Best Selling Books by Tom Mead

Sleuthing stage magician Joseph Spector (Death and the Conjuror) returns to investigate a baffling series of impossible crimes. "Even readers who live to match wits with canny authors and detectives are likely to be outwitted by this one."--Kirkus

18 festive stories of murder and mystery in the grand tradition of Christmas crime fiction, from the masters of the genre. Including the New York Times bestselling JT Ellison, USA Today bestseller Sam Carrington, Sunday Times bestseller C.L. Taylor, and many more... The award-winning Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic crime stories. From locked room mysteries on Christmas Eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these eighteen seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn. So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows. Featuring stories by: Fiona Cummins Angela Clarke A. K. Benedict Susi Holliday J. T. Ellison David Bell Sarah Hilary Claire McGowan Tina Baker Sam Carrington Liz Mistry C. L. Taylor Helen Fields Russ Thomas Tom Mead Vaseem Khan Samantha Hayes Belinda Bauer

With a career spanning over 50 years, Aerosmith has been a trend-setter in the world of rock and roll. From early hits such as “Dream On” and “Sweet Emotion” to their legendary collaboration with Run DMC for a cover of “Walk This Way” to their contribution of “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” on the soundtrack for Armageddon, Aerosmith has proved time and again to be a band capable of reinvention and constant influence on the music scene. With their 2024 announcement that the band will no longer tour, 16 crime fiction authors have come together to produce an anthology paying tribute to some of Aerosmith’s greatest hits and their studio albums. This literary trip across the rock and roll landscape is courtesy of multi-award winning editor Michael Bracken with stories by Ed Ridgley, Bill Baber, Eve Fisher. Avram Lavinsky, John C. Bruening, Jeffrey Marks, Mary Dutta, Tom Mead, Steve Liskow, Joseph S. Walker, Adam Meyer, John M. Floyd, Leone Ciporin, M.E. Proctor, Tom Milani and Jim Winter.

An English country house at Christmas proves the perfect hunting ground for a determined killer. Sleuth and illusionist Joseph Spector investigates his most complex case yet in this gripping new locked-room murder mystery. ''Cabaret Macabre really had it all... The twisted and complex puzzle totally foxed me, and although I hate to admit it, I really didn''t have a clue whodunnit! Entertaining and fiendishly clever.'' Joy Ellis, #1 bestselling author Hampshire, Christmas 1938. When prominent judge Sir Giles Drury starts receiving sinister letters, his wife suspects Victor Silvius, a man who was previously locked up for attacking Sir Giles. Meanwhile, Silvius'' sister Caroline is convinced her brother is about to be murdered... by none other than his old nemesis, Sir Giles Drury. 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 in the midst of the Christmas season, a murder is committed in impossible circumstances. Spector and Flint''s investigations collide as they find themselves trapped by the snowstorm, in a place where anyone could be the next victim... or the killer. Reviewers on Cabaret Macabre: ''An intricately plotted golden age locked room mystery. Inventive and intriguing.'' Ambrose Parry ''So many intricate layers to this ingenious plot. It truly is the matryoshka of mysteries!'' Victoria Dowd ''A twisty-turny, fun and very satisfying mystery.'' Alison Moore ''Stunning. Magic and murder and cleverness. Joseph Spector will put a spell on you.'' Barbara Nadel, author of the Çetin Ikmen series, adapted into Paramount+''s The Turkish Detective ''There are Agatha Christie-like twists aplenty.'' Michael Dirda, Washington Post Reviews for Tom Mead ''Ingenious'' Guardian ''Great fun'' The Times ''What more could any fan of classic crime wish for?'' Martin Edwards ''A sharply drawn period piece'' New York Times ''An intricate "impossible" crime that completely fooled me'' Peter Lovesey

This is the story of Ben Boyd, who founded the Royal Bank of Australia in the 1840''s and used its funds to finance his own huge pastoral, shipping and whaling empire and send it into bankruptcy unknown to shareholders in England and Scotland.

MEJOR NOVELA DE MISTERIO SEGÚN THE GUARDIAN, THE TIMES Y CRIME TIME Un crimen imposible, un mago retirado y un asesino desaparecido como por arte de magia Londres, 1936. El célebre psiquiatra Anselm Rees aparece muerto en su estudio, asesinado. La ventana está sellada y la puerta cerrada con llave por dentro. No hay pistas, ni testigos, ni arma del crimen y, dadas las circunstancias, es imposible que el asesino se haya escapado sin ser visto. Desconcertado, el inspector Flint recurre a un aliado excepcional: su amigo Joseph Spector, un mago. Quién mejor que un ilusionista para encontrar a un homicida desaparecido como por arte de magia? A medida que avanza la investigación e interrogan al elenco de sospechosos, todos familiares o pacientes de la víctima, salen a la luz secretos del pasado y una lista de oscuros móviles que podrían haber provocado el crimen. Cuando se produce un robo inexplicable y un segundo homicidio, esta vez en un ascensor impenetrable, Flint y Spector tienen la certeza de que detrás de esta ola de crímenes absurdos se esconde la misma mano. ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ «Una novela de escapismo llena de intriga, secretos, pistas falsas y prestidigitación.» The Guardian ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ «Mantiene el suspense en todo momento.» Publishers Weekly ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ «Una obra de época con personajes memorables.» The New York Times ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ «Un homenaje a la edad de oro de los misteriosos asesinatos imposibles... Un debut muy divertido.»The Times

Londra, 1936. In una tipica serata di pioggia il famoso psichiatra Anselm Rees viene trovato morto nel suo studio, assassinato. La finestra è sigillata e la porta chiusa dall''interno. Non ci sono indizi né tracce dell''arma del delitto e, stando alle circostanze, è impossibile che l''assassino sia fuggito senza essere visto. Eppure... Per trovare la chiave di volta di quest''indagine a prima vista paradossale, l''ispettore Flint convoca un alleato d''eccezione: Joseph Spector, suo amico ed ex prestigiatore in pensione. Chi meglio di un esperto illusionista può scovare un assassino dileguatosi come per magia? Hanno così inizio le indagini sui pazienti di Rees: un violinista tormentato da incubi ricorrenti; un''attrice cleptomane; e uno scrittore che soffre di inquietanti amnesie. Mentre gli interrogatori portano a galla segreti dal passato, cresce la lista dei sospettati e dei moventi. Un furto inspiegabile e un secondo omicidio, stavolta in un ascensore teoricamente impenetrabile, danno a Flint e Spector la certezza che dietro a quest''ondata di crimini assurdi ci sia la stessa mano. In omaggio ai grandi maestri del giallo e ai classici enigmi della camera chiusa, Tom Mead ci regala un mistero avvincente ed elegante, costruito con straordinario ingegno e qualche trucco di magia.

In this latest locked room mystery from the author of Cabaret Macabre, amateur sleuth Joseph Spector pits his knowledge of stage magic against the seemingly supernatural when a seance at an isolated old hospital turns deadly.

A fog that only Zak can see, has stolen his friends'' dreams. With no life dreams they are left joyless. Can Zak face his fear, follow his inspiration to reconnect his friends with their dreams? Or will the fog reach him first, stealing his life dream and leaving them all joyless? Inspire your young reader toward confidence and supportive friendships. This is the first story in the Misty Island Adventure Series.

In this latest locked room mystery from the author of Cabaret Macabre, amateur sleuth Joseph Spector pits his knowledge of stage magic against the seemingly supernatural when a seance at an isolated old hospital turns deadly. An apparent suicide in a London townhouse uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago, prompting Scotland Yard''s George Flint to delve deep into the past in search of the solution to a long-forgotten mystery. Meanwhile, Joseph Spector travels with a coach party through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil’s Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil’s Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Before long, the guests begin to die one by one, and it seems that the only possible culprit is the phantom soldier. Flint''s and Spector''s investigations are in fact closely linked, but it is only when the duo are reunited at the storm-lashed Devil''s Neck that the truth is finally revealed. Tom Mead once again creates a brilliant homage to John Dickson Carr and the Golden Age of mysteries with this intricately plotted puzzle.

In London, 1938, young and idealistic lawyer Edmund Ibbs is trying to find any shred of evidence that his client Carla Dean wasn''t the one who shot her husband dead at the top of a Ferris Wheel. But the deeper he digs, the more complex the case becomes, and Edmund soon finds himself drawn into a nightmarish web of conspiracy and murder. Before long he himself is implicated in not one but two seemingly impossible crimes. First, a corpse appears out of thin air during a performance by famed illusionist "Professor Paolini" in front of a packed auditorium at the Pomegranate Theatre. Then a second victim is shot dead in a locked dressing room along one of the theatre''s winding backstage corridors. Edmund is in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time, and attracts the suspicion of Scotland Yard inspector George Flint. Luckily, conjuror-turned-detective Joseph Spector is on the scene. Only Spector''s uniquely logical perspective can pierce the veil of deceit in a world of illusion and misdirection, where seeing is not always believing. Tom Mead continues to pay homage to the locked room mysteries of the Golden Age in this second Joseph Spector novel.

Tells of two maritime tragedies linked by a common circumstance. In 1857, the British clipper ship ''Dunbar'' was shipwrecked at the entrance to Sydney Harbour, almost under the Macquarie Light. In 1886, the ''Ly-ee-Moon'' was smashed on a reef in front of the lighthouse at Green Cape, south of Eden, New South Wales. The author''s previous books include ''Manly Ferries of Sydney Harbour: The seven mile ships''.

The author, an experienced journalist and former State politician reminisces about notable events he has covered or been involved in. Presents a range of stories on topics such as the post war peace movement, the Packer vas Murdoch battles for control of news and advertising empires, and John Curtin''s appeal to the US after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. The author''s other publications include ''Empire of Straw'', ''A Few Words'' and ''Killers of Eden''.