The Magician's Fire by Simon Nicholson

Harry is a shoe shine boy who has learned to do magic tricks.  With his only two friends in the world, they plot and weave magic into tricks that they can promote and talk up big.  The money thrown for the act means they actually are making more money than they can working.  When their friend, a real magician, goes missing, they're determined to find him...

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published so grab a copy now.  There will be a sequel coming and it sounds exciting already.

Harry hides pieces of metal on him in his acts and that allows him to open the padlocks and escape.  When he's on the railroad tracks with the train bearing down on him, he doesn't have time to get nervous or drop his "pick" for the padlock.  Luckily it works out.  That skill will continue to serve him well through out the story.

Harry is full of himself in this story.  He's bound and determined to get Herbie back and he's willing to do it himself.  His partners are trying to be involved and he's ignoring them.  It won't take him long to realize that acting alone might also make him dead.

There's lots of action, good friendships, and the start of something great here.  I enjoyed the read and will be watching for the next book in this series.  Harry and his friends are going to do great things, I know it!