Reviews

"Deborah Johnson will fill you with rage -- and then tears and cheers as you read her brilliantly written portrayal of life in the South following World War II...She uses magnificent prose to tell a story that might have a similar theme to others, like The Help, but is singular unto itself. I love this book."
-- Jake Reiss, Alabama Booksmith, Birmingham, Alabama

"I loved this book and will be recommending it to fans of The Help and Mudbound."
-- Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction Bookstore, Greenville, SC

"Deborah Johnson did a masterful job of re-creating Mississippi in the 40s, its good and its bad, and the underlying theme of magic which knows no colors. Can't wait for the next one."
-- Liz Murphy, The Learned Owl Book Shop, Hudson, OH

"[A] riveting novel."
-- O, the Oprah magazine

"A work of masterful storytelling, telling truth with fiction in a novel that comes alive with every word on the page. With as many curves as there are branches on the magnolia trees, this novel will take you into the forest and leave a mark on you."
-- The Herald Sun

"You can almost hear the rustle of Spanish moss and the clink of ice cubes in glasses of sweet tea in Johnson's novel, which captures the duality of the Jim Crow South...As Regina navigates Revere with both wonder and horror, Johnson interweaves her story with a novel b a local matriarch, steeping the reader in town mythology...[A] rich portrayal of Revere and its inhabitants."
-- Entertainment Weekly

"A spirited portrayal of the postwar South."
-- Publisher's Weekly

"Get a copy of Deborah Johnson's The Secret of Magic [and] expect the unexpected...A disturbing, but fair, look at life in Mississippi and the South in a turbulent time that lasted far too long. We need to know about that kistory, however, to move forward."
-- The Oxford Eagle

"[A] passionate...nuanced drama...Provocative."
-- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"If you liked The Help, you'll love this one!"
-- EW.com

"Completely engaging...with unforgettable characters."
-- Booklist

"The Secret of Magic is a layered tale of the best and worst of our history, beautifully wrought by a master storyteller.”
-- Robert Hicks, New York Times-bestselling author of The Widow of the South and A Separate Peace

"The secret (and magic) in The Secret of Magic is in Deborah Johnson's powerful writing, creating character and story that will linger long after the reading.”
-- Terry Kay, author of To Dance with the White Dog and The Book of Marie.

"Fantastic!”
-- Augusta Trobaugh, author of Sophie and the Rising Sun and The Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society.