Status
Available
Description
Traveling to London in 1934 to celebrate the triumphant final week of her play Richard of Bordeaux, popular writer Josephine Tey is caught up by the murder of a fellow train passenger, in a case that raises the suspicions of Detective Inspector Archie Penrose.
User reviews
LibraryThing member alana_leigh
An Expert in Murder is a quite a good book, but in many ways, it's a victim to its own complications. There's a great deal going on with it, so let me give a brief summary, get into some of its stumbling blocks, and then close with why you really should read it anyway.
Josephine Tey, a Scottish
This is Nicola Upson's first mystery novel and don't let yourself be convinced otherwise as you start to read it. I say this because I knew it was the first, and yet kept second-guessing myself. There are two reasons for this. Number one: Upson gave herself the daunting task of fictionalizing history. Her main character, Josephine Tey, is based on Elizabeth Macintosh, a Scottish mystery novelist. Josephine Tey was one of two pseudonyms that Macintosh used; the other is Gordon Daviot. Upson nods to both of these, as Upson's character of Tey writes under the name Daviot. This novel focuses on events surrounding the original West End staging of Macintosh/Tey/Daviot's play Richard of Bordeaux. Now, the plot of this novel is entirely fictional, but many of the characters are modeled on real people. This is a lot of overlay to deal with, but not too much... which brings me to the second reason that I felt like I was missing something throughout the beginning chapters. There was information being glazed over in a way that suggested that these were plotpoints of an earlier novel and all you needed to know was the outcome (aka a court case ruled in favor of Tey and as a result, some other author committed suicide). These incidents that have taken place prior to the events that are taking place in this novel are actually important here in this story, but you aren't necessarily given that impression. When Tey refers to her guilt that author's suicide, the reader feels confused because we are not given much to go on, and the natural impulse is to assume there was backstory here in the form of another novel that we clearly skipped/missed. I'm not sure what could have been done to make this better, but it wasn't until halfway through the book that I realized this backstory was still very much in play. It made things confusing and you never want your reader to spend a lot of time thinking, "did I miss something?"
That said, I quite enjoyed An Expert in Murder. It has its first novel flaws, but perhaps Upson is only really guilty of being ambitious. Upson paints an incredibly vivid picture of theater in the 1930s -- which I assume might be the subject of her nonfiction works, and certainly might be influenced by her own work in theater. It's not simply the on-stage action (because really, this isn't focused on much at all, except in discussions off-stage), but the theater-owner and the backstage crew are interesting, too. One accepts that strong personalities populate the theater, and so they do not seem at all out of place with their quips. Upson doesn't shy away from depicting homosexual relationships even at this time, though mostly she acknowledges that while they might be more common in the theater world, they were still bound by certain societal rules away from the footlights. Her characters off the stage have a bit more depth. Tey was interesting as a slightly older female lead character, but Archie Penrose, the detective, was really great. Their interaction is great and restrained -- very English, but wonderfully multi-faceted. Their link is a bit contrived, but Upson has a real gift for depicting poignant facts that have to do with this time period and if the complications are somewhat easy to foresee, you'll at least appreciate what still feels like genuine emotion without being overly dramatic. The complications of having survived friends and loved ones who were lost in a war, the attempts to move on with one's life, the inability to escape atrocities committed on and off the battlefield... Upson really shines here. I wasn't was thrilled with the ending of the murder mystery (don't worry, no spoilers here), but it came with what felt like a caricature of an evil villain. But even that wasn't quite enough for me to set aside the enjoyment that I'd gotten out of the rest of the novel's prose.
So I certainly believe that Upson will be a mystery writer to watch if she can keep pace with her own standards. I feel that, given the amazing depth of this work, they must be rather high. With all the plotpoints and characters, things felt slightly contrived, but despite these few issues, I still think the book was quite worthwhile and I look forward to the next Josephine Tey mystery, where hopefully Upson will have ironed out a few kinks. Oh, and I'll admit that this is another book where I was lured in by the cover -- I think it's just lovely.
Josephine Tey, a Scottish
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writer and playwright, is traveling by train to London in the 1930s for the final week that her play, Richard of Bordeaux, will be playing in the West End. While on the train, she meets Elspeth Simmons, a young girl who recognizes Tey from a theater review and is quite a fan of her work. Elspeth is staying with her aunt and uncle in London, but she and her beau (who happens to work backstage on Richard of Bordeaux) will be seeing the play later that week. Tey is charmed by the girl, even inviting her to meet the lead actress of the play, who is meeting Tey at the station. Elspeth does so, and in her excitement, forgets her luggage on the train and runs back to retrieve it. Tey and her actress friend leave, but when Elspeth returns to the train car, she is brutally murdered in a way that the police can only believe is premeditated. She will not be the only casualty in this complicated story of the theater and England after the first World War -- for even if the war is over, its effects are still very present in the lives of those who lived through it.This is Nicola Upson's first mystery novel and don't let yourself be convinced otherwise as you start to read it. I say this because I knew it was the first, and yet kept second-guessing myself. There are two reasons for this. Number one: Upson gave herself the daunting task of fictionalizing history. Her main character, Josephine Tey, is based on Elizabeth Macintosh, a Scottish mystery novelist. Josephine Tey was one of two pseudonyms that Macintosh used; the other is Gordon Daviot. Upson nods to both of these, as Upson's character of Tey writes under the name Daviot. This novel focuses on events surrounding the original West End staging of Macintosh/Tey/Daviot's play Richard of Bordeaux. Now, the plot of this novel is entirely fictional, but many of the characters are modeled on real people. This is a lot of overlay to deal with, but not too much... which brings me to the second reason that I felt like I was missing something throughout the beginning chapters. There was information being glazed over in a way that suggested that these were plotpoints of an earlier novel and all you needed to know was the outcome (aka a court case ruled in favor of Tey and as a result, some other author committed suicide). These incidents that have taken place prior to the events that are taking place in this novel are actually important here in this story, but you aren't necessarily given that impression. When Tey refers to her guilt that author's suicide, the reader feels confused because we are not given much to go on, and the natural impulse is to assume there was backstory here in the form of another novel that we clearly skipped/missed. I'm not sure what could have been done to make this better, but it wasn't until halfway through the book that I realized this backstory was still very much in play. It made things confusing and you never want your reader to spend a lot of time thinking, "did I miss something?"
That said, I quite enjoyed An Expert in Murder. It has its first novel flaws, but perhaps Upson is only really guilty of being ambitious. Upson paints an incredibly vivid picture of theater in the 1930s -- which I assume might be the subject of her nonfiction works, and certainly might be influenced by her own work in theater. It's not simply the on-stage action (because really, this isn't focused on much at all, except in discussions off-stage), but the theater-owner and the backstage crew are interesting, too. One accepts that strong personalities populate the theater, and so they do not seem at all out of place with their quips. Upson doesn't shy away from depicting homosexual relationships even at this time, though mostly she acknowledges that while they might be more common in the theater world, they were still bound by certain societal rules away from the footlights. Her characters off the stage have a bit more depth. Tey was interesting as a slightly older female lead character, but Archie Penrose, the detective, was really great. Their interaction is great and restrained -- very English, but wonderfully multi-faceted. Their link is a bit contrived, but Upson has a real gift for depicting poignant facts that have to do with this time period and if the complications are somewhat easy to foresee, you'll at least appreciate what still feels like genuine emotion without being overly dramatic. The complications of having survived friends and loved ones who were lost in a war, the attempts to move on with one's life, the inability to escape atrocities committed on and off the battlefield... Upson really shines here. I wasn't was thrilled with the ending of the murder mystery (don't worry, no spoilers here), but it came with what felt like a caricature of an evil villain. But even that wasn't quite enough for me to set aside the enjoyment that I'd gotten out of the rest of the novel's prose.
So I certainly believe that Upson will be a mystery writer to watch if she can keep pace with her own standards. I feel that, given the amazing depth of this work, they must be rather high. With all the plotpoints and characters, things felt slightly contrived, but despite these few issues, I still think the book was quite worthwhile and I look forward to the next Josephine Tey mystery, where hopefully Upson will have ironed out a few kinks. Oh, and I'll admit that this is another book where I was lured in by the cover -- I think it's just lovely.
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LibraryThing member Stewartry
This is billed as the first in a series of mysteries starring writer Josephine Tey as the detective, and that puzzles me a little. She was a primary character, but not the primary character, and didn't really serve as the detective ...
Full review on my blog...
The choice to take a real person and
I liked it. There was a decent mystery there, and engaging characters, and a believable setting in a London theatre. But the story-telling style drove me slightly crazy at times. It had a heaping helping of the dreaded head-hopping. The latter is something which, unless I'm mistaken, is more acceptable in England than in the US; it never bothered me before I learned it was a Bad Thing, and rarely since, but it bothered me here. The narrative of the book is choppy, with a more sedate sort of head-hopping, with lots of points of view. What irritated me, though, was the stingy doling out of information. It's necessary in a mystery to withhold information, of course. And another Bad Thing new writers are warned against is the dreaded info-dump, in which clumps of information are scattered like undissolved lumps of flour in a cake. The "As you know, Jim" syndrome. Well, Nicola Upson took that directive very much to heart, because she refuses to divulge plot points until she absolutely has to. "That business last year with Elliot Vintner" is mentioned on page 8, and the reader does not find out what "that business" was for chapters. The same thing happens with a few other minor mysteries: what did Elspeth's boyfriend do that has him in so much trouble with his boss? What on earth is going on with the two main actors? I figured that one out fairly easily - but it was annoying to have so much information withheld, sometimes for no very good reason. The climax of the story was melodramatic, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing it's not a very good thing here. The elements of WWI underlying the whole thing were well done; the elements of the theatre were well done if not as alluring as, say, Ngaio Marsh did; the characters were enjoyable. The plot was perhaps the least involving part of the whole thing for me. I probably won't actively seek out the other books in the series; I'll pick them up if I come across them, but I'll be fine if I don't come across them.
Full review on my blog...
The choice to take a real person and
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cast her as the putative main detective was an odd one to me. It always makes me a little queasy when a writer uses real people as characters, unless it's done very very well. An Expert in Murder troubled me a bit; it was such a peculiar concept. First of all, there was no Josephine Tey, per se. The writer's name was Elizabeth Mackintosh; Gordon Daviot was the pen name she used for several books and her plays, and Josephine Tey was the name she used for her books; from what I can see she never went by "Josephine Tey" in her usual life. Perhaps needless to say, the entire plot of the murder was fabricated for this book; there was a situation similair to "that business with Elliot Vintner", though from the little I've found online it didn't amount to remotely what happened in this book, and there was, of course, no murder whatsoever. The cast of the play was created for this book. I can't but think this would have worked at least as well had she simply cast the story into an entirely fictional setting: here is a stage production in London in the 30's, and the play was written by this woman who is an acclaimed writer, and this is what happens. I don't see any special reason why the writer in question had to be Josephine Tey, apart from as a selling point. The real detective is Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, and he was a very good character - I liked him, I liked his Sergeant, I liked his setting. I could wish the series were simply based around him - though that might wind up being more Roderick Alleyn than Alan Grant.I liked it. There was a decent mystery there, and engaging characters, and a believable setting in a London theatre. But the story-telling style drove me slightly crazy at times. It had a heaping helping of the dreaded head-hopping. The latter is something which, unless I'm mistaken, is more acceptable in England than in the US; it never bothered me before I learned it was a Bad Thing, and rarely since, but it bothered me here. The narrative of the book is choppy, with a more sedate sort of head-hopping, with lots of points of view. What irritated me, though, was the stingy doling out of information. It's necessary in a mystery to withhold information, of course. And another Bad Thing new writers are warned against is the dreaded info-dump, in which clumps of information are scattered like undissolved lumps of flour in a cake. The "As you know, Jim" syndrome. Well, Nicola Upson took that directive very much to heart, because she refuses to divulge plot points until she absolutely has to. "That business last year with Elliot Vintner" is mentioned on page 8, and the reader does not find out what "that business" was for chapters. The same thing happens with a few other minor mysteries: what did Elspeth's boyfriend do that has him in so much trouble with his boss? What on earth is going on with the two main actors? I figured that one out fairly easily - but it was annoying to have so much information withheld, sometimes for no very good reason. The climax of the story was melodramatic, and while that's not necessarily a bad thing it's not a very good thing here. The elements of WWI underlying the whole thing were well done; the elements of the theatre were well done if not as alluring as, say, Ngaio Marsh did; the characters were enjoyable. The plot was perhaps the least involving part of the whole thing for me. I probably won't actively seek out the other books in the series; I'll pick them up if I come across them, but I'll be fine if I don't come across them.
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LibraryThing member JohnGrant1
Josephine Tey is an author whose all-too-few novels I reread every few years, especially Brat Farrar, The Franchise Affair and of course The Daughter of Time. Upson has had the wonderful idea of creating a detective novel in which the central character is Tey herself, with the setting being
The trouble is that if you're going to do this sort of thing properly you need to maintain a certain measure of historical veracity, and this Upson — perhaps in part for legal reasons — clearly feels unable to do. At the time of this novel Tey, whose real name was Elizabeth Mackintosh, hadn't yet invented the Josephine Tey pseudonym; she was writing under the name Gordon Daviot. Yet in the novel everyone seems to think she's called Josephine. This was obviously a deliberate decision on Upson's part, because she explains the facts of the matter (I'd remembered them only dimly) in an Afterword. And then all the actors who played in the real West End run of Richard of Bordeaux have been replaced by fictional ones; would it not have been possible to have adjusted the plot such that Gielgud and the rest were peripheral figures while the actors engaged in yer actual skullduggery (yes, I can understand why you might want to invent these out of whole cloth) were extras or understudies or something? One of the characters murdered is the play's producer, who has to be fictionalized because the real producer lived on long after the play had closed. And so on.
In other words, what we have here is a historical novel in which so much of the history has been invented that you can't really call it a historical novel. It's essentially just a confection into which the author has tossed the name Josephine Tey. To be fair, Upson seems to have caught Elizabeth Mackintosh's personality very well; confusion of naming aside, this is definitely the same figure who emerges from everything else I've read about her. And Upson also conveys brilliantly a milieu in which the memory of World War I still squats heavily over everyone's consciousness: none of her characters can really escape those recalled horrors, or the losses of loved ones — especially now that the Nazis are on the rise in Germany. But otherwise the book is a historical jumble.
As a detective novel, on the other hand, it functions quite well — although it's maybe a shade longer than it should be. I gather there are more Archie Penrose mysteries on the way, and I'd not be at all surprised if I found myself reading them.
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London's theatreland during the closing weeks of the West End run of her phenomenally successful play Richard of Bordeaux. Tey meets a young fan on the train down from Scotland to London, and almost immediately the fan is murdered; Tey helps her old friend Detective Inspector Archie Penrose of the Yard sort out not only this crime but a passel of related ones.The trouble is that if you're going to do this sort of thing properly you need to maintain a certain measure of historical veracity, and this Upson — perhaps in part for legal reasons — clearly feels unable to do. At the time of this novel Tey, whose real name was Elizabeth Mackintosh, hadn't yet invented the Josephine Tey pseudonym; she was writing under the name Gordon Daviot. Yet in the novel everyone seems to think she's called Josephine. This was obviously a deliberate decision on Upson's part, because she explains the facts of the matter (I'd remembered them only dimly) in an Afterword. And then all the actors who played in the real West End run of Richard of Bordeaux have been replaced by fictional ones; would it not have been possible to have adjusted the plot such that Gielgud and the rest were peripheral figures while the actors engaged in yer actual skullduggery (yes, I can understand why you might want to invent these out of whole cloth) were extras or understudies or something? One of the characters murdered is the play's producer, who has to be fictionalized because the real producer lived on long after the play had closed. And so on.
In other words, what we have here is a historical novel in which so much of the history has been invented that you can't really call it a historical novel. It's essentially just a confection into which the author has tossed the name Josephine Tey. To be fair, Upson seems to have caught Elizabeth Mackintosh's personality very well; confusion of naming aside, this is definitely the same figure who emerges from everything else I've read about her. And Upson also conveys brilliantly a milieu in which the memory of World War I still squats heavily over everyone's consciousness: none of her characters can really escape those recalled horrors, or the losses of loved ones — especially now that the Nazis are on the rise in Germany. But otherwise the book is a historical jumble.
As a detective novel, on the other hand, it functions quite well — although it's maybe a shade longer than it should be. I gather there are more Archie Penrose mysteries on the way, and I'd not be at all surprised if I found myself reading them.
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LibraryThing member otterley
The plot is suitably devious with an unpredictable murderer and plot (though with enough clues to keep just one step ahead of the detectives at the end); some good period detail (but perhaps rather too modern relationships?). It falls into the trap of too many detective novels of telling you what
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people feel, rather than showing you by the way they act and talk - but overall a good read for lovers of the more trad and period detective story (not too much of a gore fest!) Show Less
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Author Josephine Tey is the central character in this first-in-series mystery. In 1934, the first of Tey's Alan Grant mysteries has been published; the play Richard of Bordeaux Tey wrote under the pseudonym Gordon Daviot is nearing the end of its London run. Tey travels from Scotland to London to
This is a decent mystery, but it lacks the wit and sparkle of Tey's novels. The language and prose seems to me to reflect more modern sensibilities than one finds in Tey's own novels or in the work of her contemporaries. Even so, it's still a fitting tribute to a well-loved mystery novelist. Many of the characters deal with lingering psychological effects of World War I, so this book may appeal to fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs novels and of Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series as well as Tey fans.
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be present for the play's final week and to participate in negotiations for the play's tour and a potential movie deal. The week is marred by a couple of murders seemingly connected to the play, and Tey's close friend, police inspector Archie Penrose, fears for Tey's safety.This is a decent mystery, but it lacks the wit and sparkle of Tey's novels. The language and prose seems to me to reflect more modern sensibilities than one finds in Tey's own novels or in the work of her contemporaries. Even so, it's still a fitting tribute to a well-loved mystery novelist. Many of the characters deal with lingering psychological effects of World War I, so this book may appeal to fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs novels and of Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series as well as Tey fans.
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LibraryThing member lahochstetler
Mystery writer Josephine Tey appears in this book as the protagonist, an amateur detective in a case that develops from the last performances of her play, Richard of Bordeaux. On the train to London, Josephine meets a young woman who later turns up dead. It appears that the victim and all the
This is a good mystery, and Tey is an essential part of the story. I was somewhat concerned that Tey might be merely a gimmick, but really the story could not have happened without her. The play and its environs involve a group of rather histrionic theater folk, but this is not overdone. Generally this is a solid story full of suspense. I didn't necessarily feel like I was connecting with the same Tey as when I read Tey's own works, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book all the same.
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suspects had connections to Richard of Bordeaux. Josephine's friend Archie Penrose is the Scotland Yard inspector on the case. Josephine undertakes her own investigations too, trying to find the killer of the woman on the train, Elspeth Simmons. This is a good mystery, and Tey is an essential part of the story. I was somewhat concerned that Tey might be merely a gimmick, but really the story could not have happened without her. The play and its environs involve a group of rather histrionic theater folk, but this is not overdone. Generally this is a solid story full of suspense. I didn't necessarily feel like I was connecting with the same Tey as when I read Tey's own works, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book all the same.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
The mystery is good but I felt somewhat uncomfortable with Tey as a character...
LibraryThing member ReadingKnitter01
well written elegant and i learned a lot about Josephine Tey that i didn't know (she is the protaganist)
LibraryThing member grandpahobo
This is a pretty good mystery. There was a bit too much time spent on the romance aspect of the characters (for my taste anyway). I'll definitely try the next one in the series.
LibraryThing member AntT
I would have given it another star if the word "lover" had not been so over used.
LibraryThing member mmignano11
Expert In Murder was my favorite of the three mysteries I have read in this series by Nicola Upson. The story has a plot that allows for the large cast of characters that Upson adroitly handles. The mystery surrounding Josephine Tey, writer, involves her play Richard of Bordeaux. The clues tie her
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play to the characters who are victims, the first a young girl Josephine meets on the train. The young girl's death touches her and the reader deeply and finding the real connection between her killer and Tey, Tey's play and the deaths of the victims to come, is the meat and potatoes of this book. I found it substantial, like a five course meal, appetizers,soup, salad, entree and dessert, the story delivered to the table and absorbed by the reader, bite by bite, detail by detail, carried by the characters, themselves highly believable and compelling. Upson doles out period detail, not in a surge of encyclopedic re-telling,but as a backdrop for the scenes as they play out, providing the clues needed to piece together the compulsion that drives someone to murder. A highly satisfying mystery, I enjoyed every last drop, and strongly recommend it to those who enjoy Upson, and/or a good , solid mystery Show Less
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
Nicely done. Probably would have got 4 stars if I had read it 20 years ago as I enjoyed the traditional murder mystery much more then.
LibraryThing member Vivl
When I first picked up this book at a local bookshop it struck me as a bit risky to say the least for a new author of detective fiction to put Josephine Tey (a brilliant if relatively little-known mystery fiction author) in her novel. Obviously Josephine Tey fans are going to read the book and
I was drawn to the book from the start, when I spotted it on special at a local bookshop and discovered that a) Josephine Tey, one of my favourite mystery fiction authors, was a main character and that b) another of my favourite mystery fiction authors, Reginald Hill, had given the book a positive "comment" on the back cover. I had high hopes, but my rating wavered over the course of reading. It started off a 4 to 5 star read--I enjoyed the storyline and the characters were well-drawn, emotionally honest and interesting. Sadly, the last third is rushed: the characters lose their internal logic, things that just do not ring true begin to occur on a regular basis and the conclusion is fairly trite and predictable. Nicola Upson seems to have panicked about how to bring it all together.
The final, emotional confrontation between a pair of "star-crossed lovers" (whom I shall not name for fear of spoilers) comes over as terribly wooden. The two characters seem to be just that: I was unable to continue to suspend my disbelief and felt that they were nothing but two mediocre actors reading unconvincing lines under poor direction. It does not stir the heart as it should/could have done.
Another bugbear for me: horrendous realisations about loved ones are passed off by various characters with litle more than wry smiles. One of the reasons I can't stand to read Agatha Christie is the she routinely presents us with situations where the love of one's life is hanged for horribly murdering several people and one smiles bravely and continues on cheerfully through life with barely a blink of an eye (that and the fact that at about the age of 13 I figured out how to solve the "puzzle" of who-dun-it within the first chapter of any Christie novel).
As a result of these various late-stage flaws I lost the lovely connection and understanding that had been built up between me and the various characters. They lost the spark that had made them seem "real" to me. Before the final wooden scene, despite all other misgivings, I was thinking this was a 3.5 star book. After, it had dropped to three.
There are more books in this series. I may have one more go, probably with a library book since I'm unsure whether I want to part with hard-earned on something I'll quite possibly not enjoy. Here's hoping that things pick up a bit and that Upson is able to maintain the high standard she clearly is capable of throughout a novel.
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compare the quality of the writing to Josephine's. This Tey fan found it wanting.I was drawn to the book from the start, when I spotted it on special at a local bookshop and discovered that a) Josephine Tey, one of my favourite mystery fiction authors, was a main character and that b) another of my favourite mystery fiction authors, Reginald Hill, had given the book a positive "comment" on the back cover. I had high hopes, but my rating wavered over the course of reading. It started off a 4 to 5 star read--I enjoyed the storyline and the characters were well-drawn, emotionally honest and interesting. Sadly, the last third is rushed: the characters lose their internal logic, things that just do not ring true begin to occur on a regular basis and the conclusion is fairly trite and predictable. Nicola Upson seems to have panicked about how to bring it all together.
The final, emotional confrontation between a pair of "star-crossed lovers" (whom I shall not name for fear of spoilers) comes over as terribly wooden. The two characters seem to be just that: I was unable to continue to suspend my disbelief and felt that they were nothing but two mediocre actors reading unconvincing lines under poor direction. It does not stir the heart as it should/could have done.
Another bugbear for me: horrendous realisations about loved ones are passed off by various characters with litle more than wry smiles. One of the reasons I can't stand to read Agatha Christie is the she routinely presents us with situations where the love of one's life is hanged for horribly murdering several people and one smiles bravely and continues on cheerfully through life with barely a blink of an eye (that and the fact that at about the age of 13 I figured out how to solve the "puzzle" of who-dun-it within the first chapter of any Christie novel).
As a result of these various late-stage flaws I lost the lovely connection and understanding that had been built up between me and the various characters. They lost the spark that had made them seem "real" to me. Before the final wooden scene, despite all other misgivings, I was thinking this was a 3.5 star book. After, it had dropped to three.
There are more books in this series. I may have one more go, probably with a library book since I'm unsure whether I want to part with hard-earned on something I'll quite possibly not enjoy. Here's hoping that things pick up a bit and that Upson is able to maintain the high standard she clearly is capable of throughout a novel.
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LibraryThing member jetangen4571
Purchased as Whispersync on the cheap courtesy of BookGorilla.
Set in time not long before WW 2 in Europe, Josephine Tey is the protagonist in this mystery of cruel, calculated murder. I found it as engaging as any good murder mystery and it refused to allow me to go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
Davina Porter gives an excellent performance with no undue dramaticism.
Set in time not long before WW 2 in Europe, Josephine Tey is the protagonist in this mystery of cruel, calculated murder. I found it as engaging as any good murder mystery and it refused to allow me to go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
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The writing is solid, smooth, and the plot has some very interesting twists.Davina Porter gives an excellent performance with no undue dramaticism.
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LibraryThing member GTTexas
A good mystery to sink your teeth into. Not only does it feature Josephine Tey as a character, it is written very much in her style.
LibraryThing member cathyskye
First Line: Had she been superstitious, Josephine Tey might have realised the odds were against her when she found that her train, the early-morning express from the Highlands, was running an hour and a half late.
No one could be more surprised than Josephine Tey that her play, Richard of Bordeaux,
A friend of Josephine's, Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, is convinced that the murder is connected to the play, and that Josephine herself is in danger. When a second murder occurs, the policeman and the playwright find themselves working together to catch a killer.
Author Nicola Upson has done a marvelous job of blending fact and fiction in the character of Josephine Tey. (I don't read many "classic" or "golden age" mysteries, but even I know about Josephine Tey and her wonderful books. She is a very under-appreciated writer.) Upson's historical detail isn't at all overwhelming, and sets just the right tone in transporting a reader into the 1930s.
I had managed to identify the killer and a cohort, but I did not deduce the Why of it all because I was enjoying the characters, the setting, and the twists and turns of the plot so much. I look forward to reading the other books in the series, and would recommend them to anyone who has enjoyed reading Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, the Bess Crawford series written by Charles Todd, or the books of Suzanne Arruda.
No one could be more surprised than Josephine Tey that her play, Richard of Bordeaux,
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is the hit of the 1934 theatre season in London. She boards the train from Inverness to London to attend the play's final week and strikes up a conversation with a very personable young girl in the same compartment. To Josephine's shock, the young girl is murdered shortly after the train reaches London.A friend of Josephine's, Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, is convinced that the murder is connected to the play, and that Josephine herself is in danger. When a second murder occurs, the policeman and the playwright find themselves working together to catch a killer.
Author Nicola Upson has done a marvelous job of blending fact and fiction in the character of Josephine Tey. (I don't read many "classic" or "golden age" mysteries, but even I know about Josephine Tey and her wonderful books. She is a very under-appreciated writer.) Upson's historical detail isn't at all overwhelming, and sets just the right tone in transporting a reader into the 1930s.
I had managed to identify the killer and a cohort, but I did not deduce the Why of it all because I was enjoying the characters, the setting, and the twists and turns of the plot so much. I look forward to reading the other books in the series, and would recommend them to anyone who has enjoyed reading Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, the Bess Crawford series written by Charles Todd, or the books of Suzanne Arruda.
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LibraryThing member LizARees
Enjoyable read, though rather implausible plot involving a fictionalised Josephine Tey.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
In March 1934, Josephine Tey’s hit play Richard of Bordeaux is in its final week, so she takes the train into London for the festivities. On the train, she meets a lovely young woman who is a dedicated fan. But shortly after they arrive a shocking murder is committed, and it soon becomes apparent
This is a very good historical mystery which features a real person. The story is fictional, but Upson includes some factual elements which lend a real sense of the time and place. The real Josephine Tey did have a very successful play titled Richard of Bordeaux, which ran for 483 performances, closing on 24March1934. Unlike in the novel, there was no murder associated with the actual play. Rather, it made a star out of John Gielgud.
I liked the cast of characters that Upson used for the novel, from the main characters to ancillary characters (love the housekeeper, Snipe). The mystery is well thought out and sufficiently complicated to keep the reader guessing. I did think the final reveal was a little over the top, but it didn’t materially affect my enjoyment of the book. And there’s an interesting side story about a potential relationship between Josephine and Detective Inspector Archie Penrose that will probably develop over successive books in the series. I’ll definitely read more of this series.
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that Josephine is connected to the crime in ways she never imagined.This is a very good historical mystery which features a real person. The story is fictional, but Upson includes some factual elements which lend a real sense of the time and place. The real Josephine Tey did have a very successful play titled Richard of Bordeaux, which ran for 483 performances, closing on 24March1934. Unlike in the novel, there was no murder associated with the actual play. Rather, it made a star out of John Gielgud.
I liked the cast of characters that Upson used for the novel, from the main characters to ancillary characters (love the housekeeper, Snipe). The mystery is well thought out and sufficiently complicated to keep the reader guessing. I did think the final reveal was a little over the top, but it didn’t materially affect my enjoyment of the book. And there’s an interesting side story about a potential relationship between Josephine and Detective Inspector Archie Penrose that will probably develop over successive books in the series. I’ll definitely read more of this series.
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LibraryThing member atreic
I bought this book as a Christmas present for someone who likes Josephine Tey. I'm not sure if it's a good present - real person fan fic can feel a bit uncomfortable to many people, and it's not very clear how similar the Josephine in these novels is to the real author, or if Tey would have once again the murders are due to a woman having a baby she should not have had, and that same woman trying to re-establish a relationship with the child years later .
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approved of this grisly retelling of her life with added murders. I never quite got into it - I found it dragged a little in places, the large cast of characters were tricky to keep track of, and even the big revelations at the end were surprisingly ungripping - but some of that might be that I was trying to read it around Christmas when I was distracted and stressed. It is strangely in conversation with Black is the Colour of My True Love's Heart, Show Less
LibraryThing member Kathy89
Josephine Tey is taking the train to London and sitting with a young woman going to her aunt and uncle's with boxes of hats to be sold in their shop. She tells Josephine that she is thrilled to meet her since she loves the theater and her plays but also that she's meeting her boyfriend. When the
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train reaches the station the girl remembers that she left one of the boxes on the train and goes back. Josephine learns that she's murdered and her friend, Scotland Yard Detective Archie, is working the case. Show Less
LibraryThing member clue
An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson is the first volume in the Josephine Tey mystery series. It begins in 1934 when Tey is traveling to London to celebrate the last week of her successful play Richard Bordeaux.
One of the passengers sharing Tey's compartment is traveling to London to visit
On leaving the train, Tey is met by friends and doesn't realize the young woman hasn't left the train. In fact, she is murdered before she can. An investigation has just gotten underway when the play's manager is also murdered. The same detective, who happens to be a long time friend of Tey's, is the senior detective investigating both. Oh, and the friends meeting Tey at the train are also involved in the play and are relatives of the detective.
To say this plot is convoluted is an understatement. Most events that move the plot along are unrealistic happenstance. It's unlikely I'll continue the series.
One of the passengers sharing Tey's compartment is traveling to London to visit
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relatives and to attend Tey's play with her new love interest. What a coincidence that he works at the theatre where the play is staged. On leaving the train, Tey is met by friends and doesn't realize the young woman hasn't left the train. In fact, she is murdered before she can. An investigation has just gotten underway when the play's manager is also murdered. The same detective, who happens to be a long time friend of Tey's, is the senior detective investigating both. Oh, and the friends meeting Tey at the train are also involved in the play and are relatives of the detective.
To say this plot is convoluted is an understatement. Most events that move the plot along are unrealistic happenstance. It's unlikely I'll continue the series.
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LibraryThing member Vesper1931
It's 1934 and Josephine Tey is travelling from her home in Scotland and on the train she meets a fan of her new play.
But not long after the train arrives in London a murder occurs on the train. D.I. Penrose must decide if this has any connection to the play, or just a coincidence.
But not long after the train arrives in London a murder occurs on the train. D.I. Penrose must decide if this has any connection to the play, or just a coincidence.
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
Nicely done. Probably would have got 4 stars if I had read it 20 years ago as I enjoyed the traditional murder mystery much more then.
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Josephine Tey was a writer of some note, well actually is still a writer of some note but no longer writing due to being, well, dead. Back in 1934 she's very successful, her play "Richard of Bordeaux" is on the final week of it's very successful run in London before it goes on a countrywide tour
The story blends fact and fiction and I quite enjoyed it and look forward to more in this series.
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and possibly film Her arrival coincides with a complicated murder, this drags in an old friend, Detective Inspector Archie Penrose and both of them have to look into their pasts to fix the present. The story blends fact and fiction and I quite enjoyed it and look forward to more in this series.
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LibraryThing member mirihawk
The pacing was a bit slow, but I did like the book. I figured out "who done it" about 2/3rds of the way through. There is a wealth of description that can be both intriguing and wearying, depending on my mood.
I definitely want to see more about these characters.
I definitely want to see more about these characters.
Awards
Waverton Good Read Award (Longlist — 2008)