Having read Elly Griffiths's Ruth Galloway books, this was a change of tempo and mood. Very enjoyable indeed, I look forward to reading more of this series.

Another amazing entry in the series. I’m growing more in love with the recurring characters and settings, as the writing is both descriptive and emotionally intelligent, but never graphic. The individual mystery is interesting, and the main characters development moves at a pace. Brilliant!

This is my second venture into Elly Griffiths' Magic Men Mystery series. It's a clever gimmick, combining magicians and the WWII era.

Max Mephisto and his daughter Ruby are headlining at the Brighton Hippodrome, the largest theatre in the city. It's a real coup for the aging magician to get a gig like this. Also performing on the same bill, though, is a tableau act with nearly naked women as living statues, recreating famous works of art. It's daring and risque and not nearly as classy as an act should be at the Hippodrome. Things get even worse when girls go missing and are later found dead, killed and then set up into tableau poses.

I generally like what I've read in this series - it's clever, well thought through, and generally a pretty smooth read. But for those of us who enjoy something just a little bit meatier, it's also just a tad dull.

For the most part, this is a cozy mystery. This is a genre I'm typically not excited about - I don't read mysteries to try to figure out who dunnit, but for the thrill of the hunt. The hunt here is interesting and methodical and I absolutely love the background of these characters. The magician angle is interesting and the living portraits or tableau act is fascinating. I know that living tableaus were somewhat popular a decade or so ago, here in the U.S., but I'm curious if there was such a thing in Britain in the 1950's. If there was, I can imagine the outrage and scandal it might have caused to have women naked or nearly naked in the name of 'art' for men to ogle.

This is the sort of series that I might pick up if I'm wandering a bookstore looking for something to read. I wouldn't be disappointed, but I wouldn't be actively seeking out each new book in the series.

Looking for a good book? <em>The Vanishing Box</em> by Elly Griffiths is a serviceable mystery with great characters and settings but just lacks a little something extra that could make it really engaging.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Another winning series by Griffith' s that has piqued my interest with just one book. This series involves a magician who is best friends with a member of the police. Showgirl are being murdered and relationships are explored. Good character development. I will be going back and reading from the first title.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

It is the Christmas season. Max and his daughter and their magic show are part of the line-up at the Brighton Hippodrome, the city’s largest theater. In addition to them, there is also a controversial supporting act, a show of living naked “statues”. When one of the girls in that cast goes missing and is murdered, Edgar and his team arrive to investigate. Max and Ruby meanwhile are coming to the realization that there is something more sinister than a naked statue tableau going on. They figure they are on to something when more bodies begin piling up.

This book is part of a series. I have not read any of that series, but I was okay with this one, as it is a good stand-alone. Of course, some of the characters from other mysteries show up, but there is not enough in the book to make you begin to wonder who is who, what is going on, and if more back story might help understand things better. I also like the way the author switched between the theater performances and the police investigation, as it kept me engaged to see what would happen next. Finally, the book provides a good picture of life in the 1950’s, which itself was interesting and fascinating to read. I have not read more in the series but will be on the lookout for other books, hoping they will be as interesting a read as this one was. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Another entertaining installment of the Edgar Stephens/ Max Mephisto series (maybe the last?). Good story which keeps the attention as well as moving on the Edgar love story nicely in the background. Good stuff.

What an intriguing mystery. A real page turner. This was my first ‘Magic Man mystery’ and I look forward to reading more. Very enjoyable read.

Publish Date : 10/09/18
Author:  Elly Griffiths
Started:  11/21/18 (for ten minutes) Picked back up on 12/1/18
Finished: 12/
Pages: 368
Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Summary:
In a nail-biting hunt for a missing loved one, DI Edgar Stephens and the magician Max Mephisto discover once again that the line between art, life, and death is all too easily blurred.

It’s the holiday season and Max Mephisto and his daughter Ruby have landed a headlining gig at the Brighton Hippodrome, the biggest theater in the city, an achievement only slightly marred by the less-than-savory supporting act: a tableau show of naked “living statues.” But when one of the girls goes missing and turns up dead not long after, Max and Ruby realize there’s something far more sinister than obscenity afoot in the theater.
DI Edgar Stephens is on the case. As he searches for the killer, he begins to suspect that her fatal vanishing act may very well be related to another case, the death of a quiet local florist. But just as he’s narrowing in on the missing link, Ruby goes missing, and he and Max must team up once again to find her.

My Review:
This was my first Elly Griffiths novel but I've heard some rather good things about some of her other mystery series. This was definitely not a total flop for me but I did have some issues with it. I had a hard time with the writing style. The author went from character to character without any warning and it was hard to follow because many times, the character change would also result to an entire different setting change as well. Without warning, I found myself many times rereading paragraphs when I was realizing that there was a setting/character change. I don't necessarily believe that every single setting or character change needs a new chapter but some kind of forewarning would have been nice. I also had a little hard of a time with the setting as a whole. The morals of the story seemed to read at a earlier time frame than the 1950's for me. This may be a personal issue for me but I felt like this was taking place much earlier than the 1950's and I sometimes had a hard time imagining the setting of Brighton during this time. As I said, it would be my fault but I always thought of boarding houses and tableaux shows earlier in the century. This sometimes made it difficult for me to actually paint the scenes in my head.
There were many characters involved that took me a bit of time to get straight. The book for me fluctuated where I would be super interested for a few pages and lose interest for a few after as character relationships were focused on a bit too much for my liking. I feel like the book could have been a much quicker read for me had the pace matched the suspenseful plot. I noticed that even the summary didn't match what I was reading even at 50% in which was an issue for me as I was waiting for what I thought the book was going to be about for some time.
I did however admire Emily as a career woman. Being a female police officer would have been difficult during the time period but I wish I would have gotten more of an understanding of her character. She is not very girly, seems to live in a very whealthy family (having a father who takes out the Rolls Royce to drop her off at the theater). Her involvement in the case could have been easier understood with some more background about her. Her thoughts about the other characters, the show itself, and even the way she works could have been easier understood if she was more of a dynamic character.
This book lacked serious emotion for me. I feel like the mystery could have been so interesting but the book focused more on characters interacting that barely made sense of the mystery. In fact, I was extremely disappointed with who was responsible for our mystery as it made zero sense to me. Also, the unfolded romance for me also fell flat and was unemotional. How is this even happening and are you sure you're even in love? Besides that romance, Max's attachment to Florence also felt weird. As said, I haven't read the other books in the series and that may be a factor but all in all, this fell short for me.

Elly Griffiths is one of my favorite authors. While the Ruth Galloway series is her best, I also enjoy the Magic Men series too.

This cozy is part murder mystery, part relationship tales and part a look at the morality of the 50’s..

Set in Brighton in 1954 it opens with a visit to the famous Hippodrome and the introduction of several characters whose acts will be featured in the variety show. Among them are magician Max Mephisto, the star of the show, and his daughter Ruby.

Meanwhile a murder has been committed in a local boarding house and the body of the young female victim has been staged to represent a famous painting. Inspector Edgar Stephens, a friend of Max’s from their military days, and Sgt. Emma Holmes while heading up the investigation in an attempt to discern the killer’s motive discover that there is a definite connection between some of the boarding house residents and the Hippodrome show.

With striking imagery and nuanced characters, The Vanishing Box is a puzzle within a puzzle. Griffiths's vivid prose captures the mood of the as she skillfully interweaves the police investigation and the show-biz intrigue into an intriguing whole. The Brighton setting may be unfamiliar for most American readers, but they are sure to recognize the excellence of the writing and the clever mystery Griffiths has given them to solve.

One of my favourite authors. Another great book by Elly Griffiths. This series is different but just as good as her archeologist books about Ruth.

Each of the Magic Men Mysteries sucks you right into the story, and The Vanishing Box is no different. Right from the start the reader is transported back to the post WWII time period, and more specifically Brighton. I love the way Griffiths gives readers more detail about each of the supporting characters in the books. Edgar and Max are the main focus, but over the past four works you've really gotten to know Emma and Bob, and to a lesser extent Ruby. It's Griffiths' way of making you care about these characters, and root for them to find yet another mysterious killer that keeps one reading. I would definitely recommend this easy read to anyone who likes a good mystery, some magic, and a subtle understanding of human emotion. It's a read that will keep you interested until the final page, and hoping for more books to come. I know I certainly hope there are more in this series.

I have enjoyed Elly Griffiths' work since the first Ruth Galloway book, so was intrigued to pick up the first in the Stephens & Mephisto series when it came out - I've read all the books in each series as quickly as I could get hold of them! They're very different, and I like that.

The Stephens & Mephisto series is more historical fiction, rather than contemporary, and the period setting is interesting. Just as one example, Stephens is adamant about taking pictures of crime scenes with his box camera, although his superior officer thinks this is ridiculous newfangled nonsense. And, it contributes to the solution of the crime in this case.

I think one of Ms. Griffiths' strengths, in both her series, is her character development. In each book, the main characters are becoming more fully developed and evolving as events change their lives and perspectives. In each book, the recurring characters begin to seem like old friends. For me, that's critical. While the mystery here is more complicated than in some, that wouldn't be enough to hold my attention if the characters were flat. Despite the complication of the plot, I was getting little hints of what the solution might be - not enough to spoil the ending for me, but enough so that when all was clear, my reaction was "of course"!

The other really fun part of this series is the information about the development of the variety show in 50s British theatre. I'm enjoying the way this information is placed in the books.

This is a good, solid entry in the series. I enjoyed reading it, and am looking forward to the next one - there are some developments coming that should be interesting to follow!

I'm a big fan of Elly Griffiths and was thrilled at the chance to read this book! The story is engaging, the characters unique but it was the setting of 1950s Brighton which really made this story stand out for me. That being said, I would recommend reading this series from the start.

Serial murder mystery set in the 1950s among a variety theater group playing Britain's Hippodrome. Well-written, just not a favorite for me. It is the fourth in a series, and maybe if I'd read the other books, I would have enjoyed it more.

I enjoyed this novel from the Mephisto series. Elly Griffiths never disappoints with connecting the dots of several unrelated crimes in her books. I prefer her archaeology series, but these are always a welcome change.

This is my favorite Magic Men Mystery yet. Edgar and Max are both in Brighton and baffled by a string of murders which include eerily staged bodies and to which Max has a very personal connection. There are so many possible suspects and I was truly in the dark until the very end. It is a fascinating plot tool to include the backstage goings on of a variety show with a police procedural. There is continued growth in our main characters, especially Max, Edgar, Emma and Ruby. This installment has truly elevated the series for me.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin and NetGalley for a digital ARC of new mystery.

#TheVanishingBox #NetGalley
The best of this series so far from a favorite and very talented author. Thanks to the author, Elly Griffiths, Houghton Mifflin and Netgalley for this ARC which will be out in 10 days. I would preorder mine now if it was me.

"In a nail-biting hunt for a missing loved one, DI Edgar Stephens and the magician Max Mephisto discover once again that the line between art, life, and death is all too easily blurred."

This all takes place as Christmas is coming to Brighton and the famous Hippodrome theater. Post WWII Brighton is thoughtfully portrayed as the staging scene for the Magic Men mysteries, which jump between variety show scenes and the Brighton police department, through the lives of DI Edgar Stephens and his wartime friend Max Mephisto.

The action in this outing jumps between the on and off stage Hippodrome variety show and a boarding house for transient entertainers. A series of theatrical staged murders are at two separate locations but seem to have a link. When DS Emma Holmes goes missing, Edgar does everything in his power, in a blinding snowstorm, to pull off an impossible rescue.

This 4th outing of Magic Men mysteries ends with some interesting romantic liaisons being formed. Elly Griffiths never fails to write a terrific mystery which illustrate accurate history and very fine character development.

Max Mephisto is a famous magician and is friends with Edgar, a policeman in Brighton. They met in WWII when they were in a special unit doing magical illusions against Germany. Edgar is now engaged to Max's newly discovered daughter, Ruby, who is Max's assistant.

A young girl is discovered murdered in a bizarre pose in a lodging that houses theater performers. The pose is right out of one of the acts on Max's show. Then there's another murder and another. A show performer is killed and the manager of one of the acts. How do they connect to the first one?

I really like the time period and the characters. They are well developed and quite interesting. Max and Edgar's love lives turn very interesting and even Bob, a fellow cop, starts dating tentatively. There's plenty going on.

I came to this author through her excellent Ruth Galloway series. I am two minds about this series. I like it alright and yet I sort of resent it. I hate that it takes time away from writing a new Ruth Galloway. Then I think maybe it recharges her. This is a likable series full of interesting history but it's not Galloway. Sigh.

Thanks to Net Galley and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I enjoyed reading this latest Elly Griffiths historical mystery. The great strength of this book is the richly detailed and evocative depictions of the backstage world of professional entertainers. The author's diligent research is clear in the realistic way she depicts the entertainment milieu. This glimpse into a bygone era is well drawn.

I've read all of Elly Griffiths books (both this series and the Ruth Galloway mysteries) and as always Elly Griffith's writing is engaging and readable. While I liked this installment, I felt the mystery was lacking and the limited interaction between Max and Edgar was a weak point in the book.