Who poisoned Bert Billingham? One of his sons thinks his mother Verity did it but she's determined to prove she didn't and hires Sam and Emma to untangle his history. Emma, married to Superintendent Edgar Stephens was herself an ace police officer before departing to raise their three rambunctious children while Sam, a journalist, has a way with interviews. Meg, a young WDC finds herself assigned to the case and working with Emma, an enlightening experience for both of them. Emma, Sam, and Meg find there was much more to Bert than anyone knew or will admit. including multiple, ahem, relationships. And what of Max Mephisto, who is filming a movie with Seth and struggling with his own marriage? Bert is the only one who ends up dead in this complex historical mystery but no spoilers from me. People aren't what they seem, appearances are deceptive, and this will keep you guessing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'd only read the first book in the series making this more or less a standalone for me and I was fine with it because Griffiths is good about backstory. These characters are terrific, each of them stepping off the page. A very good read.

Always a pleasure to dip into an Elly Griffiths book. I cannot recommend this author highly enough.

Midnight Hour is a very clever book that is the sixth in this particular series but easily can be read as a standalone. There is a brief who’s who at the end which will help you want to hunt down the unread books in this magical selection of crime mysteries.

The sixth in the Brighton Mysteries by prolific author Elly Griffiths, The Midnight Hour takes place in the 1960’s. With a reference to a miniskirt here, or a women’s changing place in the world there, Griffiths creates a book awash in the tone of the unsettled atmosphere of the period. There are regular series characters like Emma, former police officer and now wife to the Detective Inspector, Edgar and mother to their three children. There are also new characters such as Meg, current police officer and talented investigator working in a system that is still primarily a man’s world.

Within this conflicted atmosphere, Griffiths creates the mystery of show business executive, Bert Billington’s death. His widow, Verity, a former showgirl who is still a remarkable beauty, insists on dealing only with women as the investigation into his death deepens. She has achieved enough status to be allowed her off-beat behavior. At the same time, she is considered a suspect as she voices interest in the idea that women are capable of more than just taking care of their homes and husbands. Did she grow weary of that role with her aging husband and decide to solve the problem by doing away with him? Whose investigation, the police, or Emma’s newly created detective agency, will be the first one to solve Bert’s murder?

Throughout the book Emma juggles her life as a detective and her life as the mother of three children. She often takes them with her on interviews while feeling resentful that her husband has the advantage of not having the same expectations. She misses being a police officer, which Edgar only superficially understands. It’s not that he is unsupportive; but he is comfortable living with the expectations of the earlier era when he could count on coming home to a loving wife and dinner on the table.

There are a wealth of relationships that have been developed over the course of this with characters who regularly appear. For example, Edgar and the now famous Max Mephisto have a history that dates back to World War II when they were part of a band of magic men who came together to track a killer. It is not necessary to have read the earlier novels but it might provide a richness to this book if the reader is familiar with how the characters and their relationships have changed over the years.

The investigation itself has two prongs. First, Emma and her partner Sam, short for Samantha, have been hired by Verity. Then there is the official investigation featuring WPCMeg, with guidance from Edgar and her supervisor who is officially assigned to the investigation. This is partially at Verity’s insistence that she will only deal with women.

Max is currently filming a B grade Dracula movie with one of Verity’s sons. He also has a history with Verity that is uncovered as the investigation digs deep into the past in search of a motive. The personal lives of all the regular characters of this series are given as much emphasis as the investigation itself which will likely appeal to readers who have invested time in the series itself.

The pace of the book is steady for the most part, and picks up toward the end of the book by switching points of view from Emma, to Meg, to Max, to Edgar, and back. Rather than providing all the clues to the reader for them to then solve the mystery itself, the solution is presented to them by Emma who makes some connections and leaps that have gone unnoticed by other investigators. This puts Emma in the position of revealing the murderer and pointing to Meg’s abilities at the same time as it is Meg’s notes that have provided her the information she needs.

This book is probably best enjoyed by people who have invested in the series itself. As in real life, the regular character’s lives continue to grow and change, leaving the reader waiting for the next book in the series to find out what happens to them next.

My thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley who provided an advance copy of the novel for this review. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.

Emma and Sam have recently opened private investigation firm, and have been asked by Verity, a retired music hall star to find out who poisoned her husband – putting them in direct competition with the local police … and Emma's husband. Verity is at the top of the list of suspects as far as the police are concerned, but Emma and Sam don't agree. "That lady investigating team" has a multitude of possible suspects, and they work to whittle the list down until they finally identify the killer.

This is book #6 in this series, which was a pleasant surprise. After a two-year hiatus since the last book, I was afraid the series had ended. The setting has always seemed like a Hollywood-designed background for murder, but maybe that's just the way the author presents it. With Emma and Sam being the primary characters in this book, the reader got to know a different set of characters, although most of them were relevant to the case being investigated. There were several viable suspects in the story, and as usual, I was unable to identify the killer until just before it was revealed in the book.

While it was fun having different main characters in this book, if Emma and Sam continue to be the primary focus, perhaps the series should no longer be called the Stephens & Mephisto series. If there are more books to come, I will definitely read them, no matter what the series is called.

I am a big Elly Griffiths fan, enjoying her Ruth Galloway and stand alone books, and coming to this series late. I love that the Max character is based on her grandfather. I also love the positive and strong females in the series, Emma, Sam and Meg.

1965 Brighton England. Bert Billington rich and famous impressario is found dead in his own home it seems very
natural. He was in his 90s but when his own son blurts out to the police that he suspects his mother had a hand in
the death, the police have got to take action, especially since a post mortem shows that he died of rat poisoning
being ingested over a period of time.

Brighton Police have got competition in the form of a private detective agency of two women - one a journalist and
one a former detective herself who married the Chief Inspector and retired. Emma and Sam are hired by Verity - Bert's
wife and slowly they untangle so much in the past life of Verity and Bert (who seemed to have no end of people who would be happy to see him dead).

What especially marked it for me, was that women whether it was 1930s England or as recent as 1965 their position had
not changed much. Slightly derogotary was the attitude of the Police towards fellow workers and did not give them the
dignity of their position at all. It was an upward task all the time and women seemed to have to fight to get a position.
Many just gave in timidly it seems.

The detective story was an interesting one. Old characters coming up again.

Although this book is #6 in the Brighton Mystery series, it can easily be read as a stand alone.

The setting is the 1960's. A new female detective team, Emma Holmes and Sam Collins, are hired by music hall star Verity Malone to find out who poisoned her theater impresario husband, Bert Billingham.

This book is clever and well written. The action moves quickly and the characters are fully developed .As women working in non-traditional rolls, .Emma and Sam, as well as police woman Meg, added depth to the story.

I have enjoyed every Elly Griffiths book I have read. I hope she continues to write for a long time because I want more of her books.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC of this great book..

Perhaps you are already familiar with books by Elly Griffiths- the Ruth Galloway or the Harbinder Kaur series? If so, you know to expect plenty of clues, motives, and misdirection as the mystery is investigated. There are always several suspects, but as more details are uncovered they may point the finger at a different character than first seemed guilty. Elly's books also feature strong women who are in the thick of the investigation. This time there are two female friends who have opened their own private investigator office, as well as Detective Constable Meg Connolly. The PIs are hired by the wife of the deceased, which is a bit uncomfortable for the police superintendent since one of the investigators is his wife. What if the PIs solve the case before the police?

Since this mystery is also historical fiction (set in 1965), there are no cellphones or video conferences, and female constables are not even allowed to drive the squad car. When inquiries are made, they must be made in person, even if it means an overnight drive to track down possible suspects or witnesses who can give background information on the background of the victim. As the hunt spreads through Brighton and questions delve up dark secrets from the victim's past, the list of potential suspects seems to be growing rather than having possibilities eliminated. There are motives for nearly everyone who knew the deceased - lovers, employees, his own family. Who will work out the solution first?

There was so much going on in this book and so many characters I admit to having difficulty staying on point The situation is all very cozy until it becomes deadly and yet I never got the sense that anyone cared about the murdered man as much as the intricacies of the relationships and situations. Well, he wasn’t a very likable person. Actually, he was a despicable, lecherous user of young women and you know what we gals say about that - Good Riddance. Part of the intrigue is the cast of characters and who knew whom, when and where. Lots of characters, lots of relationships, lots of confusion. The interrelationships made my head spin and I had to keep muttering; “Now who was is that did it to that one?”

Elly Griffiths is a Master of this genre. I find her Ruth Galloway Series to have a darker, more threatening tone while this series felt lighter with more of a tongue-in-cheek bit of sarcasm and dialogue. While the Galloway series usually focuses on the relationship of Ruth and Nelson the Brighton Mystery series opens up numerous relationships and flows in many directions. Looking back to the 1960’s was a fist clenching, teeth grinding reminder of a women’s second class status told with a velvet touch and dry wit. Griffiths brings that realty back home and grounds it in her female characters as they speak about the inequities freely.

I enjoyed the book but what I absolutely adored was Max Mephisto’s rumination and summation of the whole story while revisiting the Palace Pier. It was cogent, cohesive - just perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for a copy.

This is another satisfying mystery with a theatrical background. I've watched the characters interact since book one and observed the changes as they age and their futures change, especially the women. I love the crossover between the main crew and newer members as the investigation proceeds. The victim is a show biz impresario who was powerful and had a lot of enemies. Main character and retired magician Max Mephisto hated the man. He'd also had a brief affair with his wife years ago. But then Max has had many affairs over the years until he married. Of all the characters in this series Max is the most enigmatic. He keeps his feelings hidden. He has friends but they are allowed to be so close, no closer. This mystery is as much about the characters as the crime and its solution. I am eager for the next installment!

Set in Brighton in the 1960s, this story is about gender roles, family drama, murder and mayhem. There's a new female private eye firm in town, operated by Emma Holmes and Sam Collins. Emma is married to Edgar, the police chief, which causes interesting waves. Meg is a novice policewoman who is willing to learn and adds her own flavour. And then there's flamboyant Verity Malone who in the past was a darling of the stage with no use for ruinous TV or cheating husband. She engages the investigators to discover who killed said philanderer. One of her three sons is a suspect. But so is she. In fact, there are loads of suspects.

Jonathan's antics are what makes this book for me! Subtle witticisms abound, too. Glimpses into home life add bits of reality which is an excellent balance to the criminal side of things. The overlap between policing and detecting is done very well. Talk about potential for future books as well!

Those who prefer their cozies with injections of grit ought to read the seamlessly-written Brighton Series. Elly Griffiths certainly does have a way with words!

My sincere thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this fun book.

The most recent book in the Stephens & Mephisto Series (Brighton Mysteries) was an easy and enjoyable read. Set in Brighton in 1965, a murder brings together a Police Investigation and the newly minted detective agency of Emma & Sam. What I really liked about this book was the prominence of women doing the investigation. Police Women Meg is a wonderful character, and hope to read more of her in the future. The mystery is very interesting, with new information being uncovered, which kept me guessing who was the murderer. It was also nice to see the investigation from two points of view, the police and the private detectives. I think the most unique part was that both investigations co-existed together since Edgar the head of the Police and Emma are married. This is a unique twist that really worked.

Thank you Mariner Books and Netgalley for the arc of the book. This is my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elly Griffiths for a digital ARC.

There's always something incredibly comforting about starting to read the latest Brighton Mystery. Elly hits it out of the park again with The Midnight Hour. It's like being at dinner with your favorite people in the world, with murder as a side dish. Emma and Sam have their detective agency going, When they catch a case that overlaps with Edgar's work at the Brighton police, the story weaves back and forth between their dual investigations. Did Verity, the former showgirl, murder her husband? It's going to take everyone's efforts to finally unravel the truth.

Max is there along with Lydia... he's getting a bit older and pondering his direction in life. And policewoman Meg gets plenty of page time, she is my new favorite character! Great to catch up with all the characters again, and I am already looking forward to the next Brighton Mystery,

The sixth installment of the Stephens and Mephisto mystery series, The Midnight Hour keeps you guessing at every turn: Who done it? Elly Griffiths has written another masterpiece with all the cast back to solve a double murder. Emma and Sam are on the case with their new private detective agency. There's also WDC Meg Connolly, continuing the strong female presence in the police force.

This time around, an aging star, Verity Malone, has hired Emma and Sam to solve the murder of her husband, Bert, who is rather a ratty character. They are drawn into the English Hollywood scene and run into their old pal Max, who is having issues of his own.

Twists and turns abound as the female detectives dissect clues and navigate the murky waters of how the elite and not so elite get on. And once again, Griffiths always offers more to the story than what you bargained for. This tale was entertaining and definitely keeps your attention to the end.

Thank you to Mariner Books and Elly Griffiths for the opportunity to read and review this mystery. The opinions expressed are my own.

Emma and Sam are asked to investigate the death of ‘the one and only’ Verity Malone’s husband. Her son thinks she did it. Others in the family think the death is connected to a jilted lover. As they uncover the mystery, Emma begins working more with WDC Meg, a police woman working in the shadow of the great Emma Holmes.

I was so excited to hear what happened next after Emma & Sam opened up their private detective agency! It's so refreshing that a woman can get married (even if she had to quit her job as a police officer) and still have a storyline instead of just fading away into the background as a vague keeper of the household. The descriptions of juggling childcare and working also were so accurate and made me feel very seen! This is yet another delightful Elly Griffiths read - not at all predictable, but also doesn't leave you feeling like the author held out on you and there was no way you could have figured it out or seen the outcome coming.

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from netgalley and Mariner Books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

I knew about Griffith from her Ruth Galloway series, so The Brighton series seemed like a good choice. I was unfamiliar with the music hall setting of Griffith's series and was surprised that it was a historical mystery series. In an interview with Deborah Crombie, (Jungle Red Writers, 29Oct21) she shared her grandfather was a performer on the Variety Circuit in Britain after the First World War. Griffith's mother spent her early childhood traveling with her dad. Thus family memories became incorporated into the setting of the Brighton Mysteries.

The series opens as England is emerging from World War Two and Variety is being transformed by the new invention; the television. By 1960 when The Midnight Hour is set, our protagonists have grown and learned. Edgar, is now the Brighton police superintendent. Max is still mysterious, but now is a matinee idol, newly returned from Hollywood. Best of all, Emma Holmes is becoming her own woman. She has opened a detective agency along with Sam Collins. Characters from earlier books show up. In fact, the victim, is the music hall impresario from book one. The dialogue, while remaining true to the era, is not stultifying. Instead Griffiths natural wit continues to engage the reader. Carefully plotted, ala Christie, Griffiths keeps the reader guessing until the conclusion. I was so taken with this world, that I paused halfway through the novel to order the rest of the series. Follow my lead. You will not be disappointed.

Very highly recommended for all readers who enjoy a good puzzle.

The Magic Men books top my list of best historical mystery series. Elly Griffith's unique characters bring the reader backstage amidst the live variety acts of the 1950s and chronicles the challenges of moving from stage to screen. Brighton of the past is brought to life; Elly Griffiths' writing is as magical as the series' name suggests.

This was a good mystery, although I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the rest of the series first. This book is the latest in the DI Stephens and Max Mephisto series.

The Midnight Hour begins with the death of Bert Billington, former actor and producer. Bert was poisoned, and his wife Verity hires the new detective agency of Emma Holmes and Sam Collins to find out who killed him. However, that puts Emma in direct "competition" with her husband, Edgar Stephens, with the Brighton Police force, who also is trying to solve the case.

Novice police officer Meg Connolly is excited to be involved in the case; women police officers were rarely assigned anything more than traffic duty in the 1960s, when this book is set. When Meg and the other police officers investigate the case, they find out that Bert was a serial cheater who wasn't well-liked by anyone, other than his youngest son. There are plenty of people from his past who could have committed the crime, especially since Bert once played the Rat King and was poisoned with rat poison. Emma and Meg team up to investigate the suspects, and find out much more than they want to about the lives of Verity and her sons, Max Mephisto, and Max's wife Lydia.

As I said at the beginning of this review, I wish I had read the others in this series before.I began this book. However, even without the background on the characters, I could enjoy solving the mystery along with the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reader's copy of this fun mystery.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read and review an advanced copy of this book, ‘The Midnight Hour’.

This series features two ex-military men who specialized in diversionary tactics in WWII. Max is still in show business, while Edgar heads up the local police unit. When a prominent theater producer dies and the cause shows he was poisoned, the police must piece together any clues to find the killer. Meanwhile, the ex-theater wife hires two women private detectives (one of which is Edgar’s wife) to find out who killed her husband. The police have the usual tough time getting the truth out of the family and it will take additional attacks to narrow down the motive and opportunity of the killer.

Elly Griffiths writes engaging and enjoyable British mysteries, and I always enjoy her stories.