Death and the Conjuror: A Locked-Room Mystery

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As the detective and the magician begin their investigations, they uncover another intriguing crime – an equally impossible theft – which seems to have links to Dr Rees’ death. Could one of the psychiatrist’s patients be responsible for one or both of these crimes? And can Flint and Spector catch the culprit before another murder takes place? This clever mystery combines a delightful homage to Golden Age detective fiction with a highly entertaining impossible crime puzzle – what more could any fan of classic crime wish for?”

German immigrant Dr Anselm Rees has recently relocated to London, along with his daughter, Dr Lidia Rees. Mead wisely sets the story a few years before the gathering war clouds would have complicated things even further. The elder Dr Rees – sometimes referred to as a psychologist and sometimes as a psychiatrist – has gradually acquired a list of only three patients. They are the musician Floyd Stenhouse, actor Della Cookson and author Claude Weaver. I enjoyed this story very much and the narrator did an excellent job narrating this book. You do have to really like this kind of old fashioned story telling where, in the end, the explanation for everything is long, detailed, verging on impossible, and requiring numerous contortions and eye squinting to really see how things pull together. But it was fun and I felt like I was right there in the parlor with all the characters while Spector laid out the happenings for us. Such clever fun although too clever for me.Many thanks to NetGalley and The Mysterious Press for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review Death and the Conjuror. All opinions and comments are my own. I love a story like this that lets you discover the mystery along with the detective, and in this case, his colleague who is a magician. At one point, the writer even breaks the fourth wall and stops to ask the reader if they've figured the mystery out! I loved that! And of course, I hadn't figured anything out!

The police detective and the magician are great characters and I loved hearing them think their theories out loud. At the beginning of the book, the writer gives us a list of characters. At first, I got a bit anxious trying to remember everyone, but don't worry about that, it'll all come together! It’s all wonderfully clever and very satisfying, even if I did only get a third of the way towards solving these mysteries. When Lidia and her playboy boyfriend Marcus Bowman arrive home late one night, they learn Dr Rees’ throat has been slit. His body was discovered by his patient, Cookson, and the housekeeper. Cookson arrived late in a frantic state seeking the doctor’s advice. This is a fun novel to exercise the little gray cells. I do feel the solution included some features of which we readers were unaware, such as the external architecture feature, but in general, an entertaining mystery for those who like ones similar to the style of Agatha Christie.

Reviews

The majority of this book is set in one of two locations, but the characters nor the story feel small. In fact, I'd say the small size of setting adds to the tension and terror and confusion faced by the characters. It creates this fast paced, curious story which is fabulous. Many thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review The Murder Wheel. All opinions and comments are my own. The pacing is slow, with numerous numbing recaps and restatements. No real surprises, very pedestrian drama, and the weakest of murderers. Scotland Yard Inspector George Flint is the official investigator in these books and while it can certainly be said that Joseph Spector out-investigates him, he isn’t your stereotypical blundering yet arrogant policeman, far from it. He’s well aware of his limitations when it comes to these impossible crimes and what’s more, he is really invested in solving the cases which means he not only embraces but also seeks Spector’s assistance. He makes for a refreshing move away from a somewhat tired stereotype in mystery fiction.

Who are the suspects? Dr. Lidia Rees, daughter of Dr. Anselm Rees, seemed to be matter of fact about her father's demise. Her playboy boyfriend had many secrets. What of Patients A, B, and C? Why did the Rees family emigrate to London from Vienna? So many unanswered questions. What a muddled mish-mash this book is. I’m very surprised a publisher actually considered adding it to their list. From the outset the premise seems very odd. While one has seen detectives of every stamp, it is stretching credulity rather far to believe that a detective would consult an ex-magician on his cases. The rest of the story seems peppered with nonsense, all of which makes for a very unsatisfying read. While there is not much that can be said in its favour, there is much to criticise.

Classic mysteries are fascinating social documents, crammed with insights about class, domestic life, culture, police procedure … you name it! It seemed natural to write about the 1930s because that was the height of the golden age of detective fiction. I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.* When a customer at the market dies after imbibing one of their bubble tea concoctions, the cousins become suspects, especially since it turns out Celine had added potentially lethal gold flakes to the drink because “it needed more razzle-dazzle, like those cupcakes with those harmless silver balls on them.” This book offered a second refreshing aspect in Edmund Ibbs, a young lawyer and amateur magician. Most of the story is narrated from his perspective which means we get to observe Spector from more than one perspective. What’s more, his presence also means that we don’t get to see Spector as uniquely qualified to solve cases since Ibbs manages to solve at least one of the three cases on his own.