Book Review: The Vanishing Box by Elly Griffiths, Stephens and Mephisto Number 4 - theatrical flourishes, magicians at their best ... and a serial killer!

Available on Amazon

Historic crime fiction isn't usually my thing, but I always make the exception for Elly Griffiths' Max Mephisto/Edgar Stephens series.  This series of books are without fail engaging and entertaining and The Vanishing Box is no exception. So, here we are transported to Brighton sea front in December 1953.







In The Vanishing Box, we see Max and his daughter Ruby

back in Brighton on the cusp of a prestigious TV deal. The pair are working together with the main focus of their magic act being the finale piece : The Vanishing Box.
Meanwhile, Edgar Stephens is called upon to investigate the murder of a young girl in her lodgings.  Immediately, he sees that the scene has been staged like a tableau mirroring one of the controversial acts showing scantily clad girls in various tableau's from History. Edgar knows that this is just the start of a series of brutal murders which he and his team must investigate and with sinking heart he realises that once more his friend, Max and fiancee, Ruby are in the midst of his investigation.



Griffiths has a deft touch when it comes to characterisation. Her characters range from the prosaic, solid Edgar to the flighty Ruby and the enigmatic Max. The flourish of theatre spoke to me and I could almost smell the greasepaint and see the flutter of feathers and sparkles in my peripheral vision as I read.  Loved it!  Sheer indulgence for me.  Buy it ...  It's great!