This isn't a vintage mystery, but it does feature Golden Age author Josephine Tey as a main character. I went into the novel expecting the author to write Tey as the primary (amateur) investigator. I was very mistaken. Instead, Upson has created DI Archie Penrose, close friend of Josphine's deceased lover. The two men were in the Great War together.
The war, although it is over, remains as a great influence in this mystery. The first murder, of a young woman who is a theatre enthusiast, seems to be completely unrelated. She is an adopted child, orphaned by the conflict, but how could that be blamed for her demise?
Archie and Josephine use their wartime experiences to inform the murder investigation. I admired how Upson structured the plot, dealing out clues gradually and distracting me with facts. She has obviously studied those Golden Age authors and learned a thing or two. If you are a devotee of Josephine Tey, you may be put off by her depiction (I have discovered that vintage mystery enthusiasts rarely appreciate a modern author using their darlings as characters). I have read a couple of Tey's novels, but I am not fan-girl enough to resent this. I enjoyed the novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment