Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore

What happened to Violet Volk? Ten years ago, the celebrity magician disappeared during a show. Acts of Violet (2022) is a compelling, suspenseful story that alternates between the perspective of Violet’s younger sister Sasha and a mix of podcast episodes, interview transcripts, emails, and newspaper articles. Touching on the bonds of sisterhood, family dynamics, the nature of celebrity, and how appearances can be deceiving, Margarita Montimore’s sophomore effort (after Oona Out of Order) takes readers on a fantastic journey. I’m still thinking about the ending, and not sure how I feel about it—but the journey was so much fun. Fans of true crime podcasts should give Acts of Violet a try.