Elly Griffiths 
Smoke and Mirrors 
The Brighton Mysteries 2

‘Recalls the very best of Agatha Christie’ Sunday Express Brighton, 1951. Pantomime season takes a dark turn when two missing children are found dead under the snow, surrounded by sweets – a macabre, real-life Hansel and Gretel.DI Edgar Stephens has plenty of leads to investigate. The missing girl, Annie, used to write plays and perform them with her friends. Does the clue lie in Annie’s unfinished – and rather disturbing – last script? Or might it lie with the eccentric actor types who have assembled for the pantomime?Once again Edgar enlists magician and ex-wartime comrade Max Mephisto’s help in penetrating the shadowy theatrical world that seems to hold the key. But is this all just classic misdirection?