Bram Stoker, business manager for London’s Lyceum Theatre, is never surprised to find the supernatural waiting in the wings—especially when a chilling murder appears to have origins in the occult…
March 1881. The Lyceum is abuzz with the news that American actor Edwin Booth is going to be sharing the stage with their own Shakespearean star, Henry Irving. But stage manager Harry Rivers has other matters preoccupying him. One of the regular actresses has disappeared, and after a disturbing tarot card reading, Harry’s boss, Bram Stoker, is convinced that something wicked is coming their way.
When the poor girl’s body is found, Stoker’s suspicions prove to be founded—the murder scene is riddled with strange clues that Stoker recognizes as the trappings of an occult ritual. Someone is conjuring up a pernicious plot against cast and crew of the Lyceum, and if Harry doesn’t track down the slaying sorcerer quickly, it could spell disaster for those he holds dearest…
About the Author:
In 1962 Raymond Buckland came to the United States from England, where he had written comedy scripts and was personal scriptwriter for a popular British comedian. His first book was published in 1969. Since then he has had well over fifty books published (both fiction and non-fiction), with nearly two million copies in print and translated into seventeen foreign languages. Raymond’s newest novel, Cursed in the Act, was released January 2014 from Berkley Prime Crime.
He has served as Technical Director for movies, working with Orson Wells, John Carradine, Vincent Price, and William Friedkin (director of The Exorcist). Of Romany (Gypsy) descent, he is an authority on Gypsies and has written several books on that subject. Raymond has lectured at colleges and universities across the country and has been the subject of articles in such newspapers and magazines as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, New York Sunday News, National Observer, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Look Magazine, Cosmopolitan, True, and many others.
Raymond has appeared on numerous national radio and television talk shows such as The Virginia Graham Show, The Dick Cavett Show (appearing with Faye Dunaway), The Tom Snyder Tomorrow Show, Barbara Walters’ Not For Women Only, The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, and has been seen on BBC-TV, England, RAI-TV, Italy, and CBC-TV, Canada. He has appeared extensively on stage in England and played small character parts in movies in America. He has taught courses at colleges and universities and been a featured speaker at conferences and workshops.
Jennifer’s Review of Dead for a Spell
Review (3.75 Stars): There were several things that I liked about this mystery, starting with the Victorian time period, thespian characters and having the infamous Bram Stoker helping to solve murders with his employee, Harry Rivers. In Dead for a Spell, Harry discovers that one of the actresses from the Lyceum theater is missing one morning and soon, her body is discovered in what appears to be a ritualistic murder. As the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, Harry and Stoker find that someone is using the occult as the means of harming the employees of the Lyceum and they must find the culprit before the curtain falls on another victim.
This is the second book in the Bram Stoker mystery series and I have to say that this was a very enjoyable story. I loved the time period and the eccentric characters of this mystery, which I found very entertaining. My only complaint with the mystery was the pacing of the story, it felt very slow in places and I found myself rereading passages just to make sure that I understood the dialogue. I would still recommend that readers spend time getting to know these characters and getting to see a different side to Bram Stoker that I never would have imagined.
Giveaway
I’m excited to give away a copy of Dead for a Spell. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by October 17th, answer me this question in the comments:
What is your favorite type of mystery? (historical, cozy, etc)
Looks like a great series; thank you for the chance to win 🙂
jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com
It all depends on the way I feel. If I am sick, worn out or troubled, I want a cozy. If I bored, I want a procedural or thriller. If want to go back in time, it is definitely a historical.
I enjoy both however I would have to say that I prefer cozy.
Sounds like a good series.
I like cozy.
I like cozy romances.
like all kinds
I like all mysteries, but my favorite is the hard core mystery or thriller.