Danny Masters, teen-aged son of the late Harry Masters, the "greatest escape artist except for Houdini," leaves home to join Uncle Burke and Aunt Sibyl (formerly called Louise) in their magic/mentalist act. Sibyl welcomes him; Burke is unenthusiastic. Danny is himself an accomplished magician and escape artist. He soon finds himself embroiled with Stu Quinones, over-the-edge son of Mayor Leon Quinones. The quest for a missing wallet with "hot" bills inside (pocket-picked by Danny) leads to the comeuppance of the crooked mayor and -- separately -- of his vindictive and out-of-control son. Along the way, Danny comes to terms with the death of his father, the circumstances of which he did not previously know.