Midnight at the Houdini

The way magic is intertwined with illusion and mystery really stood out to me. I'm curious whether the author based it on real-world illusions or created something entirely new.

There was a lot of atmospheric build-up that made the plot feel a bit sluggish at times. Do others think this was necessary for the mood, or could it have been tighter?

The character's journey felt deeply personal and layered. I'm wondering if the author drew from their own experiences or crafted this entirely from imagination.