Skip to product information
1 of 1

Goldsboro Books

978-1784297008

The Vanishing Box: Stephens and Mephisto Mystery 4

The Vanishing Box: Stephens and Mephisto Mystery 4

by Elly Griffiths

Publisher Quercus

Genre: Crime

Publication date:

Available from:

✍️ Signed by the Author 📘 Hardback 🇬🇧 UK First Edition, First Printing


Regular price £35.00
Regular price Sale price £35.00
Sale Sold out
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Low stock

Rendering loop-subscriptions

Limited Edition Copies

View full details
  • Professionally Packed

    All of our books that have a dust wrapper are covered in clear protective, removable film and are packed professionally in bubble wrap and a box for shipping so that they reach you in perfect condition.

  • Book Condition & Notes

    All of our books that a have dust wrapper are covered in clear protective, removable film and are packed professionally in bubble wrap and a box for shipping so that they reach you in perfect condition.

About the book

What do a murdered Brighton flowerseller, the death of Cleopatra and a nude tableau show have in common? One thing's for sure - it could be the most dangerous case yet for Stephens and Mephisto.

The fourth Stephens and Mephisto mystery from the author of the bestselling Dr Ruth Galloway series - a must-read for fans of Bryant and May. 'Mixes cosiness and sharpness in a way that recalls the best of Agatha Christie' Sunday Express (on Smoke and Mirrors)

Christmas 1953. Max Mephisto and his daughter Ruby are headlining Brighton Hippodrome, an achievement only slightly marred by the less-than-savoury support act: a tableau show of naked 'living statues'. This might appear to have nothing in common with DI Edgar Stephens' investigation into the death of a quiet flowerseller, but if there's one thing the old comrades have learned it's that, in Brighton, the line between art and life - and death - is all too easily blurred...

Collapsible content

About the Author

Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths is the pen name of Dominica de la Rosa, a British crime novelist. She has written two series as Griffiths, one featuring Ruth Galloway, the other featuring Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens and Max Mephisto.


After reading English at King's College London, Griffiths worked in publishing for many years.


In 2017 Griffiths was the Programming Chair for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, part of the Harrogate International Festivals portfolio.


Griffiths won the 2020 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel for The Stranger Diaries.


Collapsible content

GPSR EU Safety Information

1. Manufacturer Contact Information

Goldsboro Books Ltd - 23-27 Cecil Court, London, WC2N4EZ, enquiries@goldsborobooks.com, 02074979230

2. EU Authorised Representative Information

Easy Access System Europe - Mustamäe tee 50, 10621 Tallinn, Estonia, gpsr.requests@easproject.com

3. Safety Warnings

Not applicable

  • Recent Acquisitions at Goldsboro Books (Volume 4: July 2026)

    Recent Acquisitions at Goldsboro Books (Volume ...

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Recent Acquisitions – Part IV Our fourth instalment of Recent Acquisitions continues to showcase the breadth of books arriving at Goldsboro Books. This latest selection spans almost one hundred years...

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Recent Acquisitions at Goldsboro Books (Volume ...

    Recent Acquisitions – Part IV Our fourth instalment of Recent Acquisitions continues to showcase the breadth of books arriving at Goldsboro Books. This latest selection spans almost one hundred years...

  • Crime Collective: September 2026 Revealed

    Crime Collective: September 2026 Revealed

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Why We Chose Tell Me Something True for September 2026 Every so often, a crime novel comes along that reminds us the greatest mysteries aren't always about who committed the...

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Crime Collective: September 2026 Revealed

    Why We Chose Tell Me Something True for September 2026 Every so often, a crime novel comes along that reminds us the greatest mysteries aren't always about who committed the...

  • Fresh Ink: September 2026 Revealed

    Fresh Ink: September 2026 Revealed

    Rebecca McDonnell

    “A psychological-thriller-slash-body-horror story about the often-suffocating expectations of womanhood? Say no more.” ― Marie Claire Why We Chose Death Do Us for Fresh Ink, September 2026 For Fresh Ink, we’ve been...

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Fresh Ink: September 2026 Revealed

    “A psychological-thriller-slash-body-horror story about the often-suffocating expectations of womanhood? Say no more.” ― Marie Claire Why We Chose Death Do Us for Fresh Ink, September 2026 For Fresh Ink, we’ve been...

  • PREM1ER: September 2026 Revealed

    PREM1ER: September 2026 Revealed

    Rebecca McDonnell

    Why We Chose Under Story for September's PREM1ER Book For September 2026, we wanted to champion a novel that feels truly unforgettable: one that pushes the boundaries of storytelling while...

    Rebecca McDonnell

    PREM1ER: September 2026 Revealed

    Why We Chose Under Story for September's PREM1ER Book For September 2026, we wanted to champion a novel that feels truly unforgettable: one that pushes the boundaries of storytelling while...

1 of 4