An actress from the Lyceum Theatre has gone missing and a request for help is made to theatre manager, Abraham "Bram" Stoker, and his personal assistant/stage manager, Harry Rivers. Unfortunately, the missing actress is soon found dead, and the murder appears to have ties to the occult. Will Bram and Harry uncover the nefarious plot in time?

DEAD FOR A SPELL is the second book in the Bram Stoker mystery series but can easily be read as a standalone story. The relationship between Harry and Bram reminds me a bit of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as we see the story unfold through Harry's eyes. Bram is a heroic figure, always calculating, and I like seeing him thrown off his game a bit with Sir Henry Irving fawning over the American entourage.

Raymond Buckland does an excellent job at weaving together historical fact with fiction to craft a solid and very entertaining mystery. I love seeing the characters speculate about the Freemasons, the Tarot cards, and even the Hellfire Club as Bram and Harry try to uncover who is behind the dastardly plot to destroy the Lyceum and all it stands for. DEAD FOR A SPELL is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery and I look forward to seeing what is in store next for Bram, Harry, and the rest of the Lyceum crew.