Merry Christmas! And to celebrate, here’s a gift for you, a great read from Elly Griffiths:

Elly Griffiths’ Brighton series takes a leap eleven years after The Vanishing Box to 1964 in New You See Them. The swinging 60s bring readers into time of mods, rockers, and a changing culture.

An awful lot has changed in the intervening years. Edgar Stephens is now the police Superintendent, married to Emma Holmes, with three young children. His former sergeant finds being sidelined after marriage an uncomfortable place to be, even though she loves her children and husband.

Edgar’s Army pal, magician Max Mephisto, has gone Hollywood, marrying a star, with two young children of his own, after starring in a movie. His talented daughter, Ruby, took television by storm, and stars in her own British series.

They reunite in Brighton for the funeral of their mutual old friend when Edgar’s new case puts out fingers that have them all involved. A young girl from the tony girl’s school, Roedean, has gone missing. Has she really left to go to London, as evidenced by the note she left behind?

Then the connection is made between two other missing woman, all who left notes behind, and some of the Roedean girl’s clothing is found in a most unexpected place.

Exploring the dark side of Brighton in this strange new world, with change all around them, soon has each main character questioning her or her choices, as the race heats up to find the missing young women.

The period details and Griffiths’s wit add to the crackling mystery. Here she brings out Emma Holmes’ character: “Reading Film Frolics was one of Emma’s weaknesses; her photographic memory was one of her strengths.”

A highly delightful read with deeper layers to the characters than at first glance. @ellygriffiths