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The Blood Card

The Brighton Mysteries 3

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About this listen

 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 him to put Stephens and Mephisto on the case.

Edgar's investigation into the death of Brighton fortune-teller Madame Zabini is put on hold. Max is busy rehearsing for a spectacular Coronation Day variety show - and his television debut - so it's Edgar who is sent to New York, a land of plenty worlds away from still-rationed England. He's on the trail of a small-town mesmerist who may provide the key, but someone else silences him first. It's Sergeant Emma Holmes who finds the clue, buried in the files of the Zabini case, that leads them to an anarchist group intent on providing an explosive finale to Coronation Day.

Now it's up to Edgar, Max and Emma to foil the plot, and find out who it is who's been dealing the cards . . .

(P)2016 Quercus Publishing Plc©2016 Elly Griffiths Cosy Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Fiction Crime Heartfelt Magic Users

Critic reviews

Griffiths pulls a truly startling rabbit out of the hat, demonstrating that this is more than the cosy mystery it initially appears
All stars
Most relevant
I loved the characters, the setting: the 1950s, Brighton and central London. Great plot tying into the past, both of the magic men, but also references to WW2 history.

The narrator was ok with everything except the female character voices which all sounded a bit silly. And there are a lot of women in this book. It didn't quite spoil it for me. But I would probably read the next book on Kindle

Another highly entertaining Stephens and Mephistopheles story.

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Such likeable characters - each with their own idiosyncrasies.... humour, self doubt, strength ... individual clues/off shoots are woven together to make the main story, which Elly Griffiths brings together at the end, always surprising one. The pace increases so that the action at the end is fast paced and exciting... brilliantly narrated. An excellent read.

So Entertaining ....

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Enjoyable. Good characters. I love the setting in the 1950s. Better narrator than the one who narrated the two previous novels in the series.

Better narrator than for the two previous novels

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Both myself and my daughter really enjoy these stories

We know that area quite well and listening to them in Australia, keeps the memories alive

Brilliant story

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Terrific retro mystery that is set in the fifties at the time of the coronation.
No internet, no mobile phones or social media, even TV was in it's infancy.
Strong characters and a twisting storyline with a surprising and satisfying ending.
Loved it!

Terrific retro mystery

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