The Zombie Ball

An Eli Marks Mystery

By: John Gaspard

Narrated by: Jim Cunningham

Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Eli’s asked to perform his magic act at a swanky charity gala, the Zombie Ball - a former zombie pub crawl which has grown into an annual high-class social event. What begins as a typical stage show for Eli turns deadly when two of the evening’s sponsors are found murdered under truly unusual circumstances. Compounding this drama is the presence of Eli’s ex-wife and her new husband, Homicide Detective Fred Hutton. Under pressure to solve the crime before the 800 guests depart, Eli and his detective nemesis go head-to-head to uncover the bizarre clues that will unravel this macabre mystery.

©2019 John Gaspard (P)2019 Spoken Realms

I didn’t see that coming!

I read these out of order and realized halfway thru that this is the first one, (I think).
Still, living the characters so much from the other books, it didn’t matter. It was like a prequel, which filmmakers are so fond of making these days.
John Gaspard continues to confound me with his mysteries. I think this was the best of them all!
I’ll bet he has some experience as a magician himself.

High Class Freak Show Plus Murder 😲

When Eli is asked to fill in for a more famous magician at the Zombie Ball (a fancy charity event held by pharmaceutical companies), he is stoked to learn that he will get to meet the famous Joey Dee, a famous old time magician that his Uncle Harry had worked with. So taking along his book for his signature for Uncle Harry, Eli goes off to the Zombie Ball, ready for a night of magic tricks, never expecting to meet up with murder . . . times two. Many of the party goers are dressed garishly like zombies, while others are dressed to the nines in gala attire, and everyone is imbibing heavily on the alcohol. Photo ops, edgy executive assistants and Eli's ex wife and her new husband, Homicide Detective Fred Hutton make for loads of tension. But you just gotta love Eli, with his low key humor and his ability to carry the evening, with his slight of hand and his eye for catching every angle. Even his ex, knows and appreciates his peculiar talents, which gets on Homicide Detective Fred Hutton's very last nerve 😂. Excellent addition to the series, and a conclusion that I did not see coming.

Well written and charming…

Most of the Eli Marks series are now included in the audible membership. It’s fast, fun and entertaining reading I recommend highly.

Murder Mystery

surprised that I liked this book as it's not something I would ever pick. It flowed well and was not too easy to jump to the ' who done it' good one .

Couldn't stop listening!

Great story delivered by a great storyteller. tell ya what, I'll look for other Jim Cunningham work, as well as Eli Marks detecting. a gripping combo!

wonderful

once again Eli Marks doesn't disappoint... I haven't been able to stop reading his adventures

Keeps your attention

I enjoyed the way this story kept me entertained and not wanting to stop.

Loved the 'magical' ending. Wink wink.

zombie ball

it's a good read. it keeps you guessing with a little humor and wit too

Unique, Quirky, Magic - love this series!

Highly recommended. I’ve read & enjoyed the audio versions both, the latter narrated by Jim Cunningham. John Gaspard is one of my new “go to” authors. I love his quirky tone & humor; the characters are well drawn; Eli/MC is likable, an underestimated sort; and the magic aspect is a plus. This series is great for decompressing and/or commuting to/from work.
No on scene violence, no sexual situations, no strong language. IMO, suitable for anyone.

Great stand alone

Would work well as an introduction to the series for new folks. Bear in mind, there's not much actual "magic" here, as Eli's landing a gig serves solely to place him at the scene of the crime. The previous stories are more directly involved with his act.