Louise Welsh The Bullet Trick

The Bullet Trick

Louise Welsh

Canongate, Aug 2006, $23.00

ISBN: 1841957941

Though he has never made it past being the opening act to strippers, fans who see William Wilson perform magic believe he is one of the best even if he seems outdated with his trite stunts like hacking the woman into pieces. He takes work where he can so his agent Rich Banks gets him a gig to conjure up a trick or two in a dumpy Soho club. It turns out that the bartender Sam Rosensweet is an old friend who asks the Conjurer to hold onto some documents for him. He later learns that Sam and an associate are dead.

Wilson imagines a double homicide over the documents he possesses so is elated when Rich gets him work in Berlin, There he meets Sylvie the dancer who he finds quite attractive though she seems somewhat aloof on a personal level while helping him put together his new act. However, as he hides in Berlin, he knows London and Glasgow where he ditched the papers await his second act.

Though there are too many minor subplots, overall this is a superb noir in which the not tough hero represents a deep cynicism about life as he overuses cheap tricks enhanced by pick-pocketing people to conjure up his seedy act. Clearly this is Wilson's tale as he is in over his head, but knows he has no choice but to play with the cards dealt him though they are marked and the game rigged with double crosses. Fans who appreciate an antiheroic whoosh mindful of Rollie Tyler of F/X will enjoy the amateur sleuth investigation by a two bit magician.

Harriet Klausner