The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini is a very unusual graphic novel, blending real-life facts about the mysterious death of Houdini with the adventures of a sharp, sexy female detective named Minky Woodcock. Minky is the daughter of a private investigator, with an aspiration to become a private eye herself. In the absence of her father, Minky is commissioned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to investigate the possible psychic powers of the world’s greatest escapologist – Harry Houdini. This leads Minky on a thrilling adventure, which ends up with her becoming the assistant of Houdini during his shows. A story with twists at every page and full of sexual energy, this graphic novel captures the pulp stories of the 1920-30’s. Cynthia Von Buhler has a passion for this Prohibition-era lifestyle and this reflects in her stories and her characters.
Cynthia’s illustrations are captivating as if she is trying to seduce the reader through her artwork. The artwork perfectly captures the emotions and energy of each scene while giving characters some depth. Cynthia’s art creates the right atmospheric mood for a thrilling story. There were some instances where it was a bit hard to follow the action sequences but it did not detract too much from the story being told.
Minky is a complex character and I am curious to see more of her. Especially since there is something mysterious that keeps coming up in this comic about the death of her mother. By the end Agatha Christie herself, encourages Minky to follow her gut instincts and become a private eye. I highly recommend picking up Minky Woodcock: The Girl who Handcuffed Houdini as it makes for a perfect afternoon mystery read.
