Mister Magic

Bookseller recommendation

“This is what nightmares are made of: our favorite children's shows being run by a cult. I literally could not put this book down. I was mesmerized by the '80s and '90s television nostalgia, the cluelessness of Val's character, and the magical power of childhood friendships. White's writing style and the format (c'mon the chapter titles!) was pure magic, sometimes a bit chaotic, but full of adrenaline that will keep you going until the end. ”

— Jenny • E. Shaver, bookseller

Bookseller recommendation

“Mister Magic is a popular 80's children's show that is abruptly cancelled after a tragic accident on live TV. Years later, the now adult cast members reunite with sketchy memories of what actually happened when they were children and a sinister sense of foreboding as they immerse themselves once again into the world of Mister Magic to try and find answers and stop a possible reboot that would suck their own children into this nightmare world. ”

— Suzanne • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Both eerily frightening and tear inducing, this book really took me by surprise. Mister Magic is the story of leaving a cult, but it's representative of what anyone trying to escape a cycle of harm will endure. It's a story of grief. I read this with an open and aching heart, and White's characters have helped me feel seen and whole. I'm a little more healed than I was before I started it, and I'm grateful for that.”

— CJ • Page 1 Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Having walked away from Mormonism myself, it wasn't hard to recognize the author's journey...cleverly reframed in this technicolor new horror release. As BOTH religion and television have been referred to as the opiate of the masses, what a brilliant combination we find in Mister Magic.This was a fantastic audio download from Libro.fm; perfectly narrated.”

— Kathy • The Well-Read Moose

Bookseller recommendation

“What if The Babadook had a children's show in the 90s? What if that same show was suddenly cancelled after a tragedy occurred on set and any record of it is wiped clean? That's where we start this tale. We follow Val, a woman in her late thirties who can't remember anything from before the age of 8, who is corralled by her former cast members to attend a reunion for a show she has no memory of. White weaves a compelling narrative that gives you just enough information to make you feel like you're progressing in the mystery but always leaves more questions that it answers. I was enraptured, I was unsettled, I immediately told my mom to read it. You should too. ”

— tee • Quail Ridge Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I have not devoured a book so quickly in YEARS. ‘Mister Magic’ is shrouded in a weird, unsettling cloak of liminal space. Val has been running her whole life from…what? She can’t remember. Until one day, two men appear and tell her they were famous co-stars with her on a once-beloved children’s TV show that few people now remember, and no one can find any real record of anywhere. Chilling, brilliant, impossible to stop listening to. I’ve lost track of how many people I’ve recommended this book to. ”

— Heather • Wild Rumpus Books