First published 1968
Lord Darcy arrives at a convention of sorcerers in London to find a corpse behind locked doors. The victim lies dead in circumstances that seem to defy explanation, even in a world where magic operates alongside detective work. Darcy must navigate the suspicious gathering of magical practitioners, each harboring secrets that complicate his investigation. Gambling schemes surface among the attendees. Espionage threads weave through the convention halls. Mind reading becomes both obstacle and tool as Darcy pursues the truth. The detective applies logical deduction to supernatural circumstances, parsing genuine magical evidence from clever misdirection. As he interviews witnesses who can literally read thoughts and manipulate reality, Darcy discovers that even in a world of sorcery, murder requires human motives and mortal methods.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, deduction, supernatural-elements
Setting: London
Period: 19th-century
250 pages · Hardcover · Macdonald Science Fiction