"The fourth entry in the 'Magic Men' series (The Blood Card) presents a fascinating look behind the curtain of the 1950s showbiz as well as an engaging mystery, especially when DI Stephens and his sergeants are involved."--Library Journal "The magic is stronger than ever when the brilliant cast of characters comes together again...has consistently been a thoroughly entertaining series."--Booklist "Solid...Griffiths nicely evokes the post-WWII zeitgeist in Britain, incorporating details about hypocritical censorship laws and the theatrical lifestyle. Those who favor human intrigues over crime solving should find this a charming holiday read."--Publishers Weekly "Griffiths's idiosyncratic work has dealt with the collision of the ancient and the modern, and although her latest novel is set in a strikingly evoked Brighton of the early 1950s, we see things through Griffiths's very modern sensibility . . . Griffiths herself dispenses several acts of prestidigitation, invigorating the shop-worn format of the police procedural with a piquant mixture of humor, period detail (including the church-baiting nude tableaux of the day, which play a key role in the narrative) and truly beguiling characterization." -- Financial Times PRAISE FOR THE MAGIC MEN MYSTERIES: "Absorbing . . . Another great series." -- San Jose Mercury News "Thoroughly enjoyable." -- Guardian "Clever, immensely likeable." -- Wall Street Journal "Enormously engaging." -- Daily Mail "Original, lively, and gripping." -- Independent "A wild ride full of mayhem, magic and murder." -- The Absolute "Excellent . . . Evoking both the St. Mary Mead of Agatha Christie and the theater world of Ngaio Marsh." -- Booklist "Suspenseful." -- Publishers Weekly --