Illusionist
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Published by: SparkPress
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Pages: 328
ISBN13: 978-1684633005
Synopsis
A contemporary crime thriller perfect for Louise Penny and Robert Dugoni fans, Illusionist presents PI McPherson with an impossible dilemma: kill an author at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest, or let a college student die.
When an illusionist arrives at Pines & Quill, one of the retreat’s owners vanishes—right in front of witnesses who see nothing. Meanwhile, crime boss Georgio Gambino tightens his grip, blackmailing a writer into murder and framing Sean McPherson. His threat is clear: obey, or your daughter dies.
As McPherson investigates, he uncovers a brewing power struggle—Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second-in-command, is staging a coup. While Gambino’s network traffics drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore manipulates the Sureños gang, planting evidence to shift blame.
Desperate to turn the tide, McPherson seeks a dangerous alliance. But when deception is the game, only illusion can outmaneuver the truth. Enlisting the retreat’s eclectic writers—including a NASCAR driver, a triathlete, a house-flipping architect, and a magician with secrets of her own—McPherson sets the stage for the ultimate trick: survival.
Add on GoodreadsPraise
"Captivating, deeply emotional, and brimming with unforgettable characters, the Sean McPherson novels showcase the exceptional storytelling that Buchanan’s readers adore."
—Bookforum
"Illusionist is a totally nail-biting and addictive crime thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists."
—Electric Lit
"Hearts wrench. Bullets fly. Blood flows. You'll have a lump in your throat from the first page to the last."
—Sherrill Joseph, author of The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries
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