Illusionist turned sleuth Joseph Spector investigates a sinister conundrum at a 1930s theatre in this thrilling new mystery novel from Tom Mead, author of Death and the Conjuror, one of Publishers Weekly's Mysteries of the Year 2022.
1938, London. Young lawyer Edmund Ibbs has a new client: a woman accused of shooting her husband in the already infamous ‘Ferris Wheel Murder’ case.
The case proves to be a web of conspiracy, and Ibbs himself is accused when a second suspicious death occurs, during a magic act at the crowded Pomegranate Theatre.
Also present at the theatre is Joseph Spector, illusionist turned highly respected sleuth. Spector begins to investigate the mystery, but when another body is discovered later that same night, all evidence points to Ibbs being guilty.
With time against him, and a host of hangers-on all having something to hide, can Spector uncover the guilty party, or will he and Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard conclude that Ibbs is the culprit after all?
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for The Murder Wheel today. Many thanks to Tom Mead, Head of Zeus and Poppy Delingpole from Ransom PR for inviting me and for sending me a copy of the novel.
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Tom Mead discuss his Joseph Spector series at Capital Crime and immediately after the panel bought a copy of the first book, Death and the Conjuror. My review for that is coming soon but having read both novels, I am able to confirm that this sequel can easily be enjoyed as a standalone too.
The first locked room mystery of this Golden Age era crime novel has already occurred at the start of the book and gives The Murder Wheel its name. Carla Dean is awaiting trial for the murder of her husband, Dominic after he was fatally shot at close range while the pair were at the top of a ferris wheel. It's fallen to young solicitor Edmund Ibbs to build the case for her defence and it's immediately obvious that he is sure to become consumed by this strange and highly publicised mystery. The start of the book introduces Edmund as being fascinated by the art of magic and illusions. He has just taken possession of 'The Master of Manipulation' a book which reveals the innermost workings of stage magic. He is reluctant to leave the book when it's time for him to head for his appointment with Carla Dean but as he becomes drawn into an investigation with a rising body count and two more perplexing locked room mysteries, it becomes clear that fiendish cunning manipulation – of both characters and readers – lies at the heart of this clever novel.
This might be a Joseph Spector book but Ibbs is a wonderful character too; a hugely likeable everyman whose boundless curiosity after a second baffling murder takes place, this time on stage at the Pomegranate Theatre, finds him dangerously involved in the investigation. Spector is also present at Professor Paolini's ill-fated comeback show, which is fortunate for poor Inspector Flint who has to figure out which of the potential suspects – who all seem to have alibis – could have perpetrated such an audaciously brilliant crime.
The second victim is connected to the Murder Wheel case and with a previous brutal murder also possibly linked to the death of Dominic Dean, this labyrinthine mystery novel is a complex and hugely entertaining read throughout. There are, of course, several red herrings and surprising twists and turns and it's impossible not to feel sympathetic towards Flint who is faced with evidence which is simultaneously both damning and ludicrous. I rather like the inspector, he may have a tendency to try to make the evidence fit the crime but he is honest and ready to consult the brilliant, shrewdly observant Spector. It's the old trickster himself who is the most irresistible character, of course. Described as having a Mephistophelian smile, this singular illusionist is a captivatingly unnerving creation who springs from the page in this vividly atmospheric murder mystery.
The sense of time and place is hugely impressive throughout The Murder Wheel, perfectly complementing the excellent characterisation – a word here for Martha, the magician's assistant, who is particularly memorable – and the intricately plotted storyline. As with Death and the Conjuror, there's a wonderful interlude where the reader is invited to 'unravel the tangled skein for yourself' but my attempts to figure out whodunnit proved to be sadly woeful. If you love intelligent, elegantly intriguing locked room mysteries then look no further than Tom Mead's books; The Murder Wheel is first-rate crime fiction and I very highly recommend it.
The Murder Wheel is published by Aries, a Head of Zeus imprint. It can be purchased from bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Kobo, Amazon or your favourite independent bookshop.
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