Smoke and Mirrors

Chilling murder in the world of 1950s theater-another case for Detective Inspector Stephens and Max MephistoMax Mephisto, the greatest magician of his age, has always despised pantomime. To him it seems synonymous with failure, all those has-beens wa... Read more

Chilling murder in the world of 1950s theater-another case for Detective Inspector Stephens and Max MephistoMax Mephisto, the greatest magician of his age, has always despised pantomime. To him it seems synonymous with failure, all those has-beens wandering around in drag. But when he is offered a season as Abanazar in Aladdin on Brighton Pier, he decides to break a lifetime''s rule and accept the part. The role of a pantomime villain, or Demon King, is always prestigious and it will give him a chance to do a few magic tricks into the bargain. Besides, his friend Edgar is a policeman in Brighton and it will be good to catch up.But then a young actress called Flavia Dean, who is portraying Aladdin, is found dead, killed in a grotesque reenactment of Snow White. Flavia was not universally popular with the cast, but could one of them have killed her? As the Christmas season approaches, tempers become fraught. The arrival of the Great Diablo, who has been offered a minor role in the pantomime, does nothing to help matters, and neither does the appearance of Lord Massingham, Max''s father, determined to build bridges with his son and granddaughter. Then Widow Twanky is killed, this time in a parody of Peter Pan. Does the clue lie in the secret world of pantomime?Edgar is involved in another case concerning two abandoned children. Too late he realizes that they might be linked to Aladdin after all, and Edgar''s nephews, excitedly attending the opening performance of the show, might be the next victims. Less