A sparkling return to the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, where even the most fiendish of mysteries can be unlocked by a keen eye and a sharp mind... 1938, London. Ambitious lawyer Edmund Ibbs has got his teeth into the case of a lifetime - defending the young woman accused of shooting her husband in the infamous 'Ferris Wheel Murder' case. Despite a plethora of evidence against his client, Ibbs is certain he can secure her acquittal. But after a night of magic and illusion at London's Pomegranate Theatre, Ibbs finds himself behind bars, accused of a double murder. The renowned prestidigitator Professor Paolini and the operator of said notorious Ferris wheel are dead, and as far as Scotland Yard's Inspector Flint is concerned, all signs point to the lawyer's guilt. Luckily for Ibbs, illusionist turned sleuth Joseph Spector also attended the theatre that night. Can Spector's eye for detail pierce the veil of deceit in a world of illusion and misdirection, where seeing is not always believing? Reviews for Tom Mead's Spector Locked-Room Mystery series 'In Joseph Spector, Tom Mead has created an amateur sleuth to rival Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.' M.W. Craven 'Great fun.' The Times 'An affectionate tribute to the Golden Age locked-room mystery.' Irish Times 'Highly entertaining.' Sun 'An absolute masterclass in the locked room mystery... I love this series.' Victoria Dowd 'A sharply drawn period piece with memorable characters.' New York Times REVIEWS FOR DEATH AND THE CONJUROR: 'Mead faithfully replicates all the loving artifice and teasing engagement of golden-age puzzlers in this superior pastiche' Kirkus '[A] stellar debut and series launch... This homage to golden age crime fiction rivals the best of John Dickson Carr' Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2022 - Mystery/Thriller 'With a deviously intricate locked-room plot, Death and the Conjuror unfolds as both an elegant tribute and a cunning update of the classic 'impossible crime' story. Somewhere, the great John Dickson Carr is smiling' Daniel Stashower 'An ingenious locked room mystery. This is a fiendishly clever puzzle wrapped in a beautiful, dark atmospheric story. Utterly captivating!' Victoria Dowd 'Tom Mead has created an intriguing set of puzzles on par with John Dickson Carr in Death and the Conjuror. A true delight for mystery lovers!' Charles Todd 'Both a splendid homage to the Golden age of impossible crimes and its great exponent John Dickson Carr and a witty reconstruction of the classic locked room mystery with tongue in cheek bravado and a gallery of attendant, endearing characters, Tom Mead's debut is a sheer delight' Maxim Jakubowski 'This ingenious (and fair-play) locked-room mystery should win over a new generation of readers to this delightfully devious style of classic mystery' Gigi Pandian 'A sharply drawn period piece... Locked-room mysteries shine best with memorable characters, which is one of Mead's strengths' New York Times 'Mead maintains suspense throughout, creating a creepy atmosphere en route to satisfying reveals. Puzzle mystery fans will eagerly await the sequel' Publishers Weekly