This appears to be Tom Mead’s first novel, but he has written much short fiction, and this does not read like a debut. 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?” It's 1938 in London and young Edmund Ibbs has his eyes set on an seemingly unsolvable murder. A murder that has taken place atop a Ferris wheel at a fair. A murder plain and simple with the obvious perpetrator in everyone's sight is not all as it appears. And so Ibbs sets out to unravel the first of several mysteries with the help of Inspector George Flint of Scotland Yard and that Master of illusion himself Joseph Spector. 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. If Golden Age mysteries are your wheelhouse, don't miss this unique series. It's the genuine article. If I didn't know better I'd promise this was written in the era.

It’s perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, and all those other legends from the first half of the twentieth century. It’s a kind of umbrella term which covers all manner of impossible crimes—that is, crimes where there appears to be no way the criminal could actually have committed them. No matter how large or small an illusion, there is one thing to remember: your audience is in front of you. Keep them there. —The Master of Manipulation, “Ruminations”

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Is Tom Mead a time traveler? Death and the Conjuror is such a wonderful Golden Age-style mystery that it is hard to believe he wrote it in 2022! If, indeed, he is a time traveler, I hope he takes this book with him; I am sure it will be widely enjoyed. I've previously Death and the Conjuror by Tom Mead, and quite enjoyed the read, There's something really nice about reading a book by someone who takes mysteries so so seriously. And what I can say is - if you enjoyed that story, you will enjoy this one too. That is to say, if the most important element of a mystery is the puzzle - and particularly the physical clues, the timeline, all the paraphernalia associated with putting together the solution - you will love this book. It’s all wonderfully clever and very satisfying, even if I did only get a third of the way towards solving these mysteries.

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. I would like to thank Netgalley and Aria & Aries for an advance copy of The Murder Wheel, the second novel to feature retired stage magician Joseph Spector and Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard, set in 1938. We have a large cast of characters, including Patient A, Patient B, Patient C, the doctor's daughter and her rake of a boyfriend, an actress, a producer, several maids, the staff of a hotel, and more. Just a whole slew of suspicious people and almost witnesses but there are no answers. It will take magician and sleight of hand man such as Spector to figure this one out. Secrets, red herrings and sleights of hand abound in an ingenious piece of intriguing escapism.' Guardian Never mind rotating on a Ferris wheel, my head was spinning by the end of the book such is the intricacy of the plot and the number of red herrings and false trails the author has subtly inserted into the story.An intricate, elegantly written ‘impossible’ crime that completely fooled me. Tom Mead is already a master of the art of misdirection.” Solid 4 stars maybe even 4,5. Thank you netgalley and Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review Classic mysteries are fascinating social documents, crammed with insights about class, domestic life, culture, police procedure … you name it! 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 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.*