The Man from Beyond: A Novel

"[A] great book for fans of Houdini or Conan Doyle, or just those who like to travel back in time." ―Charlotte ObserverIt is April 1922. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle arrives in New York on a spiritualist crusade. To packed houses at Carnegie Hall, he displays photographs of ghosts and spirits; of female mediums bound and gagged, ectoplasmic goo emerging from their bodies. In the newspapers, he defends the powers of the mysterious Margery, one of the most famous mediums of the day. His good friend Harry Houdini is a skeptic, and when Doyle claims Margery's powers are superior to Houdini's, the magician goes on the attack. Into this mix of spirit-chasing celebrities enters Molly Goodman, a young reporter whose job is to cover the heated debate. As she wanders into this world of spooks and spirits, murder and criminal frauds, Molly discovers herself: her true love, her place in the world; even her relationship to her beloved dead brother, Carl.

Jennifer Haigh, New York Times Book Review

"The dramatic and historical material give Brownstein a chance to display his considerable gifts…an appealing experiment in blending the real and the imaginary. Like his magician character, Brownstein puts on a compelling show."

Arthur Salm, San Diego Union Tribune Books

"A Houdini/Doyle adventure worthy of a Sherlock Holmes tale…a gentle, affecting, coming-of-age/coming-of-modernism novel…swirling, sensuous, magical, dangerous, dazzling, and, more than anything, alive."

Tom McNulty, Mystery News

"The elevated langue, attention to detail, and love of language and history makes this one a keeper. I won’t be surprised if in the years to come this book garners a reputation as a cult classic. A beautifully written book."

Carlo Wolff, Toronto Globe and Mail

"The Man from Beyond, Gabriel Brownstein’s jaunty and disarming love letter to his native New York City, blends history and fiction in a vivid portrayal of the Jazz Age…Brownstein excels at conjuring a fizzy New York when the media were maturing…Rich, memorable entertainment."

Boston Herald

"Rollicking…a fast-paced, suspenseful story that offers a great slice of life of New York at the beginning of the 20th century."

Library Journal

"A well-paced and gripping novel that delves into various forms of discovery―from personal revelations to authenticating frauds."

Booklist

"This brilliant time capsule offers an enticing portrait of the 1920s and delivers a timely message for today's world. A shivery delight."

Andrea Barrett

"Brownstein has a poet’s gift for the vivid image and for extended metaphor. In his cunning novel, spirit and body escape their shackles, trade places, and dance―while we read on, delighted."

Maureen Howard

"In The Man from Beyond, Gabriel Brownstein has written a truly compelling novel, part Dickensian mystery, part Dos Passos chronicle of New York in the years after the Great War. In rendering the disagreement between Harry Houdini, the escape artist, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the mystery writer, he lays out a brilliant novel of ideas."

About the Author

Gabriel Brownstein is the author of The Open Heart Club, The Man from Beyond, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Apt. 3W, winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award. He teaches at St. John's University in Queens and lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters.

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