Cover Image: Death and the Conjuror

Death and the Conjuror

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Member Reviews

Excellent locked door mystery that takes you back to 1930’s England. Perfect for those looking for their next mystery.

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I was originally given a free ARC, however, I wasn’t able to read it prior to it being archived and had to find it elsewhere. This was a fun book to read. It follows a magician who is helping to solve the murder of an Austrian psychiatrist. I enjoyed reading this one.

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“But increasingly over the last few years, he had been conscious of a burgeoning subgenre of crime, … These were the “impossible” crimes—typically high-society affairs, where men in locked rooms were killed under impractical circumstances, ... Murder as a puzzle.”

My thanks to Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Death and the Conjurer’ by Tom Mead. My apologies for the late feedback.

This is the first in Mead’s Locked Room Mysteries featuring retired stage magician Joseph Spector. As the above quote indicates it is a locked-room mystery as well as a tribute to the golden age whodunnit.

London, September, 1936. Celebrity psychiatrist Anselm Rees is discovered dead in his locked study. There are no clues, no witnesses, and no evidence of the murder weapon. Stumped by the confounding scene, Inspector George Flint of Scotland Yard calls on Joseph Spector, a retired stage magician-turned-part-time sleuth. Who better to make sense of the impossible than someone who traffics in illusions?

Not only does Spector have an uncanny ability to explain the inexplicable, he seems to know everybody who is anybody in London society, including musicians, writers, and theatre folk. He also has a knack for getting people to open up to him, making him a useful asset to the detective.

Added to the original murder, there is an impossible theft and a second murder in an impenetrable elevator. It appears that all three impossible crimes are linked.

I so enjoyed getting to know Joseph Spector, whose upper crust accent could probably cut glass. This is one of the reasons I enjoy combining reading with the unabridged audiobook edition as its narrator brought an extra dimension to the novel.

I felt that Tom Mead did well in capturing the rich period detail of the pre-war period as well as creating a group of well rounded characters. I also appreciated that the novel opened with its cast of characters.

Overall, I found ‘Death and the Conjurer’ a witty historical mystery that was very entertaining. I have already downloaded Book 2, ‘The Murder Wheel’ and am looking forward to immersing myself in the next mystery for Joseph Spector and associates.

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I loved the mystery of this book. It was definitely a fast-paced page turner. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, it changed. The suspense was the best and worked out well for this book. The characters were well written out and I felt like I was in the story and not just reading it. I cant wait to read the next book in the series

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Brilliant. A masterful debut from an ingenious plotter and a worthy descendent of John Dickson Carr. Mead pulls off not one, not two, but THREE separate impossible crime plots within this book and managed to keep the reader satisfyingly in the dark until a brilliant moment of revelation near the end.

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After the locked-room murder of a prominent psychologist, Scotland Yard detectives call on retired magician/amateur sleuth Joseph Spector for help. Spector's background in sleight of hand as well as his connections with many groups of people in 1930s London give him a different viewpoint on the murder mystery which turns into murders, each one an impossible situation.

This was an okay book for me, there was nothing outstanding about it but it was a pleasant read and the mysteries were pretty solid. Spector was an interesting character and the other characters in this book were also decently written and fleshed out. I felt that it went a bit too long and the theft subplot could have been dropped entirely and not damaged the overall story. I enjoy mysteries, but this one isn't my mystery cup of tea.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for an e-copy of this title.

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"Death and The Conjurer" is a decent read, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. The story follows a young magician named Oliver who gets caught up in a murder investigation, and there are certainly some intriguing elements to the plot.

However, I found the pacing of the book to be a bit uneven. There were times when the story felt like it was moving too slowly, and other times when it felt rushed and confusing. Additionally, while the concept of a magic-themed murder mystery is intriguing, I felt that the execution of the idea was somewhat lacking. The actual magic tricks and illusions described in the book felt a bit underwhelming and didn't really add much to the story.

That being said, I did appreciate the character development in "Death and The Conjurer". Oliver is an interesting protagonist, and I enjoyed seeing his growth over the course of the book. The other characters are also fairly well-drawn, and there are some engaging relationships and conflicts between them.

Overall, while "Death and The Conjurer" wasn't my favorite read, it did have some redeeming qualities. If you're looking for a light mystery with a magic twist, this might be worth a read.

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Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. A murder mystery of who done it guess work. The first book in the Joseph Spector series. It keeps you going and suspenseful. Worth a try.

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Death and the Conjuror is the first Joseph Spector locked room mystery by Tom Mead. Released July 2022 by Penzler, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out second quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

This is such a stylish and well written historical mystery set in the interwar period in England. Stage magician Joseph Spector joins forces with Scotland Yard inspector Flint to solve several "impossible" crimes. Readers who enjoy figuring out "how" before the sleuths will find a fiendishly clever puzzle here. I gave up trying to beat the mystery about halfway in (impossible crimes upon impossible crimes) and just enjoyed the ride.

The writing is top shelf; engaging and smooth. The characters are believably rendered and the plotting is well engineered and sophisticated. The whole is redolent of the time period without being clunky or archaic.

Four stars. A strong series start. For fans of Golden Age classic mysteries, this one definitely delivers. The classic great authors of the period aren't producing any more stories, and this one really does evoke the time without being derivative or precious. The second volume (The Murder Wheel) is due out in late 2023.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

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Death and the Conjuror was a very griping mystery. It keeps the reader interested in the case from the very beginning. The characters were well developed and the twists and turns kept the plot interesting. A very good whodunit.

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Okay, you have to read this book! I normally can figure out whodunnit somewhere in the pages, but this one kept me guessing until the very end. SO GOOD!

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This is a fun throwback locked room mystery set in 1936 London. Renowned psychiatrist Anselm Rees is found dead in his study. The cast of characters includes his adult daughter who he trained in the field, her fiancé, the housekeeper, Detective Flint, Spector the conjurer, a variety of interesting walk-ons and Patients 1, 2 and 3, all successful in the arts. There's an actress, a writer and a famed musician and the notes on their sessions reveal much. Having been a fan in my earliest years of mystery ready of the classic authors to produced these confections, this had great characters and was well plotted. A bit of magic and old fashioned police work save the day.

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I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of A Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this ARC.

Death and the Conjurer was such a fun read. Spector was a charismatic protagonist and I loved the concept of a magician turned consultant. If you are looking for an engaging cozy mystery, then definitely give this a look-see. I give this book 4/5 stars.

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A periodical setting. Locked room murder. A retired magician helping with the investigation.

Set in London in the 1930s, the story begins with the murder of Anselm Rees in his study. A well established psychiatrist is murdered and there is nor witness, no clues and the police do not even have the murder weapon. So, Joseph Spector is brought in to help because of his experience with the trades of illusion. As the investigation starts, George (Scotland Yard) and Joseph discover dark secrets - about Rees’s family history, his daughter and his patients. There is no dearth of suspects. And then an impossible heist occurs and our investigators are left to wonder if the murder and the theft are connected.

There is something about mysteries set back in time before modern forensics, when all the investigators had was knowledge of human psychology and their own wits to solve a case. I also love to see the world as they were before. The way people spoke, dressed and carried themselves - so formal, yet there is something charming about it.

In Death and the Conjurer, our victim is a psychiatrist with some very ‘difficult’ patients and as such it would be very obvious to think that one of them may have a grudge (or not) and killed the victim. But then the author also presents us with a matter-of-factly daughter who doesn’t seem to be in any sort of despair over losing a parent and her less than gentlemanly boyfriend. There is a wide cast of characters for sure, to keep us looking. And Joseph Spector is an interesting character. I would have loved to know more about him, and wonder whether the author did not give us enough background on him to maintain a mysterious air about the character. Either way, I think Joseph’s character stands out enough to hold a certain interest. His way of thinking is something I enjoyed reading about whether or not I myself was thinking in the same lines.

A medially paced narrative, with just enough details about the setting and the plot, and a protagonist who is different helps keep the pages turning.

I have to admit that it’s been a while since a book has kept me guessing till the last possible moment and so, I absolutely enjoyed this book. I will be looking out for other books in the series.

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If you’re a fan of locked room mysteries (Agatha Christie style books) you’ll probably enjoy this book. it takes place in 1936 London, and it’s a police procedural with a magical spin. . A Scotland Yard detective asks for help from a retired magician, Joseph Spector to solve a crime. The book had some really interesting bits about magic. It was a little slow at first, but overall very enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mysterious Press this advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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The first line of the description of this book on Net galley absolutely hooked me in. 'A magician-turned-sleuth in pre-war London solves three impossible crimes'.
As a huge fan of whodunits and a passing interest in magic I knew I had to read this one.
It drew me in from the first few pages, I found myself wanting to read more each brief reading session I had. Lots of twists and turns and great characters too, Spector and Flint. are really interesting characters.. Cannot say too much without spoiling it but its a thoroughly engrossing read.
It is a perfect locked room mystery and a perfect homage to those writers of the golden age of crime fiction.
I look forward to reading more by Tom Mead.
Thank you Penzler Publications/ Mysterious Press and to Net Galley as always for the ARC..

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An engaging murder-mystery thriller set in 1930s London and centred around an intriguing stage magician turned sleuth Joseph Spector. The author invites the reader to try to solve this locked-room mystery as the story progresses, adding to its appeal.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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“I’ve gone from clueless to completely hornswoggled.”


This is a classic locked-room mystery set in London during the 1930s.

It was a fun read and a break from the intense thrillers I’ve read lately.

It’s a great setting for this type of mystery because there isn’t a lot of technology that can explain away the impossibilities. I was, indeed, ‘hornswoggled’ throughout the book as idea after idea was eliminated. How did it happen?!

[BTW- conjuror is another name for magician… this is not a book of sorcery or conjuring spirits…]


Joseph Spector is a “magician-turned-sleuth” and when I found that out, I knew I had to read it.


Personal Attachment

Many years ago my friends, husband, and I created a twenty minute scary movie based on true events (a light was mysteriously left on in our house while we were gone) and we took some… creative liberties. It would definitely be embarrassing to broadcast but to us it was hilarious.

BUT. One of our main characters was Devon— a MAGICIAN… AND… a DETECTIVE. There to solve the seemingly impossible murders. And is it not just the perfect combination?

I really kept expecting Spector to strike a Devon line, pulling a quarter from behind someone’s ear and saying ‘The quarter never lies.’

Unfortunately, it didn’t come to fruition but we get some other good lines in there from Spector.

The magician-turned-sleuth is an awesome character and I’m here for it.

Bonus: they do reveal how some magic tricks are done and that also gave me satisfaction. I love magic but I also want to know how they do it. I mean, for real, have you seen some of these people on AGT?!


Summary

Dr. Rees, a psychiatrist, is found dead in his study. The room was locked, the windows locked, and no other means of escape. He did have one visitor late that night who came and went, but the housekeeper knew Dr. Rees was alive after the visitor left because he took a phone call in his study.

In such a short window of time, how could someone have entered, murdered him, and fled the scene without leaving any traces?!

Of course there are several suspects: the housekeeper, three of his mysterious and well-known patients, his daughter, and his daughter’s fiancé.

The plot thickens when two more impossible crimes are committed shortly after: a stolen painting from a locked room of a different house and another murder in a different building— the elevator operator found dead in the elevator of which no one entered or left.

George Flint, the police inspector, acquires the help of Joseph Spector to figure out how these impossible crimes were committed.


Comments

True to this type of book, we follow Flint and Spector as they make their rounds interrogating suspects, checking alibis, getting theories, testing theories, and eventually the lightbulb moment!

Then, of course, everyone is gathered in a room as Spector presents the case and reveals the killer/s and/or thief!

I did not have it figured out. It was a tough case to crack. But the pieces were all there if you had the wits and time to think it through.

I was happy with the reveal. I thought it was clever and complex.


The writing style and flow as well as the vocabulary definitely put this book in the vicinity of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, Charles Finch type of stories. Some reviewers commented that some of the vernacular was Americanized, but I’m not from London so I didn’t notice at the time. (Mead is from the UK so not sure why there were inconsistencies.)

However, one thing that did bother me a bit was how, at the beginning, they made a big deal about how Dr. Rees’ patients maintained a high level of secrecy and how people would pay big money to know who his patients were. Plus there is the client/patient confidentiality business.

Well, after the doctor was murdered, Flint and Spector are questioning people and ask them, basically- ‘Did you know such and such was a patient of Rees? Why do you think they needed a psychiatrist?’ Um. I don’t think you can do that… Plus they completely negated all of the secrecy they tried to maintain up until that point.


Another thing that could have been a bit better was the character development of Joseph Spector. If this is a series and he will be the unifying thread I think we should have learned more about him and gotten a better grasp of who he is and why we care. It wasn’t overly obvious that he was ‘the main character’ persay.

However, my primary goal in reading this book was for the mystery, not necessarily the characters. That being said, I will definitely read the next one in the series, but I will be hoping for more personality and characterization of Spector as the face of the series.


Recommendation

I love a good locked-room mystery. And if you do too, you will definitely enjoy this book!

It was a quick and easy read. No profanity or sexual content.

Would recommend.

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

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1936 London is the site of this interesting locked room mystery by Tom Mead that is a throwback to murder mysteries written at that time. The reader is introduced to the characters, both the detective (official and unofficial), the victim, the suspects, and the important bystanders. Mead nicely paces out the story so that it is not rushed, yet does not proceed so slowly that the reader loses interest. Mead provides a nicely down murder scene, plus some exciting scenes with the suspects that help to move the investigation along. Of course there is a big denouncement where the murderer is revealed and gets his/her comeuppance! I will have to hunt up some more Tom Mead stories and books to see what else he has done with Joseph Spector. If you enjoy period pieces, locked room puzzles, and the like, do read Death and the Conjuror!

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