Death and the Conjuror
a thrilling new locked-room mystery series perfect for fans of classic crime fiction
-
- €6.99
Publisher Description
LIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU'LL LOVE TOM MEAD'S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!
An enthralling locked-room murder mystery inspired by Golden Age Crime Fiction, Death and the Conjuror is the critically acclaimed debut novel by Tom Mead.
1936, London. A celebrity psychiatrist is discovered dead in his locked study. There seems to be no way a killer could have escaped unseen. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon.
Puzzled, Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard calls on retired stage magician turned part-time sleuth Joseph Spector. Spector has a knack for explaining the inexplicable, but even he finds more to this mystery than meets the eye.
As Spector and the Inspector interview the colourful cast of suspects, they uncover no shortage of dark secrets... or motives for murder. And when a second impossible death occurs, they realise the cuplrit will not cease in their deadly mission unless they are caught.
Readers love Death and the Conjuror: one of the Mysteries of the Year for both Publishers Weekly and the Guardian.
'Pure escapism and an excellent puzzle, ingeniously expounded' The Times
'Splendidly tricksy' Guardian
'An intricate "impossible" crime that completely fooled me' Peter Lovesey
'A real treat for mystery fans' Ragnar Jónasson
'A beautiful, dark, atmospheric story' Victoria Dowd
Read all the perfectly puzzling Spector Locked-Room Mysteries from Head of Zeus:
#1 Death and the Conjuror
#2 The Murder Wheel
#3 Cabaret Macabre
#4 The House at Devil's Neck
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in London, Mead's stellar debut and series launch, an homage to golden age crime fiction, in particular the works of John Dickson Carr, introduces magician Joseph Spector. In 1936, Spector's Scotland Yard friend, Insp. George Flint, consults him in the baffling case of Austrian psychotherapist Anselm Rees. The doctor was found dead in his study with his throat slit so deeply that his head was almost decapitated. As the room's door and windows were locked, Flint hopes Spector, a master of conjuring tricks and misdirection, can explain how anyone could have committed the crime and left the room sealed. The pair pursue the theory that the murder was a revenge killing after learning that one of Rees's Viennese patients cut his own throat in a similar manner. Meanwhile, they must also probe two other cases: the apparently connected murder of a possible witness in an elevator that no one but the victim had access to, and the impossible theft of a rare artwork. Mead maintains suspense throughout, creating a creepy atmosphere en route to satisfying reveals. Puzzle mystery fans will eagerly await the sequel.
