Abracadaver (Lovesey novel)

Abracadaver is a crime novel written by Peter Lovesey, published in 1972. It is the second book in Lovesey's Sergeant Cribb series, featuring the Victorian-era detective Sergeant Cribb and his sidekick, Constable Thackeray.

The plot revolves around a series of mysterious deaths connected to a magic show performance at a London theatre. Cribb and Thackeray are tasked with investigating the seemingly impossible crimes, which occur onstage during the performance, leading them to delve into the world of Victorian stage magic, illusion, and rivalries between performers. They must uncover the secrets and deceptions behind the tricks to identify the killer among the cast and crew. The novel features a combination of fair-play mystery elements and detailed historical context, characteristic of Lovesey's work. The title, Abracadaver, is a play on the magic word "Abracadabra," substituting "cadaver" to emphasize the presence of death and the macabre nature of the crimes.