'It’s 1941 and, while war wages on the Home Front, crime is rife. Against the backdrop of Blitz-hit London, this stylish thriller sees Scotland Yard’s Frank Merlin investigate a tangled conspiracy involving a murdered movie star, a prostitution ring and brutal criminal gangs.'
'A mammoth read with a Dickensian plethora of characters that I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in...meticulously researched...deliciously complex.'
https://caramerrollovesbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/my-review-of-death-in-mayfair-by-mark.html
'This latest novel in Mark Ellis's DCI Merlin series presents a version of the home front during WW2 that goes way beyond the familiar clichés. Behind the heroism and the stiff upper lips is society on the edge where all the social norms are being stretched to the limit…This is one of the best, coming alive with the vivid depictions of Britain at war’.
http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/book_reviews_view.aspx?BOOK_REVIEW_ID=2317
‘5 stars. Hugely entertaining and imaginative war time mystery... vivid... absorbing... brilliantly plotted... historically well researched... gripping... superb entertainment... I look forward to reading this brilliant writer’s future books.’
https://www.waterstones.com/books/reviews/isbn/9781786156723#review-132629
'Mark Ellis writes noir. Think men in shadow. Think starlets and gangsters. Dark streets and running feet. Cocktails and satin pyjamas. Think drama and whiskey, parties and cigarette smoke....and think MURDER!!!! A Death In Mayfair is a marvellous addition to this wonderful series.'
http://www.swirlandthread.com/review-a-death-in-mayfair-mark-ellis
Pacy, atmospheric and authentic
'A Death in Mayfair is the fourth Frank Merlin book, set in wartime London and is an impressive addition to the series. Mark Ellis' gift is his ability to recreate a period so vividly readers feel they were actually there. Newcomers to the series might believe they were actually written contemporanrously with the events depicted... the books have that 'classic' feel about them and are so immaculately nuanced they genuinely feel like they belong in the cannon of mid-20th century thrillers, where character is as vital at plot to drive the story forward. It's not too much of a stretch to say that they capture the 'feel' of a Patricia Highsmith or even Graham Green, where atmosphere is such a vital component in the storytelling. Another belter!'
'Read this as a well-worked DCI Merlin murder mystery to enjoy and unravel. But also as an eye-opener. In this war-torn London under siege, murder never had it so good.'
https://www.janetroger.com/post/a-murder-in-mayfair-by-mark-ellis-review-by-janet-roger
'This is an excellent read by an author who clearly knows his subject and highly recommended to and readers who enjoy historical war-time fiction but also any reader who enjoys a real good mystery.'
http://www.alexjbooks.com/review/a-death-in-mayfair-by-mark-ellis-dci-frank-merlin-4-blogtour
’Just as I think I’ve completed my ‘Outstanding Books of the Year’, up pops another book that will be on the list. This book ticks so many boxes of my literary loves and favourites – historical fiction of WW2 vintage – murder mystery of the older kind before mobile phones and CCTV – that I really need to read the others in the series. Lord knows where I’ve been to miss the others by this author.'
'Brimming with action...complex, addictive and highly entertaining...I cannot wait to read more books by Mark Ellis.'
'Suspenseful and plot driven, this book keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout - it views the past not through a nostalgia driven hindsight, but one as brutally honest as any modern day thrillers.'
https://www.rachelreadit.co.uk/blogtour-a-death-in-mayfair-by-mark-ellis/
James Dickman talks to Mark Ellis, on London Live TV
https://twitter.com/LondonLive/status/1206643151420710913/video/1
https://twitter.com/MarkEllis15 extract from ‘Highly Rated’ arts programme on Scala Radio on twitter only.
‘Penny Smith ‘ ‘Highly Rated’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07rkld9
24/11/19: 1.18-1.31
‘A rollercoaster ride’
‘A vivid and often surprising portrayal of wartime London’
‘The vivid descriptions of the era provide ideal background for the charismatic and likeable Merlin…I would recommend this to readers as a standalone novel. I now have the rest of the series to look forward to!’
'Another Incredible Addition to a Phenomenal Historical Fiction Series'