H A P P Y  H O L I D A Y S !

The Zanetti Mystery: Plus candidates for ghostwriting the story is now available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Product Description:

Harry Houdini wrote a short novel in 1925, a romantic detective thriller, called ‘The Zanetti Mystery’ (ghostwritten of course). The short novel (8 Chapters) was serialized over eight weeks in various Newspapers, but was never published in book form until now.
The story nicely combines Houdini’s love of mystery and detective fiction with his crusade against fraudulent mediums. The character of Atrois Zanetti might also be seen as the dark side of Houdini; what the magician feared he could have become had he remained in the business of spiritualist trickery. In fact, Houdini would sometimes play the character of Zanetti on stage during his exposure act.
In addition to sharing the story with original illustrations, Joe M. Notaro shares his research on candidates (Walter B. Gibson, H.P. Lovecraft, C.M. Eddy Jr., Rose Mackenberg, Fulton Oursler, and Arthur B. Reeve) for helping Houdini write the story, along with a bibliography of works by Houdini.

Bonus:

2021 marks the 10 year anniversary for HHCE

Ten years ago on Xmas Day (2011), I started Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence (HHCE) with the following post:

• See Houdini in “The Grim Game” on Xmas Day

And I have posted weekly ever since.  Below are links looking back at the highlights of each year:

• 2012
• 2013
• 2014
• 2015
  • Part I – The Year of The Grim Game
  • Part II – Other Highlights
• 2016
  • Part 1 – The Year of The Master Mystery 
  • Part 2 – The Year of Lovecraft, Eddy and The Cancer of Superstition
• 2017
• 2018
  • The Year of Terror Island
• 2019
• 2020
• 2021
  • Timeline for Houdini Water Torture Cell(s)
  • Search for Tatler Handcuff given to W.W. Durbin leads to Abbotts?
  • Houdini and Teddy Roosevelt Group Picture plus one
  • Herbert Allingham
    • Jorkins Co (aka The Duffer, Detective)
    • The Amazing Exploits of Houdini
    • Houdini’s School Days
      • Summary (9/18/1920 to 4/2/1921)
  • Houdini’s Message From The Clouds – 101 years ago
  • Conventions
    • HHCE Attends his first Magic Collectors Expo
    • NEMCA 2021 VIRTUAL YANKEE GATHERING
  • Weird Tales
    • Now Rare Weird Tales Girasol Collectibles
    • Weird Tales March 1924
    • Weird Tales April 1924 – Ask Houdini
    • Weird Tales May 1924 – Ask Houdini
    • Houdini’s Weird Tales Ghostwriters

Thanks for your support!

Harry Houdini wrote a short novel in 1925, a romantic detective thriller, called ‘The Zanetti Mystery’ (ghostwritten of course). The short novel (8 Chapters) was serialized over eight weeks in various Newspapers, but was never published in book form until now.
In addition to sharing the story with original illustrations, I will share my research on candidates for helping Houdini write the story.

Related:

• Houdini’s Weird Tales Ghostwriters

As promised in a previous post, I am sharing escape scenes from my script for a Houdini movie that was never made:

• Russia Transport Prison Van
• Water Torture Cell
• Berlin Bridge Jump
• BURIED ALIVE

This week, I share the Buried Alive scene:

HOUDINI hands BESS the silver kerchief as he strides to the grave. Wild cheering.

A TIME CUT: HOUDINI lays back in the grave. The earth mover’s engine rumbles above.

Click on images to enlarge for reading.

BESS and COLLINS hold him up, half carry him.

HOUDINI (croaks) I saw it, Bess… I saw it…

BESS Saw what, Harry?

HOUDINI I saw the curtain…

COLLINS Steady on, Mr. H.

HOUDINI It’s a curtain, Bess just like she said… It’s white…

OTIS steps in front of HOUDINI with a photographer, holds out then crisp thousand-dollar bills. HOUDINI takes them, looks at them a long moment, hand trembling. Then: he drops the money into the grave.

As promised in a previous post, I am sharing escape scenes from my script for a Houdini movie that was never made:

• Russia Transport Prison Van
• Water Torture Cell
• BERLIN BRIDGE JUMP
• Buried Alive

This week, I share the Berlin Bridge Jump scene:

HOUDINI in chains, Handcuffs, Leg shackles, Ball-and-chain. A Bridge. Stark superstructure. Six stories below, ripples blown black by the wind.

Click on images to enlarge for reading.