Too Many Magicians is a "locked room" mystery, given a fresh twist by the introduction of the fantasy element.

The impossible crime is committed, and because it occurs at a sorcerers' convention it would seem that a sorcerer must be the culprit. Because there are so many high-caliber suspects about, determining motive, method, and opportunity makes for a particularly Byzantine and absorbing puzzle.

Contrast is used playfully to draw the reader into the alternate world of the novel. Darcy's world is just similar enough to the reader's world for it to be comprehensible with an occasional paragraph explaining its history or technology. It is a world where the reader can feel at home, yet still be intrigued and amused by its unexpected parallels or differences.

Contrast between characters, or sets of characters, is used to emphasize the true nature of each. Darcy and Master Sean appear all the...