The Magician Murders

The Art of Murder, Book III

By: Josh Lanyon

Narrated by: Kale Williams

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Nothing up his sleeves. Nothing but murder...

Jason West, hot-shot special agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, is at the Wyoming home of Behavioral Analysis Unit Chief Sam Kennedy, who is recuperating from a recent hit-and-run accident, when he’s asked to consult on the theft of a priceless collection of vintage magic posters. But before Jason can say “presto change-o”, the owner of the art collection turns up murdered in a national forest.

When the dead man is revealed to be the Kubla Khanjurer, a much-hated, part-time magician accused of revealing the highly guarded secrets of professional illusionists, it seems clear this is a simple revenge killing - until Jason realizes an earlier suspicious death at the trendy, magic club Top Hat White Rabbit might be part of the same larger and more sinister pattern.

©2018 Josh Lanyon (P)2018 Josh Lanyon

Fantastic narrator for the brilliant story

Kale Williams does a fantastic job to the already brilliant story. Can't imagine anybody else can do Sam's voice the way he does!

Really good!

I read the book when it came out, and have been looking forward to the audio. This is the second time listening to it in preparation to the newly published sequel The Monument Men.

I like Jason and Sam's relationship developing in this. It's nice that they got time together, although it was fraught with their typical, you know murder mystery, art and stalker. That's what makes these books great.

I can't wait to start the next one after that ending! Man, great narration! I could feel my skin crawl.

Don't want to wait for the next one

The Magician Murders is the third (but not last) book in this series about Jason West a special agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team and Sam Kennedy the BAU chief, a legend with in the bureau for hunting and stopping serial killers.

Relationship-wise The Magician Murders was off to a promising start. Jason and Sam were actually spending time together face to face, in the same room and did at times attempt some form of relationship and there even was some communication - colour me shocked. I'm not saying there was some huge identity switch or anything where they talked about their feelings and wants and such, because come on, this is Jason and Sam...But they tried.

However that didn't last all that long. When Jason is injured in an attempted kidnapping Sam brings him back to his mother in Wyoming. And once again this couple spends the majority of the book in different places and don't have much on page time together. Going a bit stir crazy being cooped up Jason is eager to help out when he's asked to consult on a local homicide of a magician. A magician with many enemies and a missing art collection.

In the meantime, Sam is trying to figure out who wants to hurt Jason, and is hunting down every lead he can - near and far. Doing everything in his power to make sure he won't lose another lover. I might not ever count Sam as one of my all-time favourite characters, he ends up in that mostly tolerated one. But that's okay too. You can't love everyone and this also shows that personal chemistry is as present in books as in real life. And me not liking Sam is never something that will keep me from picking up this series.

The mystery itself (I won't go into any details, because spoiling a mystery is a big no for me) wasn't as good as some of Lanyon's previous works. However, it did keep me interested and I did enjoy it, but I also wished for a bit more. There were still avenues left to explore

Kale Williams fits this series. He is this series and these characters. He brings you into the story and keeps you there, captive and in search for clues and answers. I very much enjoyed listening to his narration of this book and am looking forward to listen to many more of his works to come.

For the most part audiobooks are just as good (or better) as the printed version of the book. Sometimes the audiobook highlights pacing issues that don't quite work stilted conversations and the like. Don't worry there's nothing like this with this book. That last page however (I'm assuming it was a page, maybe a little more or a little less, but you get my drift), that last page was painful to listen to. It wasn't in any way angsty or sad. There was nothing at all wrong with as such it and I can't honestly say that I would change it, because it fits, it needs to be there. But in this case, that last page is infinitely better in the printed version rather than audio. And it also made me wonder at Kale Williams' reactions and feelings while narrating it.... Personally it would've driven me bat shit, but that's just me :p

There are things that have been brewing since the beginning of the series, we've gotten hints every now and then throughout and now things seems to have reaches the boiling point by the end of this book. Unfortunately it also seems like we're in for a very loong wait (read winter 2019) to find out what happened next, to maybe, hopefully, get some more answers. I also find myself wanting to ask the question: "Where are you?"

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Solid Lanyon Mystery

Josh Lanyon is in form. While this mystery wastes an opportunity to utilize magic in a murder and I wish Jason was more emotionally intelligent in considering Sam, I did enjoy most of the book. I encouraged me. Lanyon to reach high and create more challenging “real” characters.

Devolution

Jason devolving into whiny entitled spoiled bitchy jerk while Sam is becoming much more like able.

Loved the story but..,

I love the story, but the narration needed some work. It got to a point where I couldn’t understand the difference between Jason and Sam. Otherwise excellent job on the narration. Looking forward to the next book, but that ending still sticks with me over and over and over and over and over and over and over…

Great story. Great narration.

Another wonderful edition to the Art of Murder series. This book had a few more slightly creepy moments than the previous mysteries. Sam's serial killer hunting, creepy magicians, a fun house chase, and the Wyoming setting add to the dark nature of the core story.

Very enjoyable mystery/suspense and gay romance (Jason and Sam)

I enjoyed Josh Lanyon's Holmes and Moriarity novels. This is my first listening or reading of one of The Art of Murder series books. There are four mystery cases confronting Jason West (and to a lesser extent Sam Kennedy).

1. Who attacked Jason West in the parking lot of the Chinese restaurant?
2. Who killed the unlikable magician who was divorcing his wife?
3. Who stole the same magician's collection of valuable magic memorabilia? The magician himself or his wife or someone else?
4. Was the death of the other magician, Santos, a suicide or murder, i.e. Is there someone killing magicians in Cheyenne?

I enjoyed listening to this tremendously and will probably re-listen to it again in the future which is why I have given it 5 stars.

Update: I have just listened to this a second time. It was even better the second time than the first. I noticed several things I had missed the first time around. There are some humorous things I missed the first time. This book is intense so the humor is welcome. The three poodles (which must be the very smallest breed of poodles because Ruby can pick up and hold all three at once) behaved annoyingly but humorously. Take note of the description of Ruby's tablecloth. There are other humorous elements, if you listen carefully. Right now I am trying to keep in mind two non-humorous things I missed first time I listened.

1. During the fire, while Jason is frantically searching for Kennedy, he keeps repeating to himself, "Where are you?", which foreshadows the ominous ending.

2. I had overlooked that the envelope was not postmarked which meant it had been hand delivered in person by the stalker. This makes it even creepier. How did I miss that first time? I must be getting senile 😋. It also means I am awaiting the next book in the series with a certain amount of trepidation, since I can think of nothing but even more terrifying things that might happen to Jason (or Kennedy).

Loved it😃

Hope Sam and Jason get their happily ever after😀 Lokking to next book and hopefully the final one.

Good & Not so good.

Although I usually enjoy Josh Lanyon's stories the first two in this series had long stretches that seemed to go on and on, were overly wordy and boring.