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The Brighton Mysteries #1-3
Zig Zag Girl / Smoke and Mirrors / The Blood Card
Set in atmospheric post-war Brighton, the first three brilliant cases in a second thrilling series from the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries. If you like Ruth, you'll love Stephens and Mephisto.
THE ZIG ZAG GIRL
When a girl's body is found, cut into three, Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens is reminded of a magic trick, the Zig Zag Girl. The inventor of the trick, magician Max Mephisto, is an old friend of Edgar's. They served together in the war as part of a shadowy army unit called the Magic Men. Max is still on the variety circuit and is reluctant to help Edgar investigate. But when the dead girl turns out to be known to him, Max changes his mind. Another death, another magic trick: Edgar and Max become convinced that the answer to the murders lies in their army days. When Edgar receives a letter warning of another 'trick', the Wolf Trap, he knows that they are all in the killer's sights...
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
It is mid-winter in Brighton, pantomime season. Two missing children are found buried under snow in this chilling new case for DI Stephens and Max Mephisto, the latter starring in Aladdin. With fairy tales in the air, it's not long before the press have found a nickname for the case: 'Hansel and Gretel'. DI Edgar Stephens has plenty of leads to investigate. The missing girl, Annie, used to write plays and perform them with her friends. Does the clue lie in Annie's unfinished - and rather disturbing - last script? Or might it lie with the eccentric actor types who have assembled for the pantomime? Once again Edgar enlists Max's help in penetrating the shadowy theatrical world that seems to hold the key.
THE BLOOD CARD
Elizabeth II's coronation is looming, but the murder of their wartime commander, Colonel Cartwright, spoils the happy mood for DI Edgar Stephens and magician Max Mephisto. A playbill featuring another deceased comrade is found in Colonel Cartwright's possession, and a playing card, the ace of hearts: the blood card. The wartime connection and the suggestion of magic are enough for Stephens and Mephisto to be summoned to the case. Edgar is sent to New York on the trail of a small-town mesmerist who may provide the key, but someone silences him first. It is Edgar's colleague, DS Emma Holmes, who finds the clue that leads them to an anarchist group intent on providing an explosive finale to Coronation Day.
THE ZIG ZAG GIRL
When a girl's body is found, cut into three, Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens is reminded of a magic trick, the Zig Zag Girl. The inventor of the trick, magician Max Mephisto, is an old friend of Edgar's. They served together in the war as part of a shadowy army unit called the Magic Men. Max is still on the variety circuit and is reluctant to help Edgar investigate. But when the dead girl turns out to be known to him, Max changes his mind. Another death, another magic trick: Edgar and Max become convinced that the answer to the murders lies in their army days. When Edgar receives a letter warning of another 'trick', the Wolf Trap, he knows that they are all in the killer's sights...
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
It is mid-winter in Brighton, pantomime season. Two missing children are found buried under snow in this chilling new case for DI Stephens and Max Mephisto, the latter starring in Aladdin. With fairy tales in the air, it's not long before the press have found a nickname for the case: 'Hansel and Gretel'. DI Edgar Stephens has plenty of leads to investigate. The missing girl, Annie, used to write plays and perform them with her friends. Does the clue lie in Annie's unfinished - and rather disturbing - last script? Or might it lie with the eccentric actor types who have assembled for the pantomime? Once again Edgar enlists Max's help in penetrating the shadowy theatrical world that seems to hold the key.
THE BLOOD CARD
Elizabeth II's coronation is looming, but the murder of their wartime commander, Colonel Cartwright, spoils the happy mood for DI Edgar Stephens and magician Max Mephisto. A playbill featuring another deceased comrade is found in Colonel Cartwright's possession, and a playing card, the ace of hearts: the blood card. The wartime connection and the suggestion of magic are enough for Stephens and Mephisto to be summoned to the case. Edgar is sent to New York on the trail of a small-town mesmerist who may provide the key, but someone silences him first. It is Edgar's colleague, DS Emma Holmes, who finds the clue that leads them to an anarchist group intent on providing an explosive finale to Coronation Day.
727 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2020
About the author
Elly Griffiths
85 books9,811 followersElly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels take for their inspiration Elly's husband, who gave up a city job to train as an archaeologist, and her aunt who lives on the Norfolk coast and who filled her niece's head with the myths and legends of that area. Elly has two children and lives near Brighton. Though not her first novel, The Crossing Places is her first crime novel.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 1, 2022
Abracadaver.
A great read. Fed up with gore, alcoholic cops, car chases, broken marriages, all the crime cliches? Welcome to a deceptively quiet series set in post-war Brighton. We have a decent, rather shy detective and a flamboyant stage magician as unlikely friends and sleuths. They met during the war in the Scottish Highlands as part of a bizarre espionage unit. Now they embark on solving murders with echoes in their shared past. Full of theatrical lore, nostalgia, seaside life. Often quite exciting. Very enjoyable. By the end of the first story you feel our two heroes are friends. Lovely writing, full of sly jokes, with a flavour of the times. The last story even features the coronation and the onset of the killer of variety, the dreaded television. A miserable day? Read this and feel good.
A great read. Fed up with gore, alcoholic cops, car chases, broken marriages, all the crime cliches? Welcome to a deceptively quiet series set in post-war Brighton. We have a decent, rather shy detective and a flamboyant stage magician as unlikely friends and sleuths. They met during the war in the Scottish Highlands as part of a bizarre espionage unit. Now they embark on solving murders with echoes in their shared past. Full of theatrical lore, nostalgia, seaside life. Often quite exciting. Very enjoyable. By the end of the first story you feel our two heroes are friends. Lovely writing, full of sly jokes, with a flavour of the times. The last story even features the coronation and the onset of the killer of variety, the dreaded television. A miserable day? Read this and feel good.
August 10, 2023
First in this series [Zig Zag Girl], I enjoyed - being set in the 1950s and quite accurate in dialogues and attitudes, but come the second one [Smoke and Mirrors] the enthralling plot gets spoiled, in my opinion, by feminist paragons and her supercilious dialogues. Save us from boring - and inaccurate dialogue of the time - which weakens my engrossment in the story.
Good plot lines.
Good plot lines.
April 29, 2022
The Brighton Mysteries. Have read the first 2 books and am onto the third. 1950s. Milk-toast DI Edgar Stephens and magician Max Mephisto are two unsuspecting sleuths, and many more characters join them. Total entertainment.
March 23, 2021
History with Brighton and Metropolitan London thrown in. Three down three to go.
October 27, 2022
Magic
An excellent anthology of crime fiction novels set in post war Brighton.
Intriguing plots coupled with larger than life characters.
A brilliant read and highly recommended.
An excellent anthology of crime fiction novels set in post war Brighton.
Intriguing plots coupled with larger than life characters.
A brilliant read and highly recommended.
August 28, 2023
Great writing again from Elly Griffiths, love these characters and the twists in these stories are good too.
April 16, 2024
Love these mysteries!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews