Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency
Oct 2025 · Sold by St. Martin's Press
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About this ebook
The incredible untold story of how the world's greatest magician, Harry Houdini, waged war upon Spiritualism, uncovering unknown magic, political conspiracies, and surprising secrets along the way.
You won’t live forever, Houdini. You’ve got to DIE. I put a curse on you . . .
During a séance in 1924, Houdini—the greatest entertainer in the world—was cursed by a vengeful spirit, who said his days were numbered. Houdini laughed. He believed talking to the dead was impossible. By 1926, Houdini was dead.
This is the untold story of the last performance of Harry Houdini, who—inspired by his hero Abraham Lincoln—devotes himself full-time to a personal crusade against Spiritualism, the practice of speaking to the dead. In a spellbinding journey across Jazz Age America, haunted by the aftermath of the Great War and a deadly pandemic, Houdini encounters modern-day haunted houses, warlocks, and monsters, and uncovers a shocking conspiracy that stretches all the way to the American presidency—and to the House of Houdini itself.
In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Houdini’s 1926 dramatic courtroom testimony before Congress and the last otherworldly cases he takes on that lead him there, Lincoln's Ghost is a powerful examination of deception, love, politics, the afterlife, and the very nature of magic itself.
You won’t live forever, Houdini. You’ve got to DIE. I put a curse on you . . .
During a séance in 1924, Houdini—the greatest entertainer in the world—was cursed by a vengeful spirit, who said his days were numbered. Houdini laughed. He believed talking to the dead was impossible. By 1926, Houdini was dead.
This is the untold story of the last performance of Harry Houdini, who—inspired by his hero Abraham Lincoln—devotes himself full-time to a personal crusade against Spiritualism, the practice of speaking to the dead. In a spellbinding journey across Jazz Age America, haunted by the aftermath of the Great War and a deadly pandemic, Houdini encounters modern-day haunted houses, warlocks, and monsters, and uncovers a shocking conspiracy that stretches all the way to the American presidency—and to the House of Houdini itself.
In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Houdini’s 1926 dramatic courtroom testimony before Congress and the last otherworldly cases he takes on that lead him there, Lincoln's Ghost is a powerful examination of deception, love, politics, the afterlife, and the very nature of magic itself.
The incredible untold story of how the world's greatest magician, Harry Houdini, waged war upon Spiritualism, uncovering unknown magic, political conspiracies, and surprising secrets along the way.
You won’t live forever, Houdini. You’ve got to DIE. I put a curse on you . . .
During a séance in...
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Ratings and reviews
1 review
Andrea Romance
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October 31, 2025
In 1920s America, still reeling from war and pandemic, Houdini dedicates himself to debunking Spiritualism, encountering modern-day horrors and a conspiracy that threatens the American presidency. This fascinating book is engaging, informative, and fun to read. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
About the author
BRAD RICCA is the author of the Edgar Award-nominated Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, True Raiders, Olive the Lionheart, and Super Boys, winner of the Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction. He is also the coauthor of The Hitler Conspiracy with Brad Meltzer. He won the St. Lawrence Book Award for American Mastodon. Ricca lives and works in Cleveland.
BRAD RICCA is the author of the Edgar Award-nominated Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, True Raiders, Olive the Lionheart, and Super Boys, winner of the Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction. He is also the coauthor of The Hitler Conspiracy with Brad Meltzer. He won the St. Lawrence Book Award for American Masto...
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