Best 2001 Adventures (4)

By: Joshua Glenn
December 11, 2020

One in a series of 10 posts identifying Josh Glenn’s favorite 2001 adventure novels.

Glen David Gold’s historical mystery thriller Carter Beats The Devil.

Carter, a character based on the stage magician Carter the Great (Charles Joseph Carter, 1874–1936), learns his craft and becomes a vaudeville star… only to see the vaudeville era come to an inglorious end. He battles government agents, rapacious businesses, and secret societies as he seeks the truth about President Harding’s death; Carter himself is a top suspect, since Harding died shortly after taking part in the magician’s show. Carter encounters all sorts of real-life characters, including Harry Houdini, the Marx Brothers (before they become the Marx Brothers), and the inventor Philo Farnsworth. A rival magician, Mysterioso, is a sinister figure in the plot, too. What’s it all about? It seems that Carter has come into possession of a secret about a revolutionary new technology; everyone is out to get him. Can the great escape artist conjure himself out of this pickle? A highly enjoyable romp through a fascinating American era.

Fun facts: Alan Moore, in an interview, said: “I’ve been quite impressed with Glen Gold’s Carter Beats the Devil, there’s a thumping good yarn.” Gold, who was kind enough to contribute a story to my Significant Objects project, is the author of one of the best memoirs ever: I Will Be Complete (2018).

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Best 2001 Adventures (4)

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