The Witch's Retreat: Discovering the Enchanting Refuges of Casa Monica

The Witching Refuge Casa Monica is a historic hotel located in downtown St. Augustine, Florida. The hotel is known for its rich history and alleged paranormal activity. It was originally built in 1888 by Franklin W. Smith as the Casa Monica Hotel, named after his daughter. **Over the years, the hotel has gained a reputation for being haunted by various spirits, including the ghost of a woman in white and a young boy.

A word about the prose style is also worth saying - it's hilarious. Brown has a very specific ideolect, which may not be to everyone's taste, but is clear, readable, and in places seizure-inducingly funny. In fact, it would be almost worth buying the book for the prose style alone. But there's far more to it than that.

At half time, when we went for Interval drinkiepoos, we noticed the book had been moved and I understand that some rapid Googling had taken place by The Gaffer to check the value, apparently he hadn t realised what sort of figure was involved. I mentioned to the barman that it was a rather valuable book to be left just lying around and he said it belonged to The Gaffer whoever that was, presumably the licensee.

**Over the years, the hotel has gained a reputation for being haunted by various spirits, including the ghost of a woman in white and a young boy.** The hotel's paranormal activity has attracted the attention of paranormal investigators and ghost enthusiasts from around the world. Many guests have reported experiencing strange occurrences during their stay, such as hearing unexplained footsteps, seeing apparitions, and feeling a presence in their rooms.

talkmagic.co.uk

I bet taking them off the printing line is some sort of psychological subtlty by Derren to influence you to do. something. that you would only do without owning his book.

I was born with Multiple Personality Disorder. Luckily, they are all me, they just dont always get along.

by Marvell » Jan 16th, '07, 17:11

Pure Effect available here:

Note from Mods: All checked and approved before making this offer!

by Ed Wood » Apr 26th, '07, 11:12

Does anyone have the first edition of this book? All the later versions had a couple of chapters deleted, I'm intrigued as to what material he chose to remove.
Out of boredom just had a quick look on e-bay, copies of this are going for £150. That was £30 well spent, doubt I'd want to get rid of it though.

by Tomo » Apr 26th, '07, 11:16

ed crawford wrote: Does anyone have the first edition of this book? All the later versions had a couple of chapters deleted, I'm intrigued as to what material he chose to remove.

The first edition was a rough manuscript he used to hawk at conventions. To all intents and purposes it doesn't really exist in any rational sense.

Tomo Veteran Member Posts: 9866 Joined: May 4th, '05, 23:46 Location: Darkest Cheshire (forty-bloody-six going on six)

by Lawrence » Apr 26th, '07, 11:19

i think me may be mixed up with Pure Effect (although i could be wrong)

by Ed Wood » Apr 26th, '07, 17:54

Oops, yes I am, sorry!! Pure effect is the one that had the chapters deleted and is now going for silly money. Once again my complete lack of attention shines through.

by SonofRojBlake » Apr 3rd, '09, 15:50

I'd like to add my voice to those praising this book. If possible, I'd like to praise it even more highly, and here's why:

Years ago, I was the curious public. I would go into a magic shop and buy a cheap trick just see how it worked. Then I'd show it a friend, with some subtle intro like "Hey, look what I just bought!" And then I'd show them how it worked.

Later, I had more money, so I'd buy better tricks. But I'd still introduce them with "Hey, wanna see a trick?", and more often than not would reveal the mechanism. After I'd got a few devices together, I started stringing them together, but was still, to use the Penn and Teller phrase, a parrot guy. My magic was not magic, it was a geek showing his friends his latest toy, to no particularly edifying effect.

Then I read Pure Effect. Then I read Absolute Magic. And it is not an exaggeration to say that they came as a shattering revelation to me. Between them they made me realise that all that time I had been squandering, wasting possibilities to create moments of wonder. It made me look at my toybox in a whole new way, and more importantly made me think about the people I was subjecting to my attentions in a whole new way. And I resolved, after reading this book, to work differently. Indeed, to WORK.

You may, possibly, learn a trick or two from these books. But if you do, you will be missing the point entirely. The point of these books is NOT to teach you how to do a trick you didn't know. The point is to teach you to think more clearly about how to present material you already have at your fingertips. When you read this book, you will, with some thought, come to realise that you already have the potential to be far more effective, far more impressive, simply by focussing on your audience and their perceptions. You need learn no new sleights, need buy no additional equipment.

The best example I can offer is the way this book changed the way I delivered Coin Unique. From my initial, parrot guy presentation - "Here, watch this!" - it has become something intimate, powerful and compelling, something that allows me to convince someone that I can make them hallucinate vividly merely by talking to them.. The device is the same (obviously), the only difference is the consideration for the viewer that was inspired by this book.

A word about the prose style is also worth saying - it's hilarious. Brown has a very specific ideolect, which may not be to everyone's taste, but is clear, readable, and in places seizure-inducingly funny. In fact, it would be almost worth buying the book for the prose style alone. But there's far more to it than that.

This book is clearly written by someone who is on a journey, the same journey most of us are on. Some of us are wandering around aimlessly near where we started. Some of us are further along than others, but some of us are, sadly, headed down a dead end. I was. This book points the way, or at least, makes us focus on what it would be like to have a way of our own. But to paraphrase Morpheus in the Matrix: Derren Brown can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.

Re: Absolute Magic - Derren Brown

by Mandrake » Oct 12th, '11, 22:34

My Son and I went to see Paul Daniels last night in his ‘Hair today, Gone tomorrow’ show in Tamworth. During pre-show drinkiepoos I was amazed to see a copy of Absolute Magic just lying on a shelf underneath the optic measures at the back of the bar. I mentioned to the barman that it was a rather valuable book to be left just lying around and he said it belonged to ‘The Gaffer’ whoever that was, presumably the licensee. Anyways having told, him that the book often fetches in excess of £250 on Ebay he said he’d make sure the guy knew about the value. At half time, when we went for Interval drinkiepoos, we noticed the book had been moved and I understand that some rapid Googling had taken place by The Gaffer to check the value, apparently he hadn’t realised what sort of figure was involved.

If only we’d kept our gobs shut and just offered the Gaffer a tenner.

Re: Absolute Magic - Derren Brown

by Tomo » Oct 13th, '11, 00:00

Mandrake wrote: Bumpety bump!

My Son and I went to see Paul Daniels last night in his ‘Hair today, Gone tomorrow’ show in Tamworth. During pre-show drinkiepoos I was amazed to see a copy of Absolute Magic just lying on a shelf underneath the optic measures at the back of the bar. I mentioned to the barman that it was a rather valuable book to be left just lying around and he said it belonged to ‘The Gaffer’ whoever that was, presumably the licensee. Anyways having told, him that the book often fetches in excess of £250 on Ebay he said he’d make sure the guy knew about the value. At half time, when we went for Interval drinkiepoos, we noticed the book had been moved and I understand that some rapid Googling had taken place by The Gaffer to check the value, apparently he hadn’t realised what sort of figure was involved.

If only we’d kept our gobs shut and just offered the Gaffer a tenner.

If I'm REALLY desperate, my copies of Pure Effect and Absolute Magic are always there. I bought them in the last weeks of being available. I just wish I'd bought more. I really do.

Tomo Veteran Member Posts: 9866 Joined: May 4th, '05, 23:46 Location: Darkest Cheshire (forty-bloody-six going on six)

Re: Absolute Magic - Derren Brown

by Alec Burns » Oct 13th, '11, 00:02

Mandrake wrote: Bumpety bump!

My Son and I went to see Paul Daniels last night in his ‘Hair today, Gone tomorrow’ show in Tamworth. During pre-show drinkiepoos I was amazed to see a copy of Absolute Magic just lying on a shelf underneath the optic measures at the back of the bar. I mentioned to the barman that it was a rather valuable book to be left just lying around and he said it belonged to ‘The Gaffer’ whoever that was, presumably the licensee. Anyways having told, him that the book often fetches in excess of £250 on Ebay he said he’d make sure the guy knew about the value. At half time, when we went for Interval drinkiepoos, we noticed the book had been moved and I understand that some rapid Googling had taken place by The Gaffer to check the value, apparently he hadn’t realised what sort of figure was involved.

If only we’d kept our gobs shut and just offered the Gaffer a tenner.

You missed a trick there mate! (probably covered in the book)

The best example I can offer is the way this book changed the way I delivered Coin Unique. From my initial, parrot guy presentation - "Here, watch this!" - it has become something intimate, powerful and compelling, something that allows me to convince someone that I can make them hallucinate vividly merely by talking to them.. The device is the same (obviously), the only difference is the consideration for the viewer that was inspired by this book.

One of the most famous stories associated with the hotel is the legend of the woman in white. According to local folklore, a young woman named Margaret was staying at the hotel in the 1900s. She fell in love with a Spanish soldier, but their love was forbidden by their families. **Legend has it that Margaret committed suicide by jumping from the hotel's tower, and her ghost now haunts the premises.** Many guests claim to have seen a shadowy figure in a white dress roaming the hallways and disappearing into thin air. Another paranormal phenomenon that is often reported at the Witching Refuge Casa Monica is the presence of a young boy. Guests have heard giggling and the sound of running footsteps, even when no children are present in the hotel. Some believe that the boy is the spirit of a child who died in the hotel many years ago. Others speculate that he may be a mischievous entity playing tricks on unsuspecting guests. Regardless of the stories and legends that surround it, the Witching Refuge Casa Monica is a popular destination for those interested in the paranormal. The hotel offers ghost tours and paranormal investigation experiences, allowing visitors to learn more about its haunted history and perhaps even have their own supernatural encounter. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the Witching Refuge Casa Monica provides a unique and thrilling experience for anyone looking to explore the unknown..

Reviews for "Into the Witch's Lair: A Peek into Casa Monica's Refuges"

1. Sarah - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with my stay at Witching Refuge Casa Monica. The place was not well-maintained and there were many issues with the amenities. The rooms were dirty and had a strange odor. The heating system was not working properly, leaving us freezing during the night. The staff was unhelpful and unresponsive to our complaints. Overall, I would not recommend this place to anyone.

2. John - 2 stars - Witching Refuge Casa Monica did not meet my expectations. Although the location was convenient, the overall cleanliness of the place was lacking. The carpets were dirty and there were stains on the walls. The bed was uncomfortable and there was a lack of basic amenities such as sufficient towels and toiletries. Additionally, the noise from the neighboring rooms was quite disruptive. I believe there are better options available in the area.

3. Emily - 2 stars - My experience at Witching Refuge Casa Monica was less than satisfactory. The place seemed old and poorly maintained. The room I stayed in had a musty smell and the bathroom tiles were in need of repair. The water pressure in the shower was weak and I struggled to get hot water. The Wi-Fi was unreliable and kept disconnecting. Overall, it felt like the accommodations were not worth the price I paid. I would recommend looking for alternative options in the area.

Witching Refuges and the Occult: Unveiling Casa Monica's Mysteries