Mister Magic

A Novel

By: Kiersten White

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Kiersten White

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this “skin-crawling story of pop culture fandom and ‘90s nostalgia” (Melissa Albert, author of The Hazel Woods) from the author of Hide.

“[A] propulsive, exciting, often genuinely scary, endlessly compelling mystery.”—Terry Miles, author of Rabbits

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Polygon, Chicago Public Library, CrimeReads

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship....

©2023 Kiersten White (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Mister Magic is a propulsive, exciting, often genuinely scary, endlessly compelling mystery. Imagine a trip through Twin Peaks by way of Stranger Things and Stephen King’s It.”—Terry Miles, author of Rabbits

“In this skin-crawling story of pop culture fandom and ’90s nostalgia, Kiersten White fully delivers on her gripping premise: the troubled reunion, thirty years later, of the cast of a magical kids’ show that exists only in its viewers’ memories. Mister Magic walks the twilit line between wonder and terror where all the best childhood games are played.”—Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

“It meets The Stepford Wives in this wildly compelling story that explores whether it’s possible to recapture the magic of childhood friendship and what happens when you discover the darkness hiding underneath your memories. White’s writing is guaranteed to hook you. Be careful cracking this open; Mister Magic will pull you in like a riptide.”—Mallory O’Meara,  Los Angeles Times bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon

This book is EXTREMELY good!

I read about the concept of this book a month or two ago and eagerly awaited it's release.

It does not disappoint!

I stayed awake for far longer than was healthy just to get to the heart of the story's central mystery.

Majestic and Heartbreaking

I absolutely LOVED this book, the ending did brake me and the amount of society anger this raised in me is probably not healthy but what a fucking book!!

Good

I just felt like the whole story was trudging a long. It was more of a grief parable than a horror story.
It is good, just not what I was looking for.

HS teachers make you class read this!

Growing up I had Catholic on my fathers side Christian on my mothers side. Today I do not practice any religion. I personally think children should not automatically have to practice what their parents do, Parents should encourage their children to check out other religions before settling. This book is the perfect book for those teens with closed minded parents. As a mom to a 14 year old who know the principles too well, is a class clown and a huge jock goes to church every Sunday with a family member. Then theres my 19 year old who wont say SH*T for 100 bucks and has never been in trouble and cant stuck up for herself had a classmate try to shove christianity down her throat every lunch period for 2 years thinks most religions are kinda culty. My children were always encouraged to choose their own paths. I strongly believe HS teachers should have their students read this book. Its a fun fiction story for the kids that dont need it, and will be so much more for the kids that desperately need it.

To the Author. You should be very proud of yourself for having the courage to write this book. Just know you will of helped many teens/ young adults with that courage.

Culty vibes and childhood trauma

The story line is lacking in some spots. It feels rushed with loose ends. This is especially true at the end. If you want to reflect on some of your own religious childhood trauma this is the book for you. Any SDA or CLS will have a close connection to the protagonist.

Captivating Story!

Just....wow! Following the thread of this story was so enjoyable. The construction of the mystery just kept you listening well past when I should have gone to bed, and then crept into my dreams. Rebecca did an amazing job with her portrayal of all the characters & I felt like I knew each one. She gave me the "feels" & I love the movie she created in my head.
Was so glad I listened through & heard the author's note at the end. Will definitely be looking for more books by Kiersten White in the future!

Hello trauma therapy I didn’t know I needed!

I came to this book not knowing anything about the author or her background. Let me tell you, as a person who was born and raised in what I consider to be a cult now, this book was life changing. I finally felt not so alone and it was delivered in such an unexpected way. I thought I was just listening to a spooky book, but it’s so much more than that. This book is in my tops as one of my most favorite books now. It catches you with the mystery in the beginning and then keeps you going and exploring chapter after chapter. I finished this book way too fast, because it is that good. Thank you to the author. Your book was life changing.

Great Concept...

I love the concept of this book. I'm a Millennial, and my generation is known as the nostalgic generation. The idea of searching for a childhood show that everyone remembers, but no one can find is a really appealing one.
The characters are fleshed out, and the initial story building is great. However, it felt like 90% of the book was a build up, with the last 10% being the actual meat. I would have liked to spend longer with the meat.
All in all, it was with the kitchen, but it could have been shorter.

Wow… completely blown away.

I read this book after a random person recommended it on Reddit, and then after reading the plot summary myself. All I can say is wow. Having ADHD, I have a difficult time with books that start slowly because I get bored and leave them. This book IS NOT THAT! I’m happy to report that this book pulls you in immediately from chapter one. It is exciting through out, with unpredictable twists and turns. Even the twists you expect unfold in a surprising way. The author is honestly such a beautiful writer (or artist, I’d say) and reading her descriptions of things was such a joy I didn’t know that I needed. The epilogue and acknowledgements were so beautiful too, I cried and I’m still crying as I’m writing this review. 100/10, wonderful story!

SPOILERS AHEAD: Many people say that they didn’t like the ending, which I totally understand because it was very sad. I however think it was a great ending even though it was a sad one. I have a sister whom I love deeply, and I’ve experienced great loss in my life. Val’s choices make me hurt and ache but also make me feel pride and peace. Not all endings are happy in the ways we imagine them, but I think the ending of this story is happy in the ways that it needs to be.

I wasn’t really ready

Im keeping it brief bc I’m emotional about it:
1. Excellent character development
2. Narration is on point
3. The metaphor is so good and so helpful for anyone who’s walked away from the religion they were handed.
4. I got a little list in the imagery, but I’m willing to admit that it may be because I’m personally not very imaginative and have a hard time keeping up.
5. Yes, I recommend