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jo961blue's review against another edition
3.0
The first of my holiday books finished! A real delight. I love Elly Griffiths other series and devoured them in quick succession (and can't wait for #8 next year) so was intrigued to know what a series set in the 50s would be like! Well I did guess some of the story well before the ending but it did keep me reading! A perfect relaxing read for the end of the year!
vallariat's review against another edition
3.0
A good read but cannot compare with her forensic archaeology series!
readon25_'s review
4.0
The story is bazaar. I do wonder what the inspiration for this one was. It is an early book for Elly Griffiths. It would make a fascinating movie. I would like to hear Jeremy Irons read it.
aerussom_25's review
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
There’s not much I can think to say about this book. It was good and kept me invested. The mystery was written well and wasn’t completely obvious. I think I will eventually continue the series.
thetruthatallhazards's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Solid mystery, would read more by this author. Really liked the audiobook.
bearielle's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
libraryjen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
3.0
This historical mystery centers around DI Edgar Stephens and his friend, magician Max Mephisto who worked together in a group called The Magic Men during WWII. Their clandestine group worked in Scotland to trick the Germans into believing that their troop presence in Scotland was far larger than it actually was and they used illusions and tricks to do so.
Fast forward to 1950 and Max is still a magician while army captain Edgar has become a police officer. When the body of a young woman is found sliced into three distinct pieces, Edgar is reminded of a trick Max used to do and enlists Max's help in solving the crime. In the process, they reunite with a few of their old army teammates and one of them ends up dead. Max and Edgar must work fast to find the killer before they all become victims.
This is a solid start to a new mystery series and I enjoyed it. I figured out "who dunnit" long before the detective, but still had a good time. The book was cleverly split into 4 parts like a magic trick: The Build Up, Misdirection, Raising the Stakes, and The Reveal. If you enjoy a good historical mystery, give this one a try!
Fast forward to 1950 and Max is still a magician while army captain Edgar has become a police officer. When the body of a young woman is found sliced into three distinct pieces, Edgar is reminded of a trick Max used to do and enlists Max's help in solving the crime. In the process, they reunite with a few of their old army teammates and one of them ends up dead. Max and Edgar must work fast to find the killer before they all become victims.
This is a solid start to a new mystery series and I enjoyed it. I figured out "who dunnit" long before the detective, but still had a good time. The book was cleverly split into 4 parts like a magic trick: The Build Up, Misdirection, Raising the Stakes, and The Reveal. If you enjoy a good historical mystery, give this one a try!
vilmati's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
4.0
I am new to this genre and I understand now why this is so popular. Couldn’t stop reading while smelling the sea and feeling the atmosphere of the seaside.