‘The Great Deceiver’ by Elly Griffiths

Published by Quercus,
11 April 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-5294-0-992-5 (PB)

I am a fan of Elly Griffiths’ many Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries, but The Great Deceiver is the first of her Brighton mysteries that I have read.

The Great Deceiver is set in the mid-1960s and takes the reader into the world of the old variety shows performed in theatres to be found at the end of the pier in many of the popular seaside resorts of Britain during the summer season. When the magician’s assistant is found murdered in a Brighton boarding house, knowing he will be suspected of the crime the magician Ted English approaches fellow-magician Max Mephisto for help to prove his innocence. Max agrees to contact his friend Superintendent Edgar Stephens who is investigating the case. Before long, a second woman is murdered. Is this the work of a serial killer targeting magician’s assistants? Both victims are attractive blonde women who are well liked by all their colleagues in the entertainment world. There are suspects a plenty including a bevy of shady magicians plus a few other mysterious characters.

There is much to admire in the novel. The whole mid-1960’s era is wonderfully captured, as is the rapidly changing showbiz world from live variety shows in the old music hall theatres to the demands of television entertainment. It isn’t only entertainment that is changing – so too is the attitude to women and their place in society. The multitude of larger-than-life characters are convincingly drawn especially Meg, the young detective constable. Coming from a working-class background, she is in awe of the glamourous world she finds herself caught up in, but her innate intelligence and courage make her the ideal person to help nail down the culprit. As with all of Elly Griffiths’ novels, the complex plot is fast moving and intertwined with fascinating subplots.  
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Reviewer: Judith Cranswick

Elly Griffiths is the author of a series of crime novels set in England’s Norfolk County and featuring forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway. The first in the series, Crossing Places, earned a good deal of praise both in Griffiths’ native country, England, and in the U.S. The Literary Review termed it “a cleverly plotted and extremely interesting first novel, highly recommended.  Since then, Elly has written fifteen further novels in the series.  Recently she has written a second series set in Brighton in the 1950’s featuring magician Max Mephisto and DI Stephens. There are seven books in the new series, the most recent being The Great Deceiver published October 2023.

www.ellygriffiths.co.uk

Judith Cranswick was born and brought up in Norwich. Apart from writing, Judith’s great passions are travel and history. Both have influenced her two series of mystery novels. Tour Manager, Fiona Mason takes coach parties throughout Europe, and historian Aunt Jessica is the guest lecturer accompanying tour groups visiting more exotic destinations aided by her nephew Harry. Her published novels also include several award-winning standalone psychological thrillers. She wrote her first novel (now languishing in the back of a drawer somewhere) when her two children were toddlers, but there was little time for writing when she returned to her teaching career. Now retired, she is able to indulge her love of writing and has begun a life of crime! ‘Writers are told to write what they know about, but I can assure you, I've never committed a murder. I'm an ex-convent school headmistress for goodness sake!’ Her most recent book is Passage to Greenland 

http://judithcranswick.co.uk/