The Amazing Harvey

In this offbeat L.A. thriller from Passman (Mirage), DNA evidence links Harvey Kendall, a struggling magician and occasional substitute teacher, to the rape and murder of a stranger, single mother Sherry Allen, in her Van Nuys apartment. As his life dissolves around him, Kendall works with lawyer Hannah Fisher to find the secret behind the trick that has him cast as a brutal killer. While Kendall’s experience as a magician grants him perspectives others lack, his haphazardly improvisational approach to life makes him an unreliable employee, a poor investigator, and a worse client. Trapped by inexplicable but damning evidence, wise-cracking Kendall may be headed to a life sentence without parole. He may find salvation through hard work, careful observation, and applied insight. By striking a careful balance between humor and tension, Passman puts a fresh spin on the familiar setup of a man unjustly accused of a crime trying to prove his innocence. Agent: Steve Troha, Folio Literary Management. (Feb.)