The Bullet Trick

When down-at-heel conjurer William Wilson gets booked for a string of cabaret gigs in Berlin, he is hoping his luck is on the turn. There were certain spectators from his last show he’d rather forget. Amongst the showgirls and tricksters of Berlin’s scandalous underground Wilson can abandon his heart, his head and, more importantly, his past.

But secrets have a habit of catching up with William, and the line between the act and reality starts to blur. Bringing the seedy glamour of the burlesque scene magnificently to life, Louise Welsh’s deft contemporary tale is her richest and most macabre yet. The Bullet Trick will keep you guessing till its final explosive flourish.

Praise for The Bullet Trick:

‘It’s not magic that takes us to another world—it’s storytelling. And Louise Welsh is mistress of that dark art.’

Val McDermid

'William Wilson’s stage magic career has tanked, girls sneer at him and he hits the bottle too often for someone whose livelihood depends on steady hands. Out of desperation he makes two ruinous mistakes...Welsh nails the dialogue perfectly, capturing the self-deprecating hope of washed-up men and women hunting for that one big break and the pity and scorn heaped upon them by those who are better off. It’s best to read this lurid tale in private, and wash your hands afterward.'

Publishers Weekly

'What makes The Bullet Trick so memorable is not just that it is an accomplished and beautifully written crime novel, but that it is also about a quest for redemption and perhaps even truth. Mere smoke and mirrors it isn’t.’

Sydney Morning Herald

'Entertaining, thrilling and brutally realistic.'

Australian