Tom Mead
“An intricate, elegantly written ‘impossible’ crime that completely fooled me. Tom Mead is already a master of the art of misdirection.”
–Peter Lovesey, international bestseller, CWA Diamond Dagger Award winner and MWA Grandmaster
“A real treat for mystery fans”
–Ragnar Jonasson, bestselling author of the Dark Iceland series
“Death and the Conjuror is an engrossing tale of murder and magicians, and a revealing exploration of the ever-popular locked-room mystery. Mead’s debut is a novel to intrigue and delight.”
–John Connolly, New York Times bestseller of The Nameless Ones and 18 additional titles in the Charlie Parker series.
“A tour de force Golden Age murder mystery. It sparkles with brilliant clues, has an amazing detective (who’s going to buy the TV rights?), and a proper fair play denouement with a brilliant reveal at the end. LOVED IT.”
–Robert Thorogood, creator of TV’s Death in Paradise
“An enthralling take on the classic locked room mystery. Highly enjoyable.”
–Kate Ellis, author of the bestselling Wesley Peterson mysteries
“Sparkling, exhilarating. The narrative is stuffed with provocative ideas and good humour. Tom Mead is a dazzling new talent.”
–TP Fielden, author of the Miss Dimont and Guy Harford mysteries
“Locked room mysteries are back in fashion and in Death and the Conjuror, Tom Mead gives us one to savour. With fluid prose, sharply defined characters, and an ingenious set of puzzles, this is a book that references the Golden Age of crime fiction in the best possible way.”
–Vaseem Khan, CWA Historical Dagger winner
“Death and the Conjuror is a truly splendid piece of work […] The world of Spector will creep out to embrace you and draw you in. For those who love a mystery, this will more than satisfy the sharpest appetite. A murderous, mysterious masque, a true delight for those who wish to enter and cross the Meadows of Murder.”
–Paul Doherty, author of over 100 historical mysteries including The Nightingale Gallery and The Mask of Ra
“Both a splendid homage to the Golden age of impossible crimes and its great exponent John Dickson Carr and a witty reconstruction of the classic locked room mystery with tongue in cheek bravado and a gallery of attendant, endearing characters, Tom Mead’s debut is a sheer delight.”
–Maxim Jakubowski, author, editor and CWA chairman
“An ingenious locked room mystery. This is a fiendishly clever puzzle wrapped in a beautiful, dark atmospheric story. Utterly captivating!”
–Victoria Dowd, author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder
“With real-life contemporary crime nastily dumbing-down, readers looking for a new Golden Age will find the ingenious Tom Mead repolishing the gold.”
–Phil Rickman, author of Midwinter of the Spirit
“This clever mystery combines a delightful homage to Golden Age detective fiction with a highly entertaining impossible crime puzzle – what more could any fan of classic crime wish for?”
–Martin Edwards, Crime novelist and winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger 2020
“Perfect for all lovers of classic crime fiction. Tom Mead has conjured up a memorable protagonist and a devilishly cunning plot.”
–L.C. Tyler, multi award-winning author of the Elsie and Ethelred mysteries
“A tale as rich in illusions and tricks as the conjuror at its heart.”
–Mike Hollow, author of the Blitz Detective series
“With a deviously intricate locked-room plot, Death and the Conjuror unfolds as both an elegant tribute and a cunning update of the classic ‘impossible crime’ story. Somewhere, the great John Dickson Carr is smiling.”
–Daniel Stashower, two-time Edgar-winner and author of the Harry Houdini mysteries
“An absolute delight. The Golden Age of detective fiction comes brilliantly alive. Great characters, wonderful locked-room puzzles, it kept me hooked.”
–Jim Eldridge, author of the Museum Mystery series
“Tom Mead has created an intriguing set of puzzles on par with John Dickson Carr in Death and the Conjuror. A true delight for mystery lovers!”
–-Charles Todd, New York Times bestseller of A Game of Fear and 23 additional titles in the Inspector Rutledge series
“This ingenious (and fair-play) locked-room mystery should win over a new generation of readers to this delightfully devious style of classic mystery.”
–Gigi Pandian, Agatha Award-winning author
“One of the best locked-room mysteries I’ve read. I was both baffled and enthralled by every twist and am now a firm Spector enthusiast! A true golden age gem, right up there with the greats!”
–T.A. Willberg, author of Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder
“Magic! This tautly-plotted debut is a ‘must read’ for fans of locked room mysteries.”
–M.H. Eccleston, author of The Trust
“An exuberant, playful, highly enjoyable novel.”
–Andrew Martin, CWA Historical Dagger Winner
“More red herrings than a North Sea trawler, suspects galore, a dearth of clues, a locked room, and no weapon. A classic ‘who?’ and ‘how?'”
–Adrian Magson, author of the Inspector Lucas Rocco series
“A most entertaining piece of whimsy. Not only does the author play fair in term of clues, but he supplies us with a cast of gloriously neurotic characters with a full set of outrageous motives.”
–Rebecca Tope, author of the Cotswolds Mysteries
“Witty, intriguing and tightly plotted. I loved it.”
–Sarah Ward, author of the DC Childs series, and the gothic novels The Quickening and The Shadowing (as Rhiannon Ward)
“A deeply satisfying crime story written by a brilliantly inventive and imaginative new voice on the crime circuit.”
–Michael Jecks, author of the Knights Templar mysteries
Tom Mead is a UK crime fiction author specialising in locked-room mysteries.
He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Organization. His debut novel DEATH AND THE CONJUROR was published in 2022. The sequel, THE MURDER WHEEL, is coming in 2023.
Tom Mead 