about stage magic with a slight twist of fantasy. Clumsily written, the book didn't get any better in the other sections. The second story was an odd sexually explicit stupid story. The preview of a ghost type story didn't promise that things would get better.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 star short story.

[Tabitha Ormiston-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A traditional story with a decidedly non-traditional ending. A great short read with no downside.