It begins with a body in a steamer trunk. The face is so badly mutilated that it will be difficult to make a positive identification. It is 1938 London, and forensic science is merely science fiction that will not be around to assist in the detection of corpses for many decades. Thus opens CABARET MACABRE, the third entry in the Joseph Spector series, which continues to grow Tom Mead’s reputation as the modern-day master of the locked-room mystery.

Inspector George Flint is on the case, and he frequently calls on magician turned part-time sleuth Joseph Spector to lend his particular expertise in situations that are not easy to explain away. This pairing would have occurred anyway as each is separately sought out by individuals who are involved in the same investigation that eventually will tie into the mystery man in the steamer trunk.

"Nothing and no one are what they seem to be in CABARET MACABRE. This simply ups the ante for Tom Mead, who sits back and composes a mystery that is beyond clever and will make you think about what you’ve just read long after the cases are solved."

A young woman named Caroline Silvius urges Flint to investigate allegations that her brother, Victor --- currently confined to a psychiatric hospital for attacking a judge --- is being victimized. At the same time, Spector is approached by Lady Elspeth Drury, the judge’s wife, as she fears his life is in danger based on a number of cryptic and threatening notes that have been sent to their house. She believes that the individual behind these messages is none other than Victor, who holds Sir Giles Drury responsible for the death of his fiancée. He believes she was coaxed into an affair with Sir Giles and then was poisoned while staying at Marchbanks, the Drury family vacation estate.

Mead provides a list of dramatis personae at the start of the tale, which is very helpful. It includes all of the players in this wonderful mystery, as well as their relationship to each other. This comes in handy when the first body to turn up is that of Sylvester Monkton, the illegitimate son of Sir Giles, who was rumored to have been having an affair with Lady Elspeth. The corpse was found on a boat that was launched from the dock at the small lake in front of Marchbanks and then was caught frozen in suspension due to the overnight snow and ice storm. How did it get there without anyone leaving behind footprints?

As Flint and Spector begin to ponder this dilemma, a second murder takes place at Marchbanks --- this one truly of the locked-room variety. Jeffrey Flack, Lady Elspeth’s son from a previous marriage, has a bad reputation for playing around with underage girls. There are many out there who would want him dead, including the husband of a woman who allegedly killed herself after being spurned by Jeffrey. He is literally blown away by a high-powered shotgun that launches him through the locked door of his room and into the hallway.

A figure dressed in all black is seen running from Marchbanks shortly thereafter. However, no one was spotted entering or exiting Jeffrey’s room while he was there, and the window was warped and could not be opened. We now have another perplexing murder that plays right into Spector’s strengths with sleight of hand. These two confounding crimes will drive Flint and Spector to all possibilities and a delightful denouement.

Nothing and no one are what they seem to be in CABARET MACABRE. This simply ups the ante for Tom Mead, who sits back and composes a mystery that is beyond clever and will make you think about what you’ve just read long after the cases are solved.