"The Blood Card," by Elly Griffiths, opens in 1953, a few weeks before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Forty-three year old Max Mephisto is one of the Magic Men, an espionage unit that used misdirection to deceive the enemy during the Second World War. Although England is now at peace, there are rumors that someone may be planning to disrupt the festivities celebrating Elizabeth's ascension to the throne. Meanwhile, Max and his daughter Ruby are preparing to make their television debuts. Both conjurers hope to wow a live audience as well as millions of viewers watching at home "on a tiny black and white screen."

The book's mystery involves the murder of Colonel Peter Cartwright, a former senior army officer who once commanded Max and his fellow recruits. DI Edgar Stephens, Max's close friend, investigates Cartwright’s death. The colonel left behind several cryptic clues in his lodgings, but will they be sufficient to solve the case? Edgar is ably assisted by his detective sergeants, Emma Holmes and Bob Willis. On a personal note, Edgar is in love with Max's beautiful and talented daughter Ruby, whom he plans to marry. In this colorful, humorous, and well-researched tale, Griffiths recreates the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of England in the fifties. In those days, people like Max drank whiskey and smoked to their hearts' content, television was the latest craze, and the days of live variety shows were numbered.

Griffith's characters are amusingly idiosyncratic. There is a cast of Roma (formerly known as gypsies), one of whom, a fortune-teller named Madame Zambini, also known as as Doreen Barton, jumped, fell, or was pushed off a pier. It is a treat to be in Max Mephisto's lively company; Edgar, Ruby, Emma are an appealing trio; and Griffiths' dialogue is consistently funny and clever. The weakest aspects of the novel are its sluggish pace and underdeveloped plot concerning shadowy conspirators up to no good. The solution to the puzzle comes out of left field and is rather unconvincing. Still, readers may enjoy the story's historical, social, and cultural allusions, bask in the glow of Edgar's and Ruby's romance, applaud Max's initiative and resourcefulness, and enjoy the atmosphere of Brighton, a seaside mecca for tourists. "The Blood Card" may not be a dazzling whodunit, but it is, overall, a humorous and diverting work of fiction. ( )

I read this novel partly to catch up with books that I have missed in this series, mainly when I jumped from #2 to #4. I have discovered I already have #7 to catch up with.

I really enjoyed the historical setting of the imminent coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This coincides with the advent of television which those who attend Variety Theatre are fearful with mean the demise of live theatre.

The novel also filled in for me details that I had missed in the personal lives of Edgar, Max, and Emma.

An enjoyable and well written read. ( )

This series , now about a police officer and a magician who used to be part of a military unit called the magic men remains entertaining. The plot of this one centered around a terrorist threat against Elizabeth the first's coronation and had some interesting historical flavor dealing with early days leading in to the red scare in America and internment of citizens in both the us and the Uk. ( )

I enjoyed the characters in this more than the plot. The crime itself was rather "Meh".
More like the first volume than the second. Okayish. ( )

I Recommend This Book

Yes
Review
Last updated on 14 Aug 2017
Elly Griffiths is one of my favourite authors and I look forward to her Ruth Galloway novels. The Stephens and Mephisto series nearly passed me by and I think I only came across them whilst checking out when the next Ruth Galloway was to be published.

Whilst each of the three Mephisto and Stephens novels can be read as standalone books I recommend that they are read in order so that the reader gets a full appreciation of the main characters as more details about them and their backstory is revealed with each subsequent novel.

Murderers. magicians, gypsies and Queen Elizabeth - this books rocks along at a decent clip.

Its hard to imagine a time where TV was new and and flying long distance was the exception rather than the rule but Elly Griffiths peppers these novels with enough historical detail to make the reader quite nostalgic......
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