Cabaret Macabre – Tom Mead

Published By: Aries
Pages: 320
Released On: 01/08/2024

Sleuth and illusionist Joseph Spector investigates his most complex case yet in this gripping new locked-room murder mystery from Tom Mead, set in an English country house just before the Second World War.

Hampshire, 1938. Victor Silvius is confined in a private sanatorium after attacking prominent judge Sir Giles Drury. When Sir Giles starts receiving sinister threatening letters, his wife suspects Silvius. Meanwhile, Silvius’ sister Caroline is convinced her brother is about to be murdered… by none other than his old nemesis Sir Giles.

Caroline seeks the advice of Scotland Yard’s Inspector Flint, while the Drurys, eager to avoid a scandal, turn to Joseph Spector. Spector, renowned magician turned sleuth, has an uncanny knack for solving complicated crimes – but this case will test his powers of deduction to their limits.

At a snowbound English country house, a body is found is impossible circumstances, and a killer’s bullet is fired through a locked window without breaking the glass. Spector and Flint’s investigations soon collide as they find themselves trapped by the snowstorm where anyone could be the next victim – or the killer…

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Aries for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I love Tom Mead’s books! I always have a bit grin on my face when I read them, they’re well written great storytelling and characters, but they’re also just great fun and enjoyable. I absolutely adored the first two books in the series: Death and the Conjuror, and The Murder Wheel.

Even though I know how to pronounce “macabre”, whenever I see the title I keep pronouncing the two words to rhyme with “cabaret”, which keeps making me laugh for some reason.

I still can’t figure out how Tom writes these books. Murder mysteries and thrillers are difficult anyway but a locked room mystery? By their very definition they are an impossibility, and yet he’s manage to create three impossible novels, and it still astounds me.

They’re a bit of cosy crime, classic whodunnits, thriller, historical, with a little comedy; it really does have something for everyone. It’s got a real Agatha Christie, traditional locked room story nostalgia about it that, whilst thrilling and entertaining, also provides comfort and warmth.

I suppose you can read the books out of order as they are all individual cases, but you’d definitely get more out of it if you’ve read the first two beforehand. It gives more time for character development and you really get absorbed in this world Tom’s created. He has managed to create a spectacular sense of time and place, no matter the era or location.

I think this series would make excellent films. Almost in the vein of Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot movies (although they’re not perfect, they are wonderfully nostalgic). Having the same actor through all of them, keeping familiar aspects, make it a bit like Poirot or Morse or Marple; I think they’d be a wonderful watch, and it’d be interesting to see how Tom’s seemingly impossible creations translate to screen.

This one is quite violent. Not overly so, it still works in context, and whilst I can’t remember exactly the methods of the deaths in the first two books, this one seemed particularly gory, which was an interesting choice, but I think the balance with the traditional locked-room aspect is right.

I remember getting to about 80% of the way through and I STILL couldn’t figure it out. It’s all there, laid out for you, clues and hints, some things are even confirmed, and yet I still couldn’t wrap it up, which is obviously very good for a whodunnit, you don’t want it to be too obvious.

Were bits more unbelievable than others? Yes. Did I care? No. All of the traditional whodunnits have an element of impossibility about it, but I think that’s what adds to its enjoyment.

I was worried that, by keeping the same main characters, and the same locked room mystery format, that the series might get a bit samey and lose it’s excitement, but somehow Tom has managed to keep all the familiar aspects we want, but made each book fresh and different.