Houdini Authors Unite!

History comes alive in this textured account of the rivalry between Houdini and Mina Crandon, whose iconic lives intersected at a time when science was on the verge of embracing the paranormal.

History comes alive in this textured account of the rivalry between Houdini and Mina Crandon, whose iconic lives intersected at a time when science was on the verge of embracing the paranormal.

On Sunday, I attended the Speakeasy Cinema in Chelsea where I met David Jaher, author of the upcoming book, The Witch of Lime Street: Séance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World. Every month, Speakeasy Cinema features a guest who chooses an exciting, controversial movie they screen and subsequently discuss with the audience. David chose Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1974) starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie, which he considers to be the best supernatural film about psychic phenomena. It was the first time I had ever seen the film and I understand where David is coming from. Artfully creepy!

David has been a screenwriter and a professional astrologer. He received his MFA in Film Production from New York University (where I coincidentally received my MS in Publishing). The Witch of Lime Street began as a screenplay, but David decided to turn the dramatic script into a heavily researched nonfiction book.

For those of you who have read Piper Houdini: Apprentice of Coney Island, you know that the “Witch of Lime Street” is a vital character in the novel. If you’re looking for a historical perspective of the characters and events in the story, I suggest you take a look at David’s book, which will be released on October 6.

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