The Curse of Pietro Houdini — Derek B. Miller

Hardcover | Avid Reader Press | January 16, 2024

The Gist

An orphaned teenager teams up with a mad chemist to protect art from the Nazis leading up to the bombing of Monte Cassino in 1944.

Read If You Like

• Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel

• Art history

• Historical fiction

• Literary fiction

The Verdict: Read It

What’s in a name? If you ask Derek B. Miller, he would answer, “A lot.” After her parents are killed in a bombing in Rome, Miller’s nameless narrator finds herself heading to Naples when she meets Pietro Houdini just outside the abbey of Monte Cassino. During their first meeting, she declares herself Massimo and takes on his imagined life. Massimo becomes Pietro Houdini’s assistant and the duo works to protect the priceless art and relics housed in the ancient abbey. Leading up to the bombing of Monte Cassino and the months that follow, Miller’s narrator is molded by the identities she assumes and the tutelage of Pietro Houdini who like his namesake is a master illusionist. The Curse of Pietro Houdini is less about art heists and more about coming of age during a time of war. Miller’s narrator adopts identities to initially survive capture. But as time goes on, these personas help her to deal with grief, trauma, and fear. Through them, she heals, learns more about herself, and, ultimately, grows. Though there are some lulls in the book, Miller’s dialogue is a treat. Whether it’s Pietro’s monologues or a scene with multiple characters talking at once Miller’s dialogue is always sharp.