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An Eli Marks Mystery #4
The Linking Rings
Eli's trip to London with his Uncle Harry quickly turns homicidal when the older magician finds himself accused of murder. A second slaying does little to take the spotlight off Harry, instead making it clear that someone is knocking off Harry's elderly peers in bizarrely effective ways. But who? The tale takes an odd twist when the prime suspect appears to be a bitter performer with a grudge ... who committed suicide over thirty years before.
While Eli struggles to prove his uncle's innocence--and keep them both alive--he finds himself embroiled in a battle of his A favorite magic routine of his has been ripped off by another, hugely-popular magician.
What began as a whirlwind vacation to London with girlfriend Megan turns into a fatal and larcenous trip into the dark heart of magic within the city's oldest magic society, The Magic Circle.
While Eli struggles to prove his uncle's innocence--and keep them both alive--he finds himself embroiled in a battle of his A favorite magic routine of his has been ripped off by another, hugely-popular magician.
What began as a whirlwind vacation to London with girlfriend Megan turns into a fatal and larcenous trip into the dark heart of magic within the city's oldest magic society, The Magic Circle.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 16, 2018
54 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
John Gaspard
102 books143 followersJohn is author of the Eli Marks mystery series and the Como Lake Players mystery series. He also has four other stand-alone novels: “The Greyhound of the Baskervilles,” “A Christmas Carl,” “The Sword & Mr. Stone” and “The Ripperologists.”
He hosts two podcasts: "Behind the Page: The Eli Marks Podcast," and "The Occasional Film Podcast."
In real life, John's not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less - that's no small trick. He's also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, those books made more than the films.
John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several greyhounds, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.
He hosts two podcasts: "Behind the Page: The Eli Marks Podcast," and "The Occasional Film Podcast."
In real life, John's not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less - that's no small trick. He's also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, those books made more than the films.
John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several greyhounds, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 19, 2017
Eli Marks and his Uncle Harry are in London to attend a reunion as a member of the Magic Circle. Night one finds Uncle Harry on the stage waiting to do his act. Next to him seated in a chair is the magician who was to perform. This person has a knife in his back and Uncle Harry is arrested for the deed. The twists and turns the story takes will hold your attention. Several more deaths occur before the astonishing end. I was able to figure out the killer but end took me completely by surprise. I recommend this book and series.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Henery Press through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 17, 2021
Eli Marks, his girlfriend Megan, and his uncle Harry are in London so that Harry can participate in a week-long series of performances honoring Harry and a circle of his magician friends. However, the week gets off to a bad start when the curtain opens to find Harry standing next to his fellow performer Oskar. The problem is Oskar has been stabbed in the back. Naturally, the police consider Harry a strong suspect, but Harry has another question – was Oskar the intended victim, or what is Harry?
The book gets off to a quick start and the pace never falters over the course of the story. I did find that Eli spends more time reacting to everything going on instead of actually investigating, but he does put the pieces together at the end. And I was having so much fun I didn’t care. While we don’t see the rest of the series regulars in this book, the new characters more than make up for it. The glimpse into the world of magic is wonderful once again, and I couldn’t help but laugh at some of Eli’s observations and one couple we meet here.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
The book gets off to a quick start and the pace never falters over the course of the story. I did find that Eli spends more time reacting to everything going on instead of actually investigating, but he does put the pieces together at the end. And I was having so much fun I didn’t care. While we don’t see the rest of the series regulars in this book, the new characters more than make up for it. The glimpse into the world of magic is wonderful once again, and I couldn’t help but laugh at some of Eli’s observations and one couple we meet here.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 19, 2018
“To see oursels as ithers see us...”
When his uncle Harry is invited to perform at the Magic Circle in London, Eli Marks takes the opportunity of turning the trip into a holiday for himself and his girlfriend, Megan. But things take a dramatic turn when one of the magicians slated to appear with Harry dies on stage – killed by a “magic” contraption. As Harry falls under suspicion, Eli and some of Harry's magician friends must try to find out what happened...
I love this series so approached this book with high expectations and it has a lot of the elements that make the series so enjoyable. Eli is a first person narrator (past tense) and it's always fun to listen in on his thoughts about the people he meets. Gaspard always presents the stage magic interestingly, without breaking the magician's code of not revealing how tricks are done. I love the interaction between Eli and his elderly uncle and, by extension, the older generation of stage magicians he knows from the days when stage magic was still bigger than TV magic.
But the transplanting of the characters to London didn't work so well for me. Thankfully Gaspard doesn't go the funny accent route, but he does keep suggesting that perfectly commonplace English expressions are actually American in origin and therefore hard for us old-fashioned throwbacks to use confidently. And when Eli began to refer to his hotel as Fawlty Towers, it set my teeth on edge somewhat. It's such a cliché. I also can't help but get picky about factual inaccuracies that could have been sorted by a little research: for example, the suggestion that magistrates are responsible for charging people with crimes, or a police officer using the term 'capital crime' in a country that abolished capital punishment back when the Beatles still had short hair. Irritating errors like these, and there were several more of them, tend to throw me out of the flow of the story. I strongly suggest that if American authors want to write books based in Britain and publish them in Britain, they should hire a British editor to give them a final look over before sending the proofs to the printers.
However, I doubt any of these things would annoy American readers, who will make up the bulk of Gaspard's audience, so hey ho! But I personally will be glad when Eli returns to Minnesota for his next adventure.
Otherwise, the plot itself is quite fun with its origins back in Harry's past, leading to enjoyable reminiscing among the entertaining group of magicians who've assembled for the performances at the Magic Circle. It seemed to me to cross the credibility line more than usual in this series, and perhaps not to be quite as “fair play”. But there's plenty of humour in it and Eli is as likeable a hero as always.
I know this review has been quite critical but I did enjoy reading the book overall, although it certainly isn't my favourite in the series. However, it was good to see the personal stories of the main characters move forward, and I look forward to meeting up with them all again in their next outing. 3½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Henery Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When his uncle Harry is invited to perform at the Magic Circle in London, Eli Marks takes the opportunity of turning the trip into a holiday for himself and his girlfriend, Megan. But things take a dramatic turn when one of the magicians slated to appear with Harry dies on stage – killed by a “magic” contraption. As Harry falls under suspicion, Eli and some of Harry's magician friends must try to find out what happened...
I love this series so approached this book with high expectations and it has a lot of the elements that make the series so enjoyable. Eli is a first person narrator (past tense) and it's always fun to listen in on his thoughts about the people he meets. Gaspard always presents the stage magic interestingly, without breaking the magician's code of not revealing how tricks are done. I love the interaction between Eli and his elderly uncle and, by extension, the older generation of stage magicians he knows from the days when stage magic was still bigger than TV magic.
But the transplanting of the characters to London didn't work so well for me. Thankfully Gaspard doesn't go the funny accent route, but he does keep suggesting that perfectly commonplace English expressions are actually American in origin and therefore hard for us old-fashioned throwbacks to use confidently. And when Eli began to refer to his hotel as Fawlty Towers, it set my teeth on edge somewhat. It's such a cliché. I also can't help but get picky about factual inaccuracies that could have been sorted by a little research: for example, the suggestion that magistrates are responsible for charging people with crimes, or a police officer using the term 'capital crime' in a country that abolished capital punishment back when the Beatles still had short hair. Irritating errors like these, and there were several more of them, tend to throw me out of the flow of the story. I strongly suggest that if American authors want to write books based in Britain and publish them in Britain, they should hire a British editor to give them a final look over before sending the proofs to the printers.
However, I doubt any of these things would annoy American readers, who will make up the bulk of Gaspard's audience, so hey ho! But I personally will be glad when Eli returns to Minnesota for his next adventure.
Otherwise, the plot itself is quite fun with its origins back in Harry's past, leading to enjoyable reminiscing among the entertaining group of magicians who've assembled for the performances at the Magic Circle. It seemed to me to cross the credibility line more than usual in this series, and perhaps not to be quite as “fair play”. But there's plenty of humour in it and Eli is as likeable a hero as always.
I know this review has been quite critical but I did enjoy reading the book overall, although it certainly isn't my favourite in the series. However, it was good to see the personal stories of the main characters move forward, and I look forward to meeting up with them all again in their next outing. 3½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Henery Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 13, 2020
Okay, by now I’ve become a HUGE fan of John Gaspard and his Eli Marks series. I’ll admit, I’ve loved them all so far, but there was something about this one that truly hit all the right chords for me. By far, my very favorite book in this series. I’m not sure if it was the location (London), the great cast of characters, the plethora of suspects, or the motive for the murders, but this one completely hit it out of the park.
As for the mystery itself, I managed to figure out some of it. Some of it caught me by surprise, but as always, Gaspard made sure that all the necessary clues are sprinkled in throughout the story, which is a must for a great mystery.
Even better, the Eli Marks series doesn’t have to be read in any sort of order. So if you haven’t read one yet, you can easily start here and know why I’m raving so much about it. Just a completely satisfying read.
As for the mystery itself, I managed to figure out some of it. Some of it caught me by surprise, but as always, Gaspard made sure that all the necessary clues are sprinkled in throughout the story, which is a must for a great mystery.
Even better, the Eli Marks series doesn’t have to be read in any sort of order. So if you haven’t read one yet, you can easily start here and know why I’m raving so much about it. Just a completely satisfying read.
February 9, 2018
“The Linking Rings” earns 5/5 Magically Murderous Performances!
Abracadabra! This newbie to John Gaspard’s Eli Marks Mystery series…is now a fan! Gaspard has penned a very engaging plot with clever, sometimes quirky, characters and weaved in reference to distinct historical figures in the magician community and descriptions, not disclosures, of skillful illusions. In this fourth book, “The Linking Rings,” he takes us to London where Eli Mark’s Uncle Harry has been invited to perform his magical artistry at The Magic Circle, a preeminent and exclusive magician’s club. Joined by another respected magician Oskar Korhonen, they both would also receive The Davant Award for their life’s work. But, as the enthusiastic crowd applauds the pair, it becomes clear something is very wrong. Yes, deadly wrong, and Uncle Harry is handcuffed and arrested! Since it looks like no one’s going home anytime soon, the group gets an offer to stay at Laurence Baxter’s estate, one of Harry’s friends and himself a magician. And when another dead body appears, Eli and former police inspector McHugh think one of the aged magicians may be the next target or the killer. But just as any good magician will tell you, misdirection is the key to any wonderful illusion. Ok, I'm hooked!
Who wouldn't be fascinated by magicians and the illusions they create! I remember my grandfather pulling coins out of my ear when I was four-years-old and going back to him for more and more, until he looked deep in my ear and said, “It's empty!” Gaspard has provided a story rich with engaging twists and turns and a delightful sense of humor. I had some queries about background as the series has four books already, and some references to London sites and British personalities were inaccurate (Judi, not Judy), but the plot, characters, and a “surprise” ending more than made up for it. In the background we have an old friend of Eli’s popping in and the continuing relationship between Eli and Megan. I highly recommend “The Linking Rings.”
“Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from NetGalley. However, this voluntary review is my honest opinion and insights.
Abracadabra! This newbie to John Gaspard’s Eli Marks Mystery series…is now a fan! Gaspard has penned a very engaging plot with clever, sometimes quirky, characters and weaved in reference to distinct historical figures in the magician community and descriptions, not disclosures, of skillful illusions. In this fourth book, “The Linking Rings,” he takes us to London where Eli Mark’s Uncle Harry has been invited to perform his magical artistry at The Magic Circle, a preeminent and exclusive magician’s club. Joined by another respected magician Oskar Korhonen, they both would also receive The Davant Award for their life’s work. But, as the enthusiastic crowd applauds the pair, it becomes clear something is very wrong. Yes, deadly wrong, and Uncle Harry is handcuffed and arrested! Since it looks like no one’s going home anytime soon, the group gets an offer to stay at Laurence Baxter’s estate, one of Harry’s friends and himself a magician. And when another dead body appears, Eli and former police inspector McHugh think one of the aged magicians may be the next target or the killer. But just as any good magician will tell you, misdirection is the key to any wonderful illusion. Ok, I'm hooked!
Who wouldn't be fascinated by magicians and the illusions they create! I remember my grandfather pulling coins out of my ear when I was four-years-old and going back to him for more and more, until he looked deep in my ear and said, “It's empty!” Gaspard has provided a story rich with engaging twists and turns and a delightful sense of humor. I had some queries about background as the series has four books already, and some references to London sites and British personalities were inaccurate (Judi, not Judy), but the plot, characters, and a “surprise” ending more than made up for it. In the background we have an old friend of Eli’s popping in and the continuing relationship between Eli and Megan. I highly recommend “The Linking Rings.”
“Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from NetGalley. However, this voluntary review is my honest opinion and insights.
February 18, 2025
I don't know what it is about this series, but I have really enjoyed these books. Maybe it's the magician/illusionist angle, but I suspect it's more because of the relationship between Eli and his Uncle Harry, which goes way beyond mere family ties.
This book takes Harry and Eli from Milwaukee to London for a special magical performance, and although I missed the regular secondary characters, there were enough 'special guest performers' to fill the void. Harry was in his element, and Eli was almost starstruck at meeting so many of his professional heroes.
Although the characters weren't locked in at one location, the story had a locked room feel to it - all of the victims, and there were quite a few, were from the same group of performers, so it made me wonder "Who's next?" As more bodies were found, the pool of suspects grew smaller and smaller. I was suspicious of a couple of characters, so I wasn't completely surprised by the reveal, except for the motive.
There are two books left in this series, and I have both in my audiobook library, but I'll probably wait a while before listening to the next book to make the series last longer :)
This book takes Harry and Eli from Milwaukee to London for a special magical performance, and although I missed the regular secondary characters, there were enough 'special guest performers' to fill the void. Harry was in his element, and Eli was almost starstruck at meeting so many of his professional heroes.
Although the characters weren't locked in at one location, the story had a locked room feel to it - all of the victims, and there were quite a few, were from the same group of performers, so it made me wonder "Who's next?" As more bodies were found, the pool of suspects grew smaller and smaller. I was suspicious of a couple of characters, so I wasn't completely surprised by the reveal, except for the motive.
There are two books left in this series, and I have both in my audiobook library, but I'll probably wait a while before listening to the next book to make the series last longer :)
January 10, 2024
Always a ton of fun. Highly recommended.
April 30, 2022
4th in the series about a magician and his uncle, also a magician who owns a magic shop. I'm enjoying these and plan to continue the series (I think there are 8 so far.)
January 20, 2018
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Linking Rings is the 4th Eli Marks mystery by John Gaspard. I read it as a standalone and it worked very well. I intend to chase down the first three books in the series.
The 'hook' for the series is that the main characters are, and the action happens around, magicians and their performances. The main character, Eli, is a performer and co-owns a magic store with his famous uncle Harry, also a magician. Harry and Eli are off to London for a special set of performances at a famous magic venue, The Magic Circle. The performance schedule is upended when one of Uncle Harry's former cronies, Oskar, is literally stabbed in the back by a chair prop on their first night.
This is a traditional whodunnit. The characters are maybe a bit standard (the bumbler, the femme fatale, the lush, the womanizer, etc), but they're pretty well written and the book is a fun read. The dialogue is well written and the foreshadowing and clues are presented creatively and relatively subtly. One thing I really enjoyed a lot about this book was the humor. The main characters definitely don't take themselves too seriously and the dialogue is often sparkling and witty. I really liked the repartee and patter between Roy and his wife, Roxanne; they seemed to genuinely like one another (at least under the surface).
This is a clean mystery and the murders (though one of them is fairly horrific) are all written tamely and without graphic descriptions. The dialogue is also clean and except for an occasional 'hell' or 'damn' has nothing which will dismay readers.
I enjoyed it very much and recommend it to lovers of classic amateur sleuth fiction. One small caveat, the author writes at a couple of different points in the book that Eli's uncle Harry is being held because murder is 'a capital crime' in the UK. I thought at first that the book itself was set pre-1965 (the point at which capital punishment was abolished in Great Britain), but then the author talks about clearly modern landmarks like the London Eye. It's not a huge discrepancy and it doesn't have any overall effect on the plot, so it isn't going to be any sort of issue for the vast majority of readers.
I intend to find the first three books in the series, high praise from me.
Four stars, well written and entertaining.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
The Linking Rings is the 4th Eli Marks mystery by John Gaspard. I read it as a standalone and it worked very well. I intend to chase down the first three books in the series.
The 'hook' for the series is that the main characters are, and the action happens around, magicians and their performances. The main character, Eli, is a performer and co-owns a magic store with his famous uncle Harry, also a magician. Harry and Eli are off to London for a special set of performances at a famous magic venue, The Magic Circle. The performance schedule is upended when one of Uncle Harry's former cronies, Oskar, is literally stabbed in the back by a chair prop on their first night.
This is a traditional whodunnit. The characters are maybe a bit standard (the bumbler, the femme fatale, the lush, the womanizer, etc), but they're pretty well written and the book is a fun read. The dialogue is well written and the foreshadowing and clues are presented creatively and relatively subtly. One thing I really enjoyed a lot about this book was the humor. The main characters definitely don't take themselves too seriously and the dialogue is often sparkling and witty. I really liked the repartee and patter between Roy and his wife, Roxanne; they seemed to genuinely like one another (at least under the surface).
This is a clean mystery and the murders (though one of them is fairly horrific) are all written tamely and without graphic descriptions. The dialogue is also clean and except for an occasional 'hell' or 'damn' has nothing which will dismay readers.
I enjoyed it very much and recommend it to lovers of classic amateur sleuth fiction. One small caveat, the author writes at a couple of different points in the book that Eli's uncle Harry is being held because murder is 'a capital crime' in the UK. I thought at first that the book itself was set pre-1965 (the point at which capital punishment was abolished in Great Britain), but then the author talks about clearly modern landmarks like the London Eye. It's not a huge discrepancy and it doesn't have any overall effect on the plot, so it isn't going to be any sort of issue for the vast majority of readers.
I intend to find the first three books in the series, high praise from me.
Four stars, well written and entertaining.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
January 1, 2019
I really enjoy this series...from the magic to the mystery to the romance (even though that is such a small part).
In this 4th book, Eli is caught up in several murders in London. Plus a bit of a scuffle with his high school classmate, Jake North. Eli and Harry have flown to London so that Harry can participate in a show with his cronies never expecting to be caught up in the middle of a murder (or two or three)!
The mystery is well written - I only sort of guessed the murderer but not until the end when the clues were being revealed. It was quite surprising the events that unfolded at the end, but not too surprising when you consider the motive and the players. I liked the banter between Roy and Roxanne, it was quite comical. The other characters/magicians were intriguing due to their role and their chosen profession. There was a bit of tension between Eli and Jake, but considering the facts this is not too surprising.
There is a nice romantic twist at the end with Megan. I rather like her character because she comes across as very down to earth and low key.
In this 4th book, Eli is caught up in several murders in London. Plus a bit of a scuffle with his high school classmate, Jake North. Eli and Harry have flown to London so that Harry can participate in a show with his cronies never expecting to be caught up in the middle of a murder (or two or three)!
The mystery is well written - I only sort of guessed the murderer but not until the end when the clues were being revealed. It was quite surprising the events that unfolded at the end, but not too surprising when you consider the motive and the players. I liked the banter between Roy and Roxanne, it was quite comical. The other characters/magicians were intriguing due to their role and their chosen profession. There was a bit of tension between Eli and Jake, but considering the facts this is not too surprising.
There is a nice romantic twist at the end with Megan. I rather like her character because she comes across as very down to earth and low key.
March 13, 2018
This title is the fourth in the Eli Marks series; I read the one before it and loved it, but you will be fine if you’re jumping in uninitiated. Thanks go to Net Galley and Henery Press for the review copy, which I received free and early in exchange for this honest review. The book is now for sale.
Eli and his girlfriend, Megan, head to London, where he and his Uncle Harry are attending a sort of reunion with a group of magicians. When one of them is murdered, Harry is arrested and so Eli investigates in order to clear his uncle. Along the way more magicians are killed, and Eli discovers that another magician, a TV magician that holds little respect from his peers, has stolen Eli’s signature act.
Gaspard writes a solid mystery, with a manageable number of characters with a complex but blessedly linear plot. His sense of humor slays me. That said, I blanched a few times at the gender stereotypes, which aren’t entirely redeemed by the brief discussion about sexism in the industry. However, the last fifteen percent of the story is so brilliantly crafted—and so hilarious—that I could only bow in awe when it was over.
Recommended to those that enjoy a cozy mystery.
Eli and his girlfriend, Megan, head to London, where he and his Uncle Harry are attending a sort of reunion with a group of magicians. When one of them is murdered, Harry is arrested and so Eli investigates in order to clear his uncle. Along the way more magicians are killed, and Eli discovers that another magician, a TV magician that holds little respect from his peers, has stolen Eli’s signature act.
Gaspard writes a solid mystery, with a manageable number of characters with a complex but blessedly linear plot. His sense of humor slays me. That said, I blanched a few times at the gender stereotypes, which aren’t entirely redeemed by the brief discussion about sexism in the industry. However, the last fifteen percent of the story is so brilliantly crafted—and so hilarious—that I could only bow in awe when it was over.
Recommended to those that enjoy a cozy mystery.
January 1, 2018
The Linking Rings is a fascinating look at London’s Magic Circle, “ the most prestigious magic club in the world” (as per Wikipedia), through the eyes of an amateur sleuth from
America as he and his friends attempt to solve a series of murders which systematically whittles away at the club’s members.
As the reader makes his way through this unique novel, they are introduced to a number of real professional magicians as well as the characters in the story. This reader found himself visiting Wikipedia multiple times to understand the men and women who define the world famous magician that call The Magic Circle their home in London men like Jay Marshal, Tommy Cooper, and Chung Ling Soo. I did not look up every name dropped in the course of the book’s 250+ pages.
As the deaths mount up, the list of suspects diminishes, but enough are left to make an interesting and provocative tale. Though the presence of magicians might make one expect the appearance of the macabre and mysterious, it is clear that all the magicians (both historical and fictional) are professionals, trained to entertain more than to introduce an unknown spiritual world (i.e. a world of ghosts, goblins, beasties, etc.). Though a number of tricks are described within the pages of the book, no secrets are disclosed, except those needed to identify the murderer.
For the fan of magic, cozy mysteries, or English history, The Linking Rings will make a good book to grab on a cold winter night or any other night.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.
America as he and his friends attempt to solve a series of murders which systematically whittles away at the club’s members.
As the reader makes his way through this unique novel, they are introduced to a number of real professional magicians as well as the characters in the story. This reader found himself visiting Wikipedia multiple times to understand the men and women who define the world famous magician that call The Magic Circle their home in London men like Jay Marshal, Tommy Cooper, and Chung Ling Soo. I did not look up every name dropped in the course of the book’s 250+ pages.
As the deaths mount up, the list of suspects diminishes, but enough are left to make an interesting and provocative tale. Though the presence of magicians might make one expect the appearance of the macabre and mysterious, it is clear that all the magicians (both historical and fictional) are professionals, trained to entertain more than to introduce an unknown spiritual world (i.e. a world of ghosts, goblins, beasties, etc.). Though a number of tricks are described within the pages of the book, no secrets are disclosed, except those needed to identify the murderer.
For the fan of magic, cozy mysteries, or English history, The Linking Rings will make a good book to grab on a cold winter night or any other night.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.
May 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and am so glad I discovered this series. Despite having my suspicions confirmed the author still managed to pull off his own magic trick and surprise me with a twist that I didn't see coming. I am really enjoying the magic angle to the series and this book is packed full of them. The mystery was really good and had me guessing how and who the next victim would be, as I said I had guessed the killer but I was still hooked by the story and didn't want it to end. The trip to London was a nice shake up and with a few attractions mentioned it was easy to picture. Despite being in a different country, a lot of the previous characters are present and while not necessarily to have read the previous books I would recommend it, as the stories follow on from each other. I would say the characters are the reason I keep returning to the series but the story is just captivating. Off to start the next book.
Magician Eli and his girlfriend join his uncle on a trip to London for a reunion at the magic circle. An old friend of Harry's is good dead while performing a magic trick on stage and Harry is the prime suspect. When another magician is found dead it looks like someone is targeting the old friends. Who will be next? And Can Eli find the killer before anybody else dies? The killings are well planned and the killer uses magic tricks to kill his victims could the killer be another magician?
I like the narrator, he used a wide range of accents to bring the characters to life.
Magician Eli and his girlfriend join his uncle on a trip to London for a reunion at the magic circle. An old friend of Harry's is good dead while performing a magic trick on stage and Harry is the prime suspect. When another magician is found dead it looks like someone is targeting the old friends. Who will be next? And Can Eli find the killer before anybody else dies? The killings are well planned and the killer uses magic tricks to kill his victims could the killer be another magician?
I like the narrator, he used a wide range of accents to bring the characters to life.
January 15, 2018
4.5 stars
Eli Marks, his girlfriend and his uncle Harry all arrive in London and within 24 hours a murder has occurred. Eli and Megan are there for an extended vacation which was designed to overlap a short 2 -day trip Harry was making for a reunion of sorts at London’s magic society, The Magic Circle. As part of the reunion, Harry is to perform before the magicians with one of his peers. Before the performance can even begin, Harry’s counterpart is murdered.
This leads to Harry being held as a “person of interest” and extending his stay in London. In quick succession, other elder magicians start turning up dead. Eli, Megan and Harry, along with an ex-London cop friend of Harry’s, start trying to identify a connection between the deaths that makes sense and points to the killer.
This is the 4th Eli Marks mystery but the first I have read in the series. I was expecting the book to be filled with magician tricks and the minutiae of how tricks are worked but was pleasantly surprised that the book didn’t expend more time than needed on the tricks themselves. The magic is a backdrop to the actual storylines. The author uses magic to explain the reason for the characters being together and their interrelationships but doesn’t get bogged down in needing to expand on the actual magic “technicalities”. I found this to be a perfect balance.
Would certainly recommend this book!
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Henery Press, for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Eli Marks, his girlfriend and his uncle Harry all arrive in London and within 24 hours a murder has occurred. Eli and Megan are there for an extended vacation which was designed to overlap a short 2 -day trip Harry was making for a reunion of sorts at London’s magic society, The Magic Circle. As part of the reunion, Harry is to perform before the magicians with one of his peers. Before the performance can even begin, Harry’s counterpart is murdered.
This leads to Harry being held as a “person of interest” and extending his stay in London. In quick succession, other elder magicians start turning up dead. Eli, Megan and Harry, along with an ex-London cop friend of Harry’s, start trying to identify a connection between the deaths that makes sense and points to the killer.
This is the 4th Eli Marks mystery but the first I have read in the series. I was expecting the book to be filled with magician tricks and the minutiae of how tricks are worked but was pleasantly surprised that the book didn’t expend more time than needed on the tricks themselves. The magic is a backdrop to the actual storylines. The author uses magic to explain the reason for the characters being together and their interrelationships but doesn’t get bogged down in needing to expand on the actual magic “technicalities”. I found this to be a perfect balance.
Would certainly recommend this book!
Thank you NetGalley and publisher, Henery Press, for the opportunity to read this ARC.
January 11, 2018
****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review******
This is the first book in this series that I've read and the first book by this author. I enjoyed the mystery and liked the characters although I felt like I was missing out on some information about their backstories. That's perhaps not a surprise as it's the 4th book in the series, but this was missing some of the subtle background detail reminding that I've seen done in a lot of other series. The other thing that didn't work for me was some inaccuracies around some of the detail around London and British culture. This probably isn't going to annoy many people - because if you're reading it in the US you may not know/not notice, but as I work in London and use some of the things that he was talking about I noticed *big time* when underground stations were misnamed (twice at least) and other weird stuff happened. It was especially annoying as the author clearly had done some research - just not enough to realise that Judi Dench spells her name with an i not a y or that a live late night chat show wouldn't be on BBC Four... But I liked the mystery enough that I would try one of the other books in the series and hope if it's set in a different location I wouldn't notice any similar mistakes (if there were any) as much.
This is the first book in this series that I've read and the first book by this author. I enjoyed the mystery and liked the characters although I felt like I was missing out on some information about their backstories. That's perhaps not a surprise as it's the 4th book in the series, but this was missing some of the subtle background detail reminding that I've seen done in a lot of other series. The other thing that didn't work for me was some inaccuracies around some of the detail around London and British culture. This probably isn't going to annoy many people - because if you're reading it in the US you may not know/not notice, but as I work in London and use some of the things that he was talking about I noticed *big time* when underground stations were misnamed (twice at least) and other weird stuff happened. It was especially annoying as the author clearly had done some research - just not enough to realise that Judi Dench spells her name with an i not a y or that a live late night chat show wouldn't be on BBC Four... But I liked the mystery enough that I would try one of the other books in the series and hope if it's set in a different location I wouldn't notice any similar mistakes (if there were any) as much.
March 19, 2018
I enjoy these books, specifically the character development and Eli's first-person narration. His observations and dry humor are right up my alley. This particular story didn't do much for me, and I definitely missed them being home, and not in London. I also found the characters to be oddly apathetic as their friends, or at the very least, comrades, kept dying. It just seemed really off color for the characters we already knew and really odd for any character we believed to be human.
This definitely isn't an "I can't put it down" book, but it's enjoyable and witty and part of an overall well-written series.
This definitely isn't an "I can't put it down" book, but it's enjoyable and witty and part of an overall well-written series.
March 30, 2020
Took a couple hours off from reading Ulysses to read this fun short mystery. The Eli Marks series by Gaspard is a lot of fun for magicians, less fun for hardcore mystery fans as the mystery parts are always light weight. For magicians, on the other hand, not that one, the clean one... Oh, that was the clean one... never mind. For magicians the constant name dropping, thinly disguised descriptions of performers we immediately recognize, and references to real magic effects and real sleight of hand, and some not so real, provide a regular source of grins, laughs and the realization that Gaspard has done his homework.
December 11, 2017
I've only read the first book in this series and have missed books 2 and 3. This one takes place in London and the reunion of several magicians who all started out at the same time. Eli Mark's Uncle Harry is suspected in the murder of another magician (although I found that a bit unreasonable given the circumstances), but one by one, the elder magicians of The Magic Circle are being taken out.
The trip certainly didn't turn out to be the romantic London vacation Eli hoped. Strangely not all that suspenseful and parts dragged a bit.
NetGalley/Henery Press
The trip certainly didn't turn out to be the romantic London vacation Eli hoped. Strangely not all that suspenseful and parts dragged a bit.
NetGalley/Henery Press
March 21, 2021
Magician Eli Marks accompanies his uncle Harry to London where Harry is meeting up with magician friends for a reunion of the Magic Circle.
Unfortunately during a rehearsal, one-handed card magician Oskar is killed and Harry ends up being chief suspect. Of course, there are other murders of Magic Circle members, culminating with both Eli and Harry being in a tight spot.
This was another solid entry in the series and I look forward to the next book.
Unfortunately during a rehearsal, one-handed card magician Oskar is killed and Harry ends up being chief suspect. Of course, there are other murders of Magic Circle members, culminating with both Eli and Harry being in a tight spot.
This was another solid entry in the series and I look forward to the next book.
October 14, 2021
What a very fine audiobook and excellent series. The number of deaths was a bit distressing, but the tangled mystery itself and suicide note were excellent,
The London setting, subway discussions, bantering and evolving relationships among characters actually added an element of fun to distract from the many murders of old friends-and I can’t believe I’m saying this!
The London setting, subway discussions, bantering and evolving relationships among characters actually added an element of fun to distract from the many murders of old friends-and I can’t believe I’m saying this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
Eli Marks is a wonderful, believable protagonist - an actually good guy who is much smarter and more talented than he realizes. I loved THE LINKING RINGS! It’s an entertaining, well paced murder mystery with great supporting characters and realistic dialogue. And it contains no cursing or porn. Congratulations, Mr. Gaspard, on another winner!
December 22, 2018
Feels like the series is back on track. I figured out the killer pretty early on, but it was still enjoyable. I've always wanted to go to London, so it was neat to read about all the cool places and tube stations. I will continue on to the next one.
December 4, 2021
Love Eli Marks
These are witty, clever mysteries with a great protagonist - think Archie Bunker without the sexism. I'm glad I discovered John Gaspard. I wish him the success of Red Stout.
These are witty, clever mysteries with a great protagonist - think Archie Bunker without the sexism. I'm glad I discovered John Gaspard. I wish him the success of Red Stout.
January 17, 2022
A trip to London, what could possibly go wrong?? Betrayal by a former schoolmate, murder upon murder for Eli to get involved in while trying to understand English breakfasts and progress his relationship with Megan. This was a treat as was the other 3 books :).
October 19, 2022
(Audiobook review)
Oh dear.
Not up to the standard of the other stories in the series, the research of all matters English was woeful, and every time the narrator mangled an attempt at an “English” accent, I wanted to throw my phone at the wall. That’s why it took me three weeks to get through it!
Oh dear.
Not up to the standard of the other stories in the series, the research of all matters English was woeful, and every time the narrator mangled an attempt at an “English” accent, I wanted to throw my phone at the wall. That’s why it took me three weeks to get through it!
June 21, 2024
A great easy read.
John Gaspard writes easy to read fun books with magical twists. The Linking Rings is not only a good read but has one of the best twist endings in the series so far. The Eli Marks series is addictive. Start at the beginning and you will be hooked.
John Gaspard writes easy to read fun books with magical twists. The Linking Rings is not only a good read but has one of the best twist endings in the series so far. The Eli Marks series is addictive. Start at the beginning and you will be hooked.
June 4, 2019
Pip, pip and all that
Very good book. Interesting place with an interesting story and interesting people. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Very good book. Interesting place with an interesting story and interesting people. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
August 2, 2020
Love these Eli Marks mysteries. Don’t know why they are called cozies, cause other cozies have to do with either cooking or pets. These are really good stories.
September 30, 2020
Sigh. Again no magic reveals
I really enjoy this series. The characters are quite believable and likeable. Excellent mystery and good ending with a surprise cast of villains.
I really enjoy this series. The characters are quite believable and likeable. Excellent mystery and good ending with a surprise cast of villains.
November 7, 2020
Gaspard writes a delightful mystery. Again. Clever. Witty. Punchy. Plus there is magic. I look forward to more.
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