Devo Mannix the Sorcerer’s Apprentice

About the Book

An accidental slip of the tongue while sitting in his magical 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 automobile transports Devo on an unexpected adventure. Devo is accidentally struck on the head, suffers a temporary loss of memory, and forgets where he is, who he is, and how to return home. While still suffering from temporary loss of memory, Devo meets a young girl sitting on a bench in a cemetery. Devo helps the girl recover from the calamities that have occurred to her, and she, in turn, helps Devo regain his memory. A gift of a golden necklace and a diary from the girl starts Devo Mannix on a quest to solve a 120-year-old Civil War mystery in an attempt to clear her family name. Upon returning home, Devo finds he has inherited a 1,016-pound antique magical steamer trunk without the key to open it. In a search to find the key, Devo; his talking dog, Speeler; and his friend Julie are held captive by an unscrupulous ex-convict. Speeler, the talking dog, comes up with a plan for escape that sends their captive to the hospital, seeking medical attention. Eventually, the plan backfires, resulting in Devo being thrown into the magical streamer trunk and held prisoner. Devo’s eventual escape from the trunk solves one of the mysteries of the trunk concerning its contents and the original owner.

About the Author

Roland Vincent Boike was born on October 28, 1930, at his family home in Madeira, Ohio. He attended Western Kentucky State University, Ohio State Department of Agriculture, and the University Of Cincinnati Department of Applied Arts. He was awarded a full scholarship to attend Lincoln College of Chiropractic, where he graduated in 1962 with a degree in chiropractic. Roland practiced chiropractic in Loveland, Ohio, for thirty-five years and was a staff physician at Jewish Hospital in Kenwood, Ohio. He served as team physician for Loveland High School, Western Brown High School, and Wilmington College Girls Soccer Team. Roland served as mayor and vice mayor in Loveland, Ohio, a community of over 10,500 residents. He was the founder and director of the Community National Bank, Loveland, Ohio, and chairman of the Loveland 1976 Centennial Celebration, which produced a live outdoor spectacular, “The History of Loveland.” Roland was the founder, past president, and member of the board of trustees of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce. He designed the Valentine postage meter stamp and the logo “There Is Nothing in the World so Sweet as Love.” He was recognized with an award from the National Safety Council for saving the lives of three children in a submerged automobile at Lake Isabella in May 1964. Roland was honored by the city of Loveland, Ohio, for dedicated service to the community with a commemorative marker In the Veteran’s Memorial Park. Roland is a Kentucky colonel and has received numerous awards for civic achievements.