My sense of progress has me going in circles: THE ZIG ZAG GIRL.

The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Captivating mystery set in the 1950s

When DI Edgard Stephens sees the body of a girl, cut into three, it reminds him of a magic trick: the Zig Zag Girl. His friend, Max Mephisto, used to perform it. Max and Edgar served in the war together as part of a secret unit called the Magic Men. Max still performs, but when another person turns up dead, he reluctantly helps Edgar look into the deaths--especially since this one seems tied to magic as well. Both men feel like the murders may be linked to their war days, and if they're not careful, their whole unit could be in danger.

This was the twenty-sixth (and final!) book in my #atozchallenge! I challenged myself to read a book from my shelves that started with each letter of the alphabet.

"'The way the body was cut into three, each part put into a black box, it reminded me of a magic trick. One you used to do before the war.'"

I absolutely adore Elly Griffiths, but I don't read a lot of historical fiction, so I've always kept this series in my back pocket. When I needed a "Z" book for my challenge, this seemed like a perfect fit. No surprise, really, but this was an easy and interesting read. Griffiths is such a good writer, and this is written in what I've come to think of as Elly's style--a fun, enjoyable form, where she captures the essence of each of her characters so well.

The book is filled with magic and war stories. The mystery is quite captivating--it's a good case, which draws you into the story. And Edgar, Max, and their crew are very compelling. I enjoyed the themes of friendship and wartime, plus the surprising vulnerability that shone through in both Max and Edgar. I would certainly read the next book in the series. 4+ stars.

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