The Curlew Chronicles series opens with The Magician in the Attic, a story about Alexander Roebuck, a young magician coached by a mysterious recluse called Francis Curlew. Just before his fourteenth birthday, Alex first comes to the attention of the legendary Curlew and is taken under his wing.Like any other fourteen year-old, Alex has to contend with all that family, friends, school and the local busy-bodies throw at him. If he is to realise his dream of being a renowned illusionist, he must respect the older man's seemingly strange obsession with privacy and seclusion. He wants to learn from his mentor more than anything else, but that means hours of practice, keeping secrets from his mum and his best friend, and gaining experience in (mis)directing the attention of an audience. Alex soon persuades his form tutor to let him perform some illusions as part of the forthcoming school play. Is he ready for the audience... and are they ready for him?