What is real or only an illusion?

Ghostly images appear and float across the stage, objects levitate into the air, and a beautiful assistant disappears inside a glass box, then reappears inside a second glass box. All while the audience at the Crystal Palace, including amateur investigator Mikaela Forsythe, watch the performance.

Is it real? Can the audience believe what they see?

Then, an evening with her friend, Theodora Templeton, attending the one-night performance by master illusionist Jean Luc Betard, takes a ghastly turn and plunges Mikaela headlong into murder when the illusionist's young assistant is found dead at the end of his newest stunt.

The police, specifically Chief Inspector Abberline, who is also in attendance, declare it a tragic accident in an illusion gone wrong. But after making her own observations, Mikaela is not convinced and places a call to Private Investigator Angus Brodie.

Theirs is a complicated partnership, more so with his latest work with the Special Services organization at the conclusion of their previous case and that particularly complicated conversation he insisted on having with her. Irritating man!

Nevertheless, Mikaela is certain there is more amiss than merely a tragic accident, and Brodie is forced to admit that she may be right, pulling them together once more, personal feelings aside. Or possibly not...

That certainty takes both of them on a dangerous trail of clues that appear then just as quickly disappear, much like the illusionist's tricks.

The case is no sleight of hand but a series of dangerous illusions meant to deceive both Mikaela and Brodie and perhaps make them both disappear for good while the murderer goes about his deadly scheme.

And then, there is that conversation that she walked out on before, but he insists on having, even in the midst of murder. Oh my!