A former First World War field hospital, the spooky old mansion at Devil’s Neck attracts spirit-seekers from far and wide.

Illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector knows the house of old. With stories spreading of a phantom soldier making mischief, he joins a party of visitors in search of the truth.

But the house, located on a lonely causeway, is quickly cut off by floods. The stranded visitors are soon being killed off one by one.

With old ally Inspector Flint working on a complex case that has links to Spector’s investigation, the two men must connect the dots before Devil’s Neck claims Spector himself as its next victim.

Readers on Tom Mead:

‘Entertaining and fiendishly clever’ Joy Ellis
‘A master of the locked-room mystery’ Barbara Nadel
‘Ingenious’ Victoria Dowd
‘What more could any fan of classic crime wish for?’ Martin Edwards

Read all the perfectly puzzling Spector Locked-Room Mysteries from Head of Zeus:

#1 Death and the Conjuror
#2 The Murder Wheel
#3 Cabaret Macabre
#4 The House at Devil’s Neck

‘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