The experience of having written with Derren Brown for TV, and indeed being something of a magician himself, seems to have inspired actor Andy Nyman somewhat. Team him up with The League Of Gentlemen co-creator Jeremy Dyson and you have the all the ingredients for a thrilling and somewhat quirky little tale.
The Warlock Effect spans multiple decades, beginning when a boy named Ludvik flees to England from Nazi Germany armed with nothing but a pack of cards and a handful of party tricks. Fast forward to the 1950s, and Ludvik has risen from street hustler to the rank of Britain’s most famous magician. The problem is, such trickery and sleight of hand can be a weapon, and soon the Secret Service become aware of Ludvik and bring him into their fold. But every spy has a master criminal to contend with, and Ludvik finally meets his equal with consequences that could threaten not just himself, but good old Blighty…
Both Nyman and Dyson manage to bring the attributes that made them famous to the table, making for a book that blends history, comedy and suspense to exceptionally good effect. Simply billing The Warlock Effect as an espionage thriller would be doing it a disservice: there’s far more to take from it than that, as the action takes us across Europe and back, introducing a series of fascinating and complex characters along the way. The plot seems straightforward at first, but then turns on its head, and some clever writing guarantees you’ll never see it coming.
The Warlock Effect, Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman (Hodder & Stoughton)
Price: £20/£24.99 audiobook. Info: here
words CHRIS ANDREWS
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