Harry Houdini wrote a short novel in 1925, a romantic detective thriller, called The Zanetti Mystery (ghostwritten of course).
Houdini builds his story about the monstrous figure of Zanetti — genius faker, and arch rogue; he shows the methods by which even profound scientists have been hoodwinked by prophets of the occult and materializers of demons and spirits, and tells of the private lives often rivaling Babylon in abandon and luxury– of those who strip both rich and poor by mystery and mummery.
Through the whole fabric of the story there move the amazing characters of the half-world and underworld spies “snowbirds”, “lobby gows”, “stoppers”, “floppers”, “controls”, and “falls”, whom only Houdini can write about, because his special investigations have made him know them all and how they work as links in a chain system which is one of the weirdest forces for fraud and evil in the world. [The Journal]
The short novel (8 Chapters) was serialized over eight weeks in various Newspapers.
This week, I share Chapter 8 (Prologue) of 8:
CHAPTER VIII
Prologue:
HERMAN STEINWAY, an aged millionaire, is being victimized in his belief in spirits by a most notorious faker, Zanetti, who agrees to produce the spirit of the millionaire’s deceased wife, in the flesh, for one million dollars. Van Haarlem, Zanetti’s chief detective, is put on the job. He induces the Gopher, an ex-convict to break into Steinway’s home for a photograph of the dead woman. With this in hand, Van Haarlem sets out to find a girl who tallies with the description of this woman.
Meanwhile, the District Attorney has been cleaning up the spiritualistic fakers. Wallace Haines, Assistant District Attorney, is given the assignment. Wallace has just become engaged to marry Lucile Linton, an ex-chorus girl now doing charity work in the slums. She promises to help Haines in his work. Van Haarlem finally appeals to the Gopher to help him locate a girl for the illusion, and Lucile, who has been visiting the Gopher’s crippled child, offers herself, in the guise of a charity. Van Haarlem takes Lucille to see Zanetti.
Lucille is accepted for the role and the seance is staged. Haines conducts a raid on the place at Lucile’s signal but Lucile discovers, a moment too late, that the old man is her own father. She tries to keep out the raiders while her father is dying of heart failure. Haines believes she has tricked him and he denounces her. Meanwhile while Zanetti and his men escape.
Lucile is held for murder. Haines, realizing his hasty judgment, makes amends by resigning his desk and preparing Lucile’s defense.