Published 1st August 2024 by Aries.
From the cover of the book:
Sleuth and illusionist Joseph Spector investigates his most complex case yet in this gripping new locked-room murder mystery, set in an English country house just before the Second World War.Hampshire, 1938. When prominent judge Sir Giles Drury starts receiving sinister letters, his wife suspects Victor Silvius, a man confined to a sanatorium after attacking Sir Giles. Meanwhile, Silvius' sister Caroline is convinced her brother is about to be murdered... by none other than his old nemesis Sir Giles Drury.
Caroline seeks the advice of Scotland Yard's Inspector Flint, while the Drurys, eager to avoid a scandal, turn to Joseph Spector. Spector, renowned magician turned sleuth, has an uncanny knack for solving complicated crimes - but this case will test his powers of deduction to their limits.
At a snowbound English country house, a body is found is impossible circumstances. Spector and Flint's investigations collide as they find themselves trapped by the snowstorm where anyone could be the next victim - or the killer...
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Hampshire, 1938. Judge, Sir Giles Drury, has been receiving poisoned pen letters. His wife, Lady Elspeth, is concerned that a man called Victor Silvius, who was committed to a sanatorium nine years ago for attacking the judge, has restarted his misguided campaign of violence against her husband. She calls upon the services of illusionist turned sleuth, Joseph Spector, to look into the affair as discretely as possible.
Invited to spend Christmas at the Drury country seat Marchbanks, Spector detects that almost every member of this contentious family has secrets, and would be more than happy to see the judge meet an untimely end. So he is not surprised when a body turns up drifting on the lake shortly after his arrival.
Meanwhile, Inspector George Flint of Scotland Yard receives a visit from Caroline Silvius, sister of the incarcerated Victor. She claims that her brother is about to be murdered by the very man who had him locked up nine years ago, Sir Giles Drury.
The death at Marchbanks brings together the investigations of Spector and Flint, who find themselves working together to solve an 'impossible' murder. As the snow falls, and the bodies mount up, can the pair get to the bottom of the murky goings on in the Drury family?
I do not know why I have not read one of Tom Mead's books before, because this positively oozes everything I love about Golden Age crime fiction, channelling authors like my beloved Agatha Christie, and the tricksy John Dickson Carr.
In a story filled with joyful twists and turns, all the classic tropes are here in abundance, providing rich fodder for villainous acts and the instruments by which justice can be served: a classy sleuth, whose brain works on another plain; a dogged police detective and his team; a dysfunctional family of the highest order, bound by the need to preserve appearances; and a mess of dodgy characters linking them all, whose place in the grand scheme of things will be revealed in time. To stir the pot, Mead conjures intricate puzzles, confounded by locked-room murders, that can only be solved once Spector and Flint have cut through ta tangled web of lies and sins. And for the cherry on top, a snowed-in country house setting provides the back drop of my dreams.
I revelled in the scenes that anchor this novel in time and place. and relished all the messy relationships that plumb the depths of dark hearts, particularly within the wonderfully awful Drury family. The interactions between Spector and Flint are a delight too, with a lovely line in Spector educating Flint about pertinent points through conjuring tricks, and nods towards longer running storylines. This book is still immensely enjoyable as as stand-alone though, so do not worry if, like me, you have not read the other books.
My absolute favourite thing about this book is the original way Mead sets this novel as a mystery for the the reader to solve alongside Spector and Flint. He lays out his clues with utmost care, sprinkling them throughout the story as breadcrumbs for you to follow. And as the solutions are presented by Spector, Mead pin-points exactly where the relevant clues can be found so you can fully appreciate the deductive powers of his genius sleuth-hound. This was such fun. I am proud to say, as a devotee of classic crime, that I did spot some of these, but there were still surprises. Well played, Mr Mead!
I adored this book. This is an example of classic crime done well by an contemporary author, and I cannot wait to go back and consume the first two instalments, Death and the Conjuror and The Murder Wheel. Mr Mead, you have a new fan!
Cabaret Macabre is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Ransom PR for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
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