Overview

In 1930s London, celebrity psychiatrist Anselm Rees is discovered dead in his locked study, and there seems to be no way that a killer could have escaped unseen. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon. Stumped by the confounding scene, the Scotland Yard detective on the case calls on retired stage magician-turned-part-time sleuth Joseph Spector. For who better to make sense of the impossible than one who traffics in illusions? Spector has a knack for explaining the inexplicable, but even he finds that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye. As he and the Inspector interview the colorful cast of suspects among the psychiatrist’s patients and household, they uncover no shortage of dark secrets—or motives for murder. When the investigation dovetails into that of an apparently-impossible theft, the detectives consider the possibility that the two transgressions are related. And when a second murder occurs, this time in an impenetrable elevator, they realize that the crime wave will become even more deadly unless they can catch the culprit soon.  A tribute to the classic golden-age whodunnit, when crime fiction was a battle of wits between writer and reader, Death and the Conjuror joins its macabre atmosphere, period detail, and vividly-drawn characters with a meticulously-constructed fair play puzzle. Its baffling plot will enthrall readers of mystery icons such as Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr, modern masters like Anthony Horowitz and Elly Griffiths, or anyone who appreciates a good mystery.

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9781613164235

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Reviews

An engrossing tale of murder and magicians, and a revealing exploration of the ever-popular locked-room mystery, Mead's debut is a novel to intrigue and delight. -- John Connolly Tom Mead has created an intriguing set of puzzles on par with John Dickson Carr in Death and the Conjuror. A true delight for mystery lovers! -- Charles Todd With a deviously intricate locked-room plot, Death and the Conjuror unfolds as both an elegant tribute and a cunning update of the classic impossible crime story. Somewhere, the great John Dickson Carr is smiling. -- Daniel Stashower, two-time Edgar-winner and author of the Harry Houdini mysteries This debut, a tribute to John Dickson Carr and other Golden Age masters of the locked-room mystery, will appeal to nostalgia buffs and fans of the classics. -- Library Journal Mead's debut novel is a valentine to the locked-room puzzles of John Dickson Carr, to whom it is dedicated... Mead faithfully replicates all the loving artifice and teasing engagement of golden-age puzzlers in this superior pastiche. -- Kirkus Mead's stellar debut and series launch [is] an homage to golden age crime fiction, in particular the works of John Dickson Carr... Mead maintains suspense throughout, creating a creepy atmosphere en route to satisfying reveals. Puzzle mystery fans will eagerly await the sequel. -- Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW This ingenious (and fair-play) locked-room mystery should win over a new generation of readers to this delightfully devious style of classic mystery. -- Gigi Pandian, USA Today-bestselling author of Under Lock & Skeleton Key A loving tribute to the locked-room master John Dickson Carr and a sharply drawn period piece. -- Sarah Weinman - The New York Times An intricate, elegantly written 'impossible' crime that completely fooled me. Tom Mead is already a master of the art of misdirection. -- Peter Lovesey A real treat for mystery fans. -- Ragnar Jonasson

Author Information

Tom Mead is an author, translator, and aficionado of Golden Age crime fiction. He is the creator of the Joseph Spector locked room mystery series, which has been translated into ten languages (and counting), and is soon to be adapted for the screen. His debut novel, Death and the Conjuror, was nominated for the Capital Crime Award for Debut Novel of the Year and the Historical Writers' Association Debut Crown. It was also named one of the best mysteries of the year by The Guardian and Publishers Weekly. Its sequel, The Murder Wheel, was named one of the Best Traditional Mysteries of 2023 by Crimereads and the Daily Telegraph, as well as nominated for a Capital Crime Award and longlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger Award. His third novel, Cabaret Macabre was published in August 2024, along with a collection of short stories, The Indian Rope Trick and Other Violent Entertainments, in November 2024.

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