The Magician’s Tale by David Hunt introduces Kay Farrow, a unique and compelling protagonist in the first instalment of this atmospheric crime series. When the severed head of a young male prostitute is discovered in San Francisco’s notorious Polk Gulch, the police are quick to dismiss it as just another grim crime in a troubled area. But Kay Farrow, a photographer with achromatopsia—a rare condition that leaves her completely colour-blind—refuses to let the case be forgotten.
While working on a photo book about the street life of hustlers, Kay had crossed paths with the victim, Tim Lovesey. Driven by a personal connection and a sense of justice, she delves into the mystery surrounding his brutal murder. Her investigation uncovers a chilling link to an unsolved serial killer case from years earlier—one that ended her father’s police career in disgrace. As she pieces together Tim’s past, including his eerie history as a child magician with his twin sister, Kay enters a dark world of secrets, danger, and long-buried truths.
Gripping and richly layered, The Magician’s Tale blends psychological suspense with noir atmosphere, offering readers a haunting mystery through the eyes of a woman who literally sees the world differently.
