Write On! interviews Author Tom Mead
Tom Mead is the author of the Joseph Spector locked-room mystery series. His books, which include Death And The Conjuror, The Murder Wheel and Cabaret Macabre, have been critically acclaimed, published in ten languages (and counting!), and nominated for numerous awards. A short-story collection, The Indian Rope Trick (And Other Violent Entertainments), came out in November 2024 and the latest Spector novel, The House At Devil’s Neck, was published in August 2025.
WO: How would you describe your writing to someone new to it?
TM: I write Golden Age-inspired locked-room mysteries. They are whodunits in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie, where I invite readers to match wits with my sleuth and unravel a web of seemingly impossible crimes. If you’re a fan of mystery, magic, puzzles and all things Gothic, then this is the series for you.
WO: Can you tell us a bit about your latest book, The House At Devil’s Neck?
TM: The House At Devil’s Neck is the fourth in my series featuring retired magician-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector. It’s set in 1939, right before the outbreak of the Second World War, and it sees Spector joining an unlikely excursion out to an old house in order to conduct a séance. It’s a dark and stormy night, as the old saying has it, and before long the guests start to realise there’s something sinister afoot. Then one of them turns up dead, and it dawns on them there’s a killer in their midst…
WO: What inspired you to write in the first place, and what inspires you now?
TM: I wrote my first book, Death And The Conjuror and most of the sequel, The Murder Wheel, during the COVID lockdowns of 2020. At the time, I wanted to write something in tribute to the books I was reading, classic mysteries. As such, the writing was really a means of escaping from the real world during a difficult period. But what I love about the genre overall is the satisfaction of reaching the denouement and realising the clues were hidden in plain sight all along. I suppose I’m always trying to give readers that same sensation.
WO: Recently Write On! explored the theme of ‘Mindset.’ What helps you get into the right frame of mind to write? Do you have any tips to prevent your mindset from being disrupted?
TM: It’s a good question, and a very tough one to answer, because the writing mindset is still something I struggle with. Usually it’s a good idea to read a lot. I find this helps my general concentration and makes it easier to switch into ‘writing mode.’ Listening to music is a good idea too, since it helps to drown out any distractions. But really, no two writers are the same. What works for one may not work for another. The trick is to experiment, try different approaches, and eventually you’ll find the formula for you.
WO: What one piece of advice would you give an aspiring writer?
TM: Actually, there are two pieces of advice: first, read everything in your chosen genre, both good and bad. That way, you’ll learn precisely what it is that makes the genre work. It can be very encouraging to read a bad book from time to time; something that makes you say, “Hey, I could write better than that!” My other piece of advice is to write something you yourself would pick up from a shelf and read. Don’t write the book you think will be popular; write the book you’re passionate about.
WO: Question from Instagram user: @grasshopper2407 How did you get interested in locked-room mysteries? Was there a particular case that first sparked your imagination?
TM: My love of locked-room mysteries goes back to my childhood when I watched the TV show Breaking The Magician’s Code. It was all about giving away the secrets behind various magic tricks. All the best locked-room mysteries are essentially magic tricks. The fun of the puzzle lies in working out the ‘how’ behind the illusion. The BBC show Jonathan Creek was another great influence, since it combined the plotting techniques of Golden Age Mystery with the world of magic; the title character made a living by designing tricks for a stage illusionist.
Watching those two shows, as well as reading Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle at a young age, certainly helped to set me off in the right direction. But it was when I discovered authors like John Dickson Carr, Ellery Queen and Christianna Brand that I started to understand just how diverse the genre could be and how much potential there was for new writing. As for real cases, the ones which interest me the most are the ones which don’t have an explanation. I’ve spent many hours reading about unsolved mysteries like the case of the Yuba County Five, or the Dyatlov Pass Incident.
WO: Can you tell us anything about future projects?
TM: To be honest, not too much at the moment. I’m right in the middle of a couple of projects (including translating the work of one of my favourite French authors, Paul Halter). But rest assured, Joseph Spector will return!
WO: Lastly, if you could choose one fictional animal/creature to be a pet or companion, who would it be and why?
TM: Interesting question! I can’t think of any that my real-life pet (a black cat called Chloe) would appreciate having around. Probably Scooby Doo, since we both have a penchant for ghosts and big sandwiches.
You can find out more about Tom Mead here tommeadauthor.com and connect with him on Instagram, Facebook, Threads and Bluesky @tommeadauthor. The House At Devil’s Neck is available to buy from:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Devils-Spector-Locked-Room-Mystery/dp/183793262X
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-house-at-devils-neck/tom-mead//9781837932627
Blackwells: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/The-House-at-Devils-Neck-by-Tom-Mead/9781837932627?a_aid=shedunnit&ref=shedunnitshow.com&srsltid=AfmBOopcsZ-4b0J7FASWSDOdUhfaEpFwgMic-sDtWmi1BNKDMx2aiYG5
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