Death threats became an everyday occurrence, but the group would pose an even greater danger to Houdini's legacy. In doing so, Houdini triggered the wrath of fanatical Spiritualists, led by the esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He created a group of disguised field operatives to infiltrate the seamy world of fake spirit mediums. For the next several years, the world's most famous magician traveled to Germany and Russia and routinely reported his findings.Īfter World War I was successfully concluded, Houdini embarked on a battle of his own. Soon Houdini was performing for royalty, commanding vast sums, and exploring the new power of Hollywood to expand on his legend.Īt a time when spy agencies frequently co-opted amateurs, Houdini went to London and developed a relationship with a man who would run MI-5. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever-more-dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.Īfter years of struggling on the dime museum circuit, Harry Houdini got a break that put him on the front page of a Chicago newspaper. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and best-selling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth.

Since his death eighty years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television.

Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and be.

The secret life of houdini