An original novel based on the bestselling BOOM! Studios comic series by Hope Larsen and Brittney Williams. Goldie, a biracial, queer 16-year-old, lives at the Crossed Palms Resort Hotel in Florida in the 1960s. Her dad is the hotel manager; her mom works at the nearby Mermaid Club; and Goldie is the valet and aspiring hotel detective.
In this second volume of the mostly-text spin off series, the Crossed Palms is hosting the League of Magical Arts Convention. Magicians from near and far are coming to the resort, including Dr. Von Thurston, the most renowned in the world, along with his son Derek Von Thurston, who’s also a part-time detective. When key props start disappearing right from under the illusionists’ noses, however, Goldie and friends are on the case, along with the annoying Derek. Can they solve the crime before the final show?
Goldie’s queerness is canonical in the comics and clear here; she is now dating a girl named Diane, mentioned in the previous novel. While Goldie’s crime solving sometimes gets in the way of her planned dates with Diane, Diane is a sport and soon finds herself part of the magical action as well. Their relationship isn’t the main focus, but it’s a clear and happy secondary one.
While this is a text-based story, there is an integrated eight-page mini-comic insert by Elle Power as a nod to the original comic medium.
The slightly old-fashioned, noir vibe, with Goldie’s pitch-perfect first-person narrative, make this a fun read for any lovers of mystery.
