The blood card

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The blood card

Title:

The blood card

Author:

Griffiths, Elly, author.

Series:

Brighton mystery ;

Series Number:

Summary:

"In this nail-biting transatlantic mystery, threat of mass violence looms over Elizabeth II's coronation--can Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens and the magician Max Mephisto crack the case and save the crown?"-- Provided by publisher.

Edition:

First U.S. edition.

Physical Description:

372 pages ; 22 cm

Genre:

Detective and mystery fiction.

Historical fiction.

Personal Subject:

Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1926-2022--Fiction.

Subject Term:

Stephens, Edgar (Fictitious character) -- Fiction.

Mephisto, Max (Fictitious character) -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

Great Britain -- History -- 20th century -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,

Publication Date:

2017

2016

ISBN:

9780544750302

Publication Information:

Boston ; New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.

Call Number:

GRIFFIT

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003248484	Adult Fiction	GRIFFIT	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

In the third Magic Men mystery, the first partially set in America, a threat of mass violence looms over Elizabeth II's coronation: Can DI Edgar Stephens and Max Mephisto crack the case and save the crown?

Elizabeth II's coronation is looming, but DI Edgar Stephens is busy investigating the death of a local fortuneteller. Meanwhile, his old pal, the magician Max Mephisto, is rehearsing for his television debut, a Coronation Day variety show. But upon hearing that their wartime commander, Colonel Cartwright, has been found dead in his flat, the two men join forces to find out what happened.

While Max is stuck in rehearsals, Edgar finds himself heading to New York, hot on the trail of a mesmerist he's sure has valuable information for them--and his trusty sergeant, Emma, investigates some important leads at home. As the clock ticks down to Coronation Day, the team must scramble to keep Max's small-screen debut from ending in a dangerously explosive finale.

Author Notes

ELLY GRIFFITHS is the recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her work has been praised as "gripping" (Louise Penny), "captivating" ( Wall Street Journal ), and "must-reads for fans of crime fiction" (Associated Press).

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

In Mary Higgins Clark Award-winner Griffiths's uneven third Magic Men mystery (after 2016's Smoke and Mirrors), magician Max Mephisto and Det. Insp. Edgar Stephens, who collaborated to misdirect German troops during WWII, reunite in 1953 London when their former colonel is murdered. Clues, including a newspaper clipping, an old playbill, and the ace of hearts (the titular "blood card"), point to a theater element and an anarchist cell plotting to disrupt Elizabeth II's upcoming coronation. With Mephisto preparing to headline a postcoronation TV show, Stephens flies alone to Albany, N.Y., to pursue a lead. Meanwhile, his astute sergeant, Emma Holmes, investigates a link to the recent death of a fortune-teller. The shaky plot relies heavily on coincidence and a gratuitously helpful criminal, but Griffiths excels at depicting the post-WWII transition from variety shows to television. A love triangle involving Holmes, Stephens, and aspiring magician Ruby French, the detective's fiancée and Mephisto's daughter, adds a human-interest angle likely to engage both series fans and new readers. Agent: Rebecca Carter, Janklow & Nesbit (U.K.). (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal Review

In 1953, as Elizabeth II's coronation is imminent, DI Edgar Stephens and magician Max Mephisto are distracted by the murder of Colonel Cartwright, commander of the Magic Men unit during World War II. Cartwright is found with the ace of hearts (the ostensible blood card) and a playbill featuring a colleague from their war years. Stephens is also probing the death of fortune-teller Madame Zabini while -Mephisto and his daughter Ruby are preparing for a televised variety show to air on coronation day. Clues lead Stephens and Mephisto to an anarchist scheme to disrupt the coronation and send Stephens to New York in pursuit of a mesmerist tied to their cases. Mephisto must perform his greatest illusion on live TV to thwart the conspiracy. VERDICT In this third series entry (The Zig Zag Girl and Smoke and Mirrors), multiple plotlines and instances of coincidence may become tiresome, but evocative postwar settings and appealing characters should draw in new and old readers alike. Fans wanting to know more about the real special ops Magic Gang team should check out David Fisher's book The War Magician currently under development as a film starring -Benedict -Cumberbatch.-ACT © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.