{"title":"Books by Tom Mead","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781804540916","title":"Death and the Conjuror","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU'LL LOVE TOM MEAD'S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn enthralling locked-room murder mystery inspired by Golden Age Crime Fiction, \u003ci\u003eDeath and the Conjuror\u003c\/i\u003e is the critically acclaimed debut novel by Tom Mead.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1936, London. A celebrity psychiatrist is discovered \u003cb\u003edead in his locked study\u003c\/b\u003e. There seems to be no way \u003cb\u003ea killer\u003c\/b\u003e could have escaped unseen. There are \u003cb\u003eno clues\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eno witnesses\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003eno evidence\u003c\/b\u003e of the murder weapon. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePuzzled, Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard calls on retired \u003cb\u003estage magician\u003c\/b\u003e turned part-time sleuth Joseph Spector. Spector has a knack for \u003cb\u003eexplaining the inexplicable\u003c\/b\u003e, but even he finds more to this mystery than meets the eye. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs Spector and the Inspector interview the colourful cast of suspects, they uncover no shortage of \u003cb\u003edark secrets\u003c\/b\u003e... or \u003cb\u003emotives for murder\u003c\/b\u003e. And when a second impossible death occurs, they realise the cuplrit will not cease in their \u003cb\u003edeadly mission\u003c\/b\u003e unless they are caught.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReaders love \u003ci\u003eDeath and the Conjuror\u003c\/i\u003e: o\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ene of the Mysteries of the Year for both \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Pure escapism and an excellent puzzle, ingeniously expounded' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Splendidly tricksy' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An intricate \"impossible\" crime that completely fooled me' \u003cb\u003ePeter Lovesey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A real treat for mystery fans' \u003cb\u003eRagnar Jónasson\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e'A beautiful, dark, atmospheric story' \u003cb\u003eVictoria Dowd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead all the perfectly puzzling Spector Locked-Room Mysteries from Head of Zeus:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e#1 \u003ci\u003eDeath and the Conjuror\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#2 \u003ci\u003eThe Murder Wheel\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#3 \u003ci\u003eCabaret Macabre\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#4 \u003ci\u003eThe House at Devil's Neck\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43205637406898,"sku":"9781804540916","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781804540916.jpg?v=1786027772"},{"product_id":"9781837932542","title":"The Murder Wheel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA 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...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1938, 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLuckily 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?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReviews for Tom Mead's Spector Locked-Room Mystery series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'In Joseph Spector, Tom Mead has created an amateur sleuth to rival Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.'\u003cb\u003e M.W. Craven\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Great fun.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e'An affectionate tribute to the Golden Age locked-room mystery.' \u003ci\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Highly entertaining.' \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSun\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘An absolute masterclass in the locked room mystery... I love this series.’ \u003cb\u003eVictoria Dowd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A sharply drawn period piece with memorable characters.' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44581256986802,"sku":"9781837932542","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781837932542_c11fe957-9e3d-47e5-9773-a8d4c2163e4e.jpg?v=1786034731"},{"product_id":"9781837932597","title":"Cabaret Macabre","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn English country house at Christmas proves the perfect hunting ground for a determined killer. Sleuth and illusionist Joseph Spector investigates his most complex case yet in this gripping new locked-room murder mystery.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'Cabaret Macabre\u003c\/i\u003e really had it all... The twisted and complex puzzle totally foxed me, and although I hate to admit it, I really didn't have a clue whodunnit! Entertaining and fiendishly clever.' \u003cb\u003eJoy Ellis, #1 bestselling author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHampshire, Christmas 1938.\u003c\/b\u003e When prominent judge Sir Giles Drury starts receiving\u003cb\u003e sinister letters\u003c\/b\u003e, his wife suspects Victor Silvius, a man who was previously locked up for attacking Sir Giles. Meanwhile, Silvius’ sister Caroline is convinced her brother is about to be murdered... by none other than \u003ci\u003ehis\u003c\/i\u003e old nemesis, Sir Giles Drury. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCaroline seeks the advice of \u003cb\u003eScotland Yard\u003c\/b\u003e’s Inspector Flint, while the Drurys, eager to avoid a scandal, turn to Joseph Spector. \u003cb\u003eSpector, renowned magician turned sleuth\u003c\/b\u003e, has an uncanny knack for solving complicated crimes – but this case will test his powers of deduction to their limits. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt a \u003cb\u003esnowbound English country house in the midst of the Christmas season\u003c\/b\u003e, a murder is committed in impossible circumstances. Spector and Flint’s investigations collide as they find themselves trapped by the snowstorm, in a place where \u003cb\u003eanyone could be the next victim... or the killer\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReviewers on \u003ci\u003eCabaret Macabre\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An intricately plotted golden age locked room mystery. Inventive and intriguing.' \u003cb\u003eAmbrose Parry\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'So many intricate layers to this ingenious plot. It truly is the matryoshka of mysteries!' \u003cb\u003eVictoria Dowd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A twisty-turny, fun and very satisfying mystery.' \u003cb\u003eAlison Moore\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Stunning. Magic and murder and cleverness. Joseph Spector will put a spell on you.' \u003cb\u003eBarbara Nadel, author of the Çetin Ikmen series, adapted into Paramount+'s \u003ci\u003eThe Turkish Detective\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'There are Agatha Christie-like twists aplenty.' \u003cb\u003eMichael Dirda, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReviews for Tom Mead\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Ingenious' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Great fun' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'What more could any fan of classic crime wish for?' \u003cb\u003eMartin Edwards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A sharply drawn period piece' \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An intricate \"impossible\" crime that completely fooled me' \u003cb\u003ePeter Lovesey\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54926143193461,"sku":"9781837932597","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781837932597_126d2ad7-cb65-4dc4-9a2f-c8d8147ec0dd.jpg?v=1786028222"},{"product_id":"9781837932627","title":"The House at Devil's Neck","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLIKE LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES? YOU'LL LOVE TOM MEAD'S JOSEPH SPECTOR SERIES!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis gripping locked-room mystery sees Joseph Spector investigate his most sinister case yet: murderous machinations at a haunted manor house\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil's Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIllusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector's investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil's Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReaders on Tom Mead:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Entertaining and fiendishly clever' \u003cb\u003eJoy Ellis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A master of the locked-room mystery' \u003cb\u003eBarbara Nadel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Ingenious' \u003cb\u003eVictoria Dowd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'What more could any fan of classic crime wish for?' \u003cb\u003eMartin Edwards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead all the perfectly puzzling Spector Locked-Room Mysteries from Head of Zeus:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#1 \u003ci\u003eDeath and the Conjuror\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#2 \u003ci\u003eThe Murder Wheel\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#3 \u003ci\u003eCabaret Macabre\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e#4 \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe House at Devil's Neck\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685919957365,"sku":"9781837932641","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":55897678381429,"sku":"9781837932627","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781837932641.jpg?v=1792599160"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-tom-mead.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}