Midnight at the Houdini

A teen must escape from a magical hotel or be trapped forever in this insightful mystery romance by Dawson (Camp Scare). Sixteen-year-old Anna, who lives in Las Vegas, is relieved when her older sister’s wedding, which she had been planning, goes off without a hitch. Upon Anna’s departure, however, a tornado sees her seeking shelter in one of her business-owning father’s first hotels, a magic-themed casino called the Houdini. Once she arrives, nothing is as it seems: it’s devoid of staff, and secret passages open and close. Anna is immediately enraptured by handsome, enigmatic teenage Max, who was raised in the Houdini with only his mother and ghostly guests for company, and who’s spent years dreaming about a girl who looks exactly like Anna. Once she’s in front of him, however, he must reconcile his dreams with reality, and help find her a way out of the hotel before it’s too late. Employing evocative prose teeming with literary and pop culture nods and myriad enchanted elements, Dawson presents a dreamlike adventure driven by a fierce and vulnerable protagonist struggling with issues of self-reliance and forgiveness. Ages 12–up. Agent: Stacia Decker, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary. (Sept.)