Josephine Tey Mysteries

Exhausted and disillusioned with the world of theater in May 1935, Josephine Tey has traveled to Cornwall to spend the summer with her friends, the Motleys, at their run-down but beautiful country estate. Ready to begin work on her second mystery novel, Tey finds much to inspire her in the landscape and its legends. Meanwhile, the Motleys have become involved in an amateur production at the nearby Minack Theater. Detective Inspector Archie Penrose has returned to his roots in Cornwall to attend the funeral of a family friend, a young estate worker who died in a tragic riding accident. Penrose has a few questions about the circumstances surrounding the fatal occurrence. And when the Minack Theater proves to be the stage for a real-life tragedy, Penrose and Tey together must investigate an audacious murder and confront an evil suggesting that there are darker things than death. "Packed with lust and illicit passion." "The portrayal of Tey is both sympathetic and perceptive…Upson is chillingly effective at showing how good intentions may lead to evil consequences…A fine addition to a promising series." "Carefully plotted, full of historical information, local color and meticulous psychological analysis." "Within a relatively short period, Nicola Upson has established herself as one of the most inventive and unusual of crime writers…It's easy to feel that Tey herself would be delighted with these fictitious imaginings of her life."

London, 1903. Two women are hanged in Holloway Prison for killing babies. More than thirty years later, their crimes resurface with shocking consequences. When Josephine Tey sets out to write a novel about Amelia Sach and Annie Walters, the notorious Finchley baby farmers sentenced to death for a string of newborn murders, she has no idea that the research for her book will be used in the investigation of a modern-day killing-the sadistic murder of a young seamstress, found dead in the studio of Tey's friends, the Motley sisters, amid preparations for a star-studded charity gala. While initially the death of the young girl, an ex-con trying to go straight, seems to be the result of a long-standing domestic feud, Josephine's friend, Inspector Archie Penrose, is not convinced. And when a second young woman is involved in a horrific accident soon afterwards, the search begins for a vicious killer who will stop at nothing to keep the past where it belongs. Moving between the decadence and glamour of a private women's club, the bleak surroundings of Holloway prison, and the deprivation of London's slums, Two for Sorrow is a dark and unsettling exploration of the way in which the crimes of the past destroy those left behind-long after justice is served. "Upson upsets readers' expectations with a surprise that keeps the suspense high to the satisfying conclusion. Puzzle fans as well as admirers of psychologically-rich crime authors such as Ruth Rendell will find a lot to savor." "This excellent entry in this highly recommended series provides all the classic detective components with a contemporary kick. The case is intricate and surprisingly intimate, weaving in and out of two historical periods." "Curiously touching and psychologically compelling." "Upson's style is compelling, meticulously researched, and immaculately written. She creates a world you enter through her pages and are reluctant to leave at the end." "Any crime aficionado…should make room for Nicola Upson's novels in which the real-life author Josephine Tey, one of the grandest dames of the Golden Age of detective fiction, investigates murders in the thirties."

Intrepid writer and amateur sleuth Josephine Tey returns in this sixth installment in Nicola Upson's popular series-perfect for fans of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Jaqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs-that unfolds in 1930s London as England prepares to crown a new king. London, 1937. Following the gloomy days of the abdication of King Edward VIII, the entire city is elated to welcome King George. Just one of the many planned festivities for the historic coronation is a BBC radio adaptation of Queen of Scots, and the original playwright, Josephine Tey, has been invited to sit in on rehearsals. Soon, however, Josephine gets wrapped up in another sort of drama. The lead actress has been sleeping with Britain's most venerable newsman, Anthony Beresford-and his humiliated wife happens to work in the building. The sordid affair seems to reach its bloody climax when Beresford is shot to death in his broadcasting booth at the deafening height of the coronation ceremony. Josephine's dear friend Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose has the case wrapped up before long. But when a second, seemingly related murder throws Penrose for a loop, it falls to Josephine to unravel a web of betrayal, jealousy, and long-held secrets … caught all the while in a love triangle of her own making. Charming and provocative, thick with the atmosphere of prewar England, London Rain is a captivating portrait of a city on the edge-and an unforgettable woman always one step ahead of her time. "Narrator Wanda McCaddon switches effortlessly among Scottish, English, and Welsh accents, expertly coloring the intriguing subplots in Upson's sixth historical crime novel… McCaddon's range of expression and pace greatly enrich the well-drawn novel, which is as much historical fiction as mystery. Her clear, crisp, and inviting narrative voice perfectly channels 1930s England, offering listeners a time warp that is hard to leave." "The author continues to blend history and fiction seamlessly, both in the portrayal of her main character (a real-life contemporary of Agatha Christie) and in the setting…[and] constructs a murder mystery that will keep readers guessing. The glimpses into the changing face of feminism and the politics of the BBC in the late 1930s prove equally intriguing." "The coronation of George VI in 1937 provides the backdrop for Upson's psychologically complex and twisty sixth whodunit featuring real-life mystery writer Josephine Tey." "Delivers deft plotting and evocations of the era through charming descriptions of London. As little is known about Tey, Upson's speculations on her life create intriguing (fictional) biographical footnotes." "Notable for its well-wrought characters and involving plots that vividly capture a time and place." "The complexity of the overlapping relationships and a burst of momentum make her fictionalized heroine's sixth case a worthy sequel to its predecessors." "This book is what historical crime is all about."