Book Review: The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge,from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,  via Edelweiss, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it,  all opinions are my own.

And now for our second 'bloody' book, that also happens to be historical fiction!

Synopsis:

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.

Review:

Set in 1953, this book takes us back to when illusion and slight of hand were more than parlor tricks, and preceeded the ways of the internet. This mystery reminds us more of what we have lost, as Max and Edgar have to think on their toes, and use a lot of common sense and ingenuity to solve the mystery at hand. No running of computer checks or whisking across the country to surprise witnesses, no they have to go at a slower pace, yet the odds are just as risky. For those who like stepping back in time, this series will delight!

About the Author:

ELLY GRIFFITHS is the author of the Ruth Galloway and Magic Men mystery series. She is the recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, and her work has been praised as "gripping" (Louise Penny), "captivating," (Wall Street Journal) and "must-reads for fans of crime fiction" (Associated Press). She lives in Brighton, England.