London, 1873.Returning home from his travels across the globe, Walter Balanchine is noted for the charms, potions and locket hanging from his neck. Living in a cemetery with his pet panther, Sinbad, word soon spreads of his healing and magical abilities and Walter becomes a sought after party performer.But a powerful force lies behind the parlour tricks, one strong enough to reveal secrets, heal the sick, and destroy the wicked...Filled with mystery, magic and larger than life characters, Illusion will keep you guessing until the very last page.'Magical, masterful and mesmerising' - Lucy Walton Lange, Female First'Conjures the kind of atmosphere that laudanum dreams are made of.' - After Nyne Magazine'Captivating and delectable.' - Liz Wilkins'...a modern day ghost story and a Victorian chiller.' - The Huffington Post'Elmas is a first-rate storyteller.' - The Surrey Post'This book hasn't been written, it's been crafted.' - The BookbagStephanie Elmas was born in Hong Kong to an English father and Czech mother but spent most of her childhood in Bristol. She studied English at university in London. Having worked as a head hunter, she taught English in Japan before returning to university to complete an MA in Victorian fiction. It was here that she developed her interest in the dark dangerous world of Victorian sensation writing. After the success of her first novel, The Room Beyond, Elmas has returned to write the tale of the early life of East End mystic and illusionist Walter Balanchine. When she is not writing, Elmas teaches secondary school English and juggles a chaotic household in Surrey.