Who could be better at solving a crime involving impossible entries and exits than a famous stage magician? Hence Clayton Rawon introduces The Great Merlini, who makes his debut in this fast-paced novel from the 1930s, the finest decade for the locked room genre. Rawson has as many tricks up his sleeve as Merlini himself, and this book is as enjoyable for the asides and discursive passages—on everything from yoga to geometry—as for its sleuthing.