Biography claims Houdini was secret spy

[flamingyouth]

"The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero," will be released on Halloween, the anniversary of Houdini's death at 52.

NEW YORK — Eighty years after his death, the name Harry Houdini remains synonymous with escape under the most dire circumstances. But Houdini, the immigrants' son whose death-defying career made him one of the world's biggest stars, was more than an entertainer.

A new biography of the performer suggests Houdini worked as a spy for Scotland Yard, monitored Russian anarchists and chased counterfeiters for the U.S. Secret Service, all before he was possibly murdered.

"The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero" will be released on Halloween, the anniversary of Houdini's death at 52. Chasing new information on the superstar led authors William Kalush and Larry Sloman to create a database of more than 700,000 pages.

"There's no way in the world we could have done this book without it," Sloman said of the huge electronic index. "It would have taken 30 years — maybe."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003328828_houdini29.html

[Sequoia]

1. I read a review in the NY Times. Looks good.