Secret of Magic

In a novel that and#147;brings authentic history to light,and#8221;* a young female attorney from New York City attempts the impossible in 1946: attaining justice for a black man in the Deep South.and#160;

Regina Robichard works for Thurgood Marshall, who receives an unusual letter asking the NAACP to investigate the murder of a returning black war hero. It is signed by M. P. Calhoun, the most reclusive author in the country.

As a child, Regina was captivated by Calhounand#8217;sand#160;The Secret of Magic, a novel in which white and black children played together in a magical forest. The book was a sensation, featured on the cover of Time magazine, and banned more than any other book in the South. And then M.P. Calhoun disappeared.

With Thurgoodand#8217;s permission, Regina heads down to Mississippi to find Calhoun and investigate the case. But as she navigates the muddy waters of racism, relationships, and her own tragic past, she finds that nothing in the South is as it seems.

Named one of four titles on the shortlist for this yearand#8217;s Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, awarded by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation

and#160;

READERS GUIDE INCLUDED

*Augusta Trobaugh

"There are a million metaphors I could use to describe Deborah Johnson's writing in The Secret of Magicand#8212;but all of them are inadequate in conveying the ebb and flow of her phrasing or the care in crafting her characters.... If you liked The Help, you'll love this one! ... [T]he cadence of Johnson's writing is an absolute joy.... I can't think of any other recent book in which I have so enjoyed an author's actual stringing-together-of-words." and#8212;EW.com

and#8220;I found this story about race, The South, our country, part history, part mysteryand#8212;never disappointing. Like The South she tragically portrays,and#160;The Secret of Magicand#160;is a layered tale of the best and worst of our history, beautifully wrought by a master storyteller.and#8221;and#8212;Robert Hicks,and#160;New York Times bestselling author ofand#160;Widow of the Southand#160;

and#8220;The secret (and magic) inand#160;The Secret of Magicand#160;is in Deborah Johnsonand#8217;s powerful writing, creating character and story that will linger long after the reading.and#8221;and#8212;Terry Kay, author ofand#160;To Dance with the White Dogand#160;

and#8220;I am mightily impressed with her work. Johnsonand#8217;s story brings authentic history to light, yet suggests a seed of reconciliation. Fantastic!and#8221;and#8212;Augusta Trobaugh, author ofand#160;Sophie and the Rising Sunand#160;

and#8220;You can almost hear the rustle of Spanish moss and the clink of ice cubes in glasses of sweet tea in Johnsonand#8217;s novel, which captures the duality of the Jim Crow Southand#8230;As Regina navigates Revere with both horror and wonder, Johnson interweaves her story with a novel by a local matriarch, steeping the reader in town mythologyand#8230;[A] rich portrayal of Revere and its inhabitants.and#8221;and#8212;Entertainment Weekly (A-)

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"If you liked The Help, you'll love this one "--EW.com
In a novel that brings authentic history to light, * a young female attorney from New York City attempts the impossible in 1946: attaining justice for a black man in the Deep South.
Regina Robichard works for Thurgood Marshall, who receives an unusual letter asking the NAACP to investigate the murder of a returning black war hero. It is signed by M. P. Calhoun, the most reclusive author in the country.
As a child, Regina was captivated by Calhoun sThe Secret of Magic, a novel in which white and black children played together in a magical forest. The book was a sensation, featured on the cover of Time magazine, and banned more than any other book in the South. And then M.P. Calhoun disappeared.
With Thurgood s permission, Regina heads down to Mississippi to find Calhoun and investigate the case. But as she navigates the muddy waters of racism, relationships, and her own tragic past, she finds that nothing in the South is as it seems.
Named one of four titles on the shortlist for this year s Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, awarded by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation
READERS GUIDE INCLUDED
*Augusta Trobaugh"