School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-In this sequel to Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms (Sterling, 2012), 10-year-old Stuart Horten is catapulted on yet another adventure left to him by his Great-Uncle Tony. Now that Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten's magic tricks have been safely recovered, it is up to Stuart to follow clues to locate the great magician's will. He and his friend April soon discover, however, that Tony's Tricks are truly magic: each one transports them to another time or place, where a puzzle must be solved before the clue can be recovered-and before they can return safely home. Children will delight in Stuart's adventures, which are infused with humor, and clamor for the next installment.-Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Peachtree Montessori International, Ann Arbor, MI (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Stuart Horten, 10, is back for a second mysterious adventure. Previously, in Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms (2012), he discovered the hiding place of his Great-Uncle Tony's magic-making paraphernalia--stage equipment from his magic show. Now, with the help of intrepid reporter and next-door-neighbor triplet April, he intends to find out what the mechanisms do. There's an added bit of pressure: Hidden somewhere in the magical contrivances is Tony's will, which conveys ownership of all the tricks to whoever finds it. A mysterious elderly woman from Canada would like to be that person, so Stuart and April have to work hard and fast. Each mechanism, when successfully triggered, creates an intriguing and sometimes perilous trap for the pair to escape. April's siblings, May and June, unwind a little from their previous aloof attitude and begin to help out as well. Other colorful characters, briefly sketched but neatly depicted, meander through the tale. Horten's dad, known for his enthusiastic overuse of an extensive vocabulary, is joined by museum curator Rod Felton. They take turns throwing around bewildering (but funny) Latin terms, their incomprehensibility enhancing Horten's and readers' sense of living in a world separate from adults. While this outing lacks the notable magical impact of the first of the series, it's still rollicking good fun and often engagingly suspenseful, perfect for a quick read or entertaining read-aloud. (Mystery. 9-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Evans does a clever job of getting all that happened in Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms (2012) into the first couple of pages of this sequel, so readers can get the backstory out of the way and start the new adventure. And adventure it is. Stuart Horten, who found his great-uncle Tony's magic tricks in the previous book, now must use those tricks to locate his will. Once again there are plenty of clues to figure out, puzzles to solve, and codes to break. The fun is enhanced when May and June, along with sister April, join the search. Old and new fans will find this good fun.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
