Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our Nov/Dec 25 buddy read of The Vanishing Box The fourth book in the Brighton Mysteries series was first published in 2017 and may start getting us in the mood for Christmas...

What do a murdered Brighton flower seller, the death of Cleopatra and a nude tableau show have in common? Read the most dangerous case yet for Stephens and Mephisto to find out.

Christmas 1953. Max Mephisto and his daughter Ruby are headlining Brighton Hippodrome, an achievement only slightly marred by the less-than-savoury support act: a tableau show of naked 'living statues'. This might appear to have nothing in common with DI Edgar Stephens' current case of the death of a quiet flowerseller, but if there's one thing the old comrades have learned it's that, in Brighton, the line between art and life - and death - is all too easily blurred...

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

I've just finished it. I mostly enjoyed it very much, I'm glad that Griffiths has moved the relationship between Edgar and Emma along-don't think I could take a slow burn for another few books, and felt sorry for Max over Florence, despite the fact that he was rather unkind to Mrs M who I imagine fancied him more than he wants to admit, and so would no doubt have been hurt by his throwing her over for a much younger woman.

The big plot issue for me was, if Cecily was creeped out by Norris enough to move out of Edna's house when they married, why on earth would she send her daughter to live in his house? I can't believe that even in the 50's women wouldn't understand that a creepy man is a creepy man and doesn't grow out of it, and knowing her daughter looked so much like her was double reason to run a mile from him.

I continue to enjoy the glimpse into the world of post-war theatricals and magic, and was sorry there wasn't more of the relationship between Max and Edgar-I wonder how they will square his move to New York with the ongoing series?

Not sure why I connected with this entry so quickly, but I did and stayed up late to finish it. Max's flawed character was portrayed sympathetically. Poor Mrs M but at least she will have a new boarder to reminisce with.

This seemed so much like a series closer that I read the plot of the next one and things change quite a lot.

I never thought Ruby loved Edgar but evidently she did.

I really got into this one too, and loved it overall but was slightly disappointed by the ending. Frances, I must agree with you that it's unlikely Cecily would send her daughter to the house under the circumstances. I also thought it was too far-fetched for Edna to be so heavily involved - covering up for her husband is one thing, but for her actually to commit a copycat murder seemed too much.

Sandy, I also thought this felt a bit like a series ending with the sudden resolution of the Edgar/Emma/Ruby love triangle. I felt quite sorry for Ruby in the end - we saw a different side to her character after all the mentions of her being self-absorbed. It was a shame about Max and Mrs M.

I can hardly wait to read the next book despite the issues with the plot.