Fear in the Sunlight

Josephine Tey #4

by Nicola Upson

Summer, 1936. The writer, Josephine Tey, joins her friends in the holiday village of Portmeirion to celebrate her fortieth birthday. Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville, are there to sign a deal to film Josephine's novel, A Shilling for Candles, and Hitchcock has one or two tricks up his sleeve to keep the holiday party entertained - and expose their deepest fears.

But things get out of hand when one of Hollywood's leading actresses is brutally slashed to death in a cemetery near the village. The following day, as fear and suspicion take over in a setting where nothing - and no one - is quite what it seems, Chief Inspector Archie Penrose becomes increasingly unsatisfied with the way the investigation is ultimately resolved. Several years later, another horrific murder, again linked to a Hitchcock movie, drives Penrose back to the scene of the original crime to uncover the shocking truth.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Audiobook

425 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2012

About the author

Nicola Upson was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and read English at Downing College, Cambridge. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist, and is the author of two non-fiction works, and the recipient of an Escalator Award from Arts Council England. She lives with her partner and splits her time between Cambridge and Cornwall.

Nicola is currently writing the sixth book in the 'Josephine Tey' series, and a standalone novel set in the 1920s.

Series:
* Josephine Tey

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seriously cannot understand why I am hooked on this series but I am! It may be the wonderful character of Detective Archie Penrose who does all the heavy work of investigating the crimes while the central character of the book, Josephine Tey, socialises and picks up useful gossip. I suppose in truth they make a very effective team.

Fear in the Sunlight is set mostly in 1936 in Portmeirion in Wales. Alfred Hitchcock is there to meet Josephine and persuade her to let him make a movie of her book, A Shilling for Candles. The setting is glorious and much of the historical fact is really well presented. Remember always though that Upson is writing fiction and it can be hard to tell sometimes whether she has taken a real person and added her own imaginary details.

Speaking of characters, there are so many of them in this book that this reader really needed a cast list to refer to. Several times I settled in nicely with one group of friends and then the next chapter would begin with someone else, and I would have to flick back pages to find out who they were. This was not helped by the fact that many of them had two names and were related to each other but no one knew that. I think I was confused quite a lot but I just kept reading assuming I would find out eventually.

The ending was unusual, in the form of an epilogue written after Josephine's death when Archie Penrose is involved in events which change the resolution of the case. An interesting ending to an interesting book.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the darkest in Upson's Josephine Tey series filled with graphic violence, abuse, exploitation and some horrific social attitudes where both WW1 veterans and epileptics were treated as 'mad' and locked up in cruel asylums. But, somehow, Upson balances all of this with the glamour of 1930s Hollywood as the Hitchcocks come to Portmeirion to film one of Tey's novels.

As always, Upson's characterisation and writing are the stars of the show: we have settled into the Tey circle of the wayward and hilarious Motley sisters, the more heartfelt emotional tangles of Josephine and Marta, the moral compass of Archie Penrose, and this book widens out to explore the twin drivers of love and brutality that underpin life.

The real Tey was far more conservative (and Conservative) than Upson's version though there's a nice Scottish sharpness to her personality that keeps her brisk and tart in these books - and that's excellently brought out by the reader of this audiobook.

So not one for anyone hoping for cosy crime: this is unashamedly violent and emotionally wrenching, but an excellent and maybe highpoint of this series which uses Tey to explore various social issues in the first half of the twentieth century.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautifully written psychological crime novel snuck up on me. For the longest while, I wasn't sure how well this book and I would get on – it's fourth in a series featuring novelist Josephine Tey, and every chapter seemed to introduce a new character or viewpoint. It was akin to walking into a crowded party where everyone already knew one another. (As it turns out in the case of the novel's characters, this is hardly true.) But I was slowly won over by the lingering moodiness of the tone, which sat in contrast with the idyllic setting of Portmeirion, an Italianate resort village in North Wales, and the alluring glamour of the film industry in the mid-1930s. It's at Portmeirion where a large cast has gathered to celebrate Josephine's 40th birthday, and where Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville, hope to persuade her to let them turn her mystery A Shilling for Candles into a film. The title is perfect; Hitchcock articulates its meaning in the novel, and as with his movies, the author knows the best techniques for evoking feelings of dread that are all the more powerful for being unexpected. If the mystery element appears to take a frustratingly long time to emerge, the title should be kept in mind. Upson also skillfully illustrates the deep emotions of love and longing, and the sense of grief that permeates the earlier and later sections – set in 1954, two years after Tey's death – is among the most haunting that I've ever read.

[Diane Challenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wild ride for me. I'm proudly conservative in my reading habits, and this story was filled with things that I wouldn't usually find in books I choose, that is, the graphically described cruel murders and gay relationships for the lead characters. The story has an unexpected uniqueness within a predictable genre.

Without the quirky nature of the story, one would say it was a cozy mystery, but the type of murders described were far from the usual straight forward stabbings or gun shots etc.

After reading three books in the series, I've become attached to the main characters, plus I'm familiar with the "real" Josephine Tey's work which added an extra dimension to my enjoyment of the story (excluding the graphic descriptions of the deaths). I intend to read the whole series.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mystery writer Josephine Tey is in Portmeirion to meet with Alfred Hitchcock and his wife about a film deal. Hitchcock is also in Portmeirion to scout the location and set up tricks to reveal his crews response to guilt and fear. In this tense atmosphere, no one is prepared to deal with the murder of two women on the island. The island police don’t seem particularly interested in finding the killer and it’s only years later that another murder connected to a Hitchcock film begins to lead to the truth.

Much of this book was amazingly well done. After reading a Hitchcock biography, I knew immediately that I loved the quote used for the title; that Hitchcock would probably like the abstract art feel of the cover; and that the chapters were named after Hitchcock films. I also loved the number of quotes used in the book and how well they gave the reader a feel for what Hitchcock was like. The suspense of knowing that someone was going to be killed before starting the story also seemed like something Hitchcock would approve of. The writing was also very impressive.

So, that was the good stuff. And there really was a lot to recommend this book. However, he violence was pretty extreme though and that got to me a bit. Worse than that was the unsatisfying, unsettling, unfinished feel of the ending. This made the horrible violence feel more pointless and harder to live with. I do hate to give such an objectively good book such a poor rating, but I decided early on that ratings on my blog would reflect I how felt when I finished the book. Then I try to give a good account of why I felt that way, and what you do with that information is up to you :)

This review first published on Doing Dewey.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Upson loves characters and it shows. She goes on and on and on about the twisted relationships between a really big crowd of weirdos, hanging out in the exclusive Welsh resort which we'll call 'The Village'. (Because it was used as the setting for Patrick McGoohan's The Prisoner TV series.)
It's 1937 and Alfred Hitchcock has come to town to mess with actors, writers, and others, including Jo Tey, whom Upson worships.
The story telling is dis-jointed and odd. Wonderful settings and seriously flawed characters, but too many of them, and way too little plot: there's a mystery here, murders, ruined lives, all tied together, but not in a satisfying way.
Perhaps the worst sin of this fake mystery: nobody ever looks for solution! They wander around and yak about old romances, broken hearts, failed lives. Sad, sad, sad. But kind of boring: the characters are like a zoo filled with mangy,flea bitten animals. Except Tey, who sparkles, because the author wishes Tey was more than she really was.

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A huge amount of characters, murders that occur 3/4 of the way through and so many story strands it felt impossible to keep up! This paired with the rather flat ending had me disappointed :(

It felt like two stories squashed together.

But Portmeirion never seemed more beautiful! Nicola Upson captured its elegance and style perfectly.

[Marleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

London 1954, and Chief Inspector Archie Penrose, about to retire from Scotland Yard, is visited by an American investigator who wants to know about events that took place in the summer of 1936 when Josephine Tey celebrated her 40th birthday in Portmeirion with Penrose and other close friends. Remembering is hard for Archie. Josephine has since died and having to look back means facing the pain of losing his close friend full on again. But the American has come with a surprising revelation about the events that took place during their stay there, and the curiosity that always made him such a good investigator takes Archie back to that shocking holiday in the beautiful surroundings in North Wales.

In 1936 celebrating her birthday with friends wasn’t Josephine’s only reason for staying in Portmeirion. She was also meeting Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma, to talk about selling the rights to her novel “A Shilling for Candles” to the already famous director.
During a dinner party Hitchcock decides to play a rather cruel game with his guests. A game that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth of those involved as well as those witnessing it and a game which will have horrible consequences.
The next day the bodies of two women, a leading actress and a local girl working in the resort, are found. Both have been murdered in horrible, although different, ways. When shortly after the discovery a third person dies, it appears that the case may have already solved itself. However Archie can’t help having niggling doubts about the solution and also has strong reservations about the way in which the case has been, barely, investigated. But since this is neither his case nor his jurisdiction, there is nothing he can do about it.

It is only in 1954 with the arrival of the mysterious American investigator that all the threads of what exactly was going on in 1936 come together and Archie at last finds the answers to all the questions. Answers that will lead him back to Portmeirion and to him making a decision he didn’t think he would ever be able to make.

This is the fourth book in a series featuring Josephine Tey and it is, once again, a wonderful book.
Yes, it is a murder mystery, but it is so much more. In fact, we are almost 200 pages into the story when the first murder occurs.
This is first and foremost a book about Josephine Tey and her life. We see her struggle with the decision whether or not to sell the rights to her book. And we are witness to her dilemma when it comes to her love life.
This is also a story about the relationships between people and the tangled webs those create. About the ways in which people hurt and fail each other, hide parts of themselves as well as the lengths people will go to in order to protect someone they are close to, despite knowing better.

Review copy received from Faber and Faber through BookGeeks.

This author has a way with words. Her sentences flow, her conversations are natural and her descriptions are vivid. She takes her time describing surroundings, moods and thoughts and yet she maintains the suspense that keeps the reader turning the pages.

While Upson obviously likes and admires her main character, she doesn’t idolise her. Tey, as described in this book is a human and rounded character. She’s is mostly a very likeable person to read about, but she has her less beautiful sides and there are moments that the reader would like to shake her and tell her exactly what she should be doing. All of this makes her very real and leaves me willing to believe that the Josephine Tey described on this pages is as close to the real thing as anyone could come. In fact, there were times when I had to remind myself that I was reading a work of fiction featuring real historical figures. There is such detail in the descriptions in this story that it is quite possible to believe that all of it really happened.


The fact that the author has part of this book set after Josephine’s death worries me a bit. Does this mean Upson does not intend to write anymore books in this series? I certainly hope that is not the case.
On the other hand, the mystery in this book is set in 1936 when Tey still had years to live, which should leave room for several other instalments. Books that will be fictional while also giving the reader an inside into Josephine Tey’s life. Books that I very much look forward to reading.

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Fear in the Sunlight’ by Nicola Upson

In July 1954 following the filming of Hitchcock’s Rear Window, three bodies are found when the elaborate apartment set is dismantled. News of the killing is brought to London by the American Detective Tom Doyle, who feels that they may be a link between these recent killings to a series of murders 18 years before. Chief Inspector Archie Penrose recalls the earlier murders in the summer of 1936, when Josephine Tey along with friends, is in the resort of Portmeirion in Wales to celebrate her fortieth birthday, and for a meeting with Alfred Hitchcock to talk about a possible film deal for her book A Shilling for Candles. As Archie Penrose tells the American detective Doyle, the resultant film Young and Innocent, although a success bore as much likeness to Josephine’s book as did the title - Josephine had not been pleased.

The book centres on that summer gathering in 1936. We meet the party of Hitchcock’s guests - a number of actors, including Josephine’s friend the actress Marta Fox and her partner Lydia, also the Motley sisters who have featured in previous books. We learn that Hitchcock has some unusual plans to entertain the party, which proves to have unpleasant consequences.

The book is evenly balanced between an absorbing mystery – and the lives of the characters, as although in a short space of time three deaths occur, much of the book explores the characters lives and their relationships with each other - rather amazingly several of them come from Wales. Also, in this the fourth book we learn more of Josephine’s love life on which she has now reached a crossroads.

Beautifully written, the reader is sharply aware of the pain Archie feels at the loss of Josephine, as this story is written two years after Josephine’s death. I enjoyed the elements of the conversations that touched on the matters of the day, such as the relationship of the Prince of Wales with the American woman! But it is the slow peeling away of the tangled emotions of the people involved that grips the reader and makes compelling reading.

Sandra Duncan has a remarkable range of voices. I loved particularly her Archie Penrose, she made him sound as I imagined him, reassuring, strong and interesting, which contrasted so well with Josephine’s rather clipped Scottish accent. Her narration greatly enhanced my enjoyment.
-----
Lizzie Hayes

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Nicola Upson’s fourth book in her series of fictional novels about Josephine Tey, one of the novelists from the golden age of crime writing. The fifth is due for publication later this summer, so I’m a little behind the times with this one.

Upson has managed in her previous books to bring to life the complicated private and public life of an author who is less well known today, but was considered a worthy contemporary of Agatha Christie in the field of crime and a gifted playwright. Someday I would love to read her most successful play, Richard of Bordeaux). Miss Tey was a celebrity writer and moved in the London literary and theatrical scenes, but spent most of her time caring for her elderly father in rural Inverness.

I am a fan of Tey’s novels, and in this book Upson manages to add another one of my interests – Alfred Hitchcock. Fear in the Sunlight is set during the period Hitchcock was negotiating with Tey for the rights to her book A Shilling for Candles. He eventually turned this into Young and Innocent, the last film he made before moving to Hollywood. She throws an interesting light on the way Hitchcock worked, the way he behaved with those who worked for him and his relationship with his wife, Alma. It is not necessarily one that the Hitchcock estate will appreciate, but it is one interpretation of his behaviour as seen by an outsider and is interesting for that.

I have read all of the previous novels in the series and this is one of those books that does benefit from knowing the previous books in the series. First time readers may be lost when presented with Josephine’s complicated past relationships with her friends Marta Fox and Archie Penrose. It has been some time since I read the first two books in the series, and I felt a little lost at times, so I can’t imagine how confused someone who has not read the previous novels would feel.

I enjoyed this novel, but sometimes the story felt very far-fetched. How likely is it that so many Hollywood stars and men working in the film industry in London would come from, or have past history in, a single village in rural Wales? But for all that, the story is gripping and it was only thinking about it afterwards that made me think about its realism. It did not jolt me from the story while I was reading, which is a tribute to how well-written it is.

All in all, if you have enjoyed the previous books in this series Fear in the Sunlight is well worth picking up.

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I may have liked this book more if it a) were pure fiction & not hindered by ties to real people, & b) didn't have such a weak ending. Archie Penrose is a far more sympathetic character than Josephine Tey; I'd get more out of reading these books if Josephine weren't the "heroine". The ending was unsatisfying. I expected more out of someone finding out who the killer was 18 years later, especially since Archie's greatest fear was being wrong in his work. Granted, the case ended for him when he & Josephine left Portmeirion in 1936, but I'd have been frantic in his position, whether or not I were lead detective. Add to it a later encounter w/Franks in London & the implication that Archie's cousin would be travelling to America because of Franks, well, I just thought a lot more would be swirling around Archie's head, even if he weren't outwardly emotional. Switching between time periods was an unnecessary device since both timelines fell flat, negating emotional relevance for the characters. Sure, the reader finds out who really did it, but there's no personal relevance for Archie or anyone else, unless you count revising his opinion of Hitchcock an important moment in Archie's personal growth.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up on this I'm afraid. On page 170 and still no body! Set in Portmeiron in the 1930s, involving film set and Alfred Hitchcock, which I thought would be interesting, but just got a bit boring.
I have read another Nicola Upson - The Death of Lucy Kyte, which I enjoyed, so will try another of her novels.

[Pat Stearman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series - mixture of truth and fiction in that some of the people were in the places they're set in the book, even if no-one was really murdered! Do feel I could do with a family tree to fill in while reading as it's all a bit confusing as to who's related to whom.
In amongst the other topics it's also good to see how the relationships from earlier books are panning out.
Doing a re-read in 2020 & still need a family tree!

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars. British mystery writer Josephine Tey and a select group of friends descend upon the Welsh resort village of Portmeirion in the summer of 1936 with a two-fold purpose -- one, to celebrate Josephine's milestone fortieth birthday, and two, to meet famed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, to consider their offer to turn Josephine's novel, A Shilling for Candles, into their next film. Between Tey and the Hitchcocks, Portmeirion has attracted a glittering and varied clientele, but one that for all its seeming privilege stands at the precipice of profound change. Facing middle age, Josephine is preoccupied with analyzing her feelings for one-time lover Marta, while the Hitchcocks, having reached the pinnacle of success in the British film industry, face the decision of whether or not to try their fortunes in the glittering American mecca of Hollywood. But personal turmoil is quickly forgotten when two women in the party are found brutally slain, bringing to light a hidden web of family secrets and long-festering hatreds, casting a bitter pall over the once-sunny party. The advent of "fear in the sunlight...where it is so unexpected" reveals the machinations of a criminal mind so depraved as to test even the mettle of the Master of Suspense...

When I was given the opportunity to review this title, I was thrilled with the chance -- murder in the glamorous pre-war 1930s, featuring one of my favorite filmmakers at the height of his powers? A heady proposition indeed. While I have only a passing knowledge of Tey, having yet to read one of her novels, I have thoroughly enjoyed other contemporary authors' ventures in casting authors as sleuths (i.e., Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries). As a long-time lover of the cozy mystery perfected by Agatha Christie, I expected something of that ilk from this novel -- an atmospheric outing with a healthy dose of history, wherein a famous author matches wits with a killer -- something akin to a real-life (and younger) Miss Marple. What Fear in the Sunlight delivers instead is something substantially less than expected -- atmospheric, yes, but more of a psychological treatise than a period mystery, with a sprawling cast of characters, where Tey's presence is so anecdotal to the plot as to be completely superfluous.

When Tey isn't debating whether or not to agree to Hitchcock's film proposal, she's struggling to define her relationship with Marta (who, it must be mentioned, is already IN a relationship with another "mutual" friend -- what. a. mess.). It's interesting to note that Tey's famous love of privacy and single status (her fiance died in the first World War) seems to have led to the assumption that she must have indulged in same-sex affairs -- and the assumption here, of something undocumented and of a highly private nature, is troubling. Literally every other character fares better than Tey here, particularly her close friend, police inspector Archie Penrose, and the Hitchcocks themselves, as well as the Draycott family, the latter of which figures largely in the horrors that unfold. Penrose is an interesting character whose intelligence and sense of justice would make a compelling lead -- one wonders why, with Tey so nominally "involved" in the crime at Portmeirion, that this isn't simply a mystery featuring Penrose and his experiences. That said, the expansive case of characters featured here is wildly confusing at first blush, and it takes about a fourth of the novel before the narrative begins to coalesce, where a darkly disturbing picture of poisonous family secrets begins to emerge, seeds planted decades earlier that grimly flower in the most incongruous of locales.

Following a painfully slow start, Fear in the Sunlight manages to gel into a page-turning mystery that plays with the idea of the the reader as voyeur, and what, if any, responsibility does the watcher bear in what unfolds -- much like Hitchcock did in his many films. Upson spins a heady web of messy family secrets, only barely glossed by a coating of Hollywood glamour -- a sheen that quickly vanishes as bitter rivalries and dangerous obsessions come to light (not to mention the stomach-turning descriptions of crime scenes). If Tey was dropped from the novel and the narrative's oft-times meandering exploration of fear and voyeurism was trimmed and tightened, allowing Penrose to take center stage and increased character development among those actually involved in the crimes, Fear in the Sunlight had the potential to be a stellar period mystery. As is, for all its flashes of interesting psychological insight or neat plot twists, I'm left wishing for what could have been rather than what was, hoping that someday, Penrose gets his own novel.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fear in the Sun­light by Nicola Upson is a mys­tery novel tak­ing place in 1936. This is the fourth book in a series star­ring author Josephine Tey.

Author Josephine Tey and her friends go to cel­e­brate her 40th birth­day at the resort vil­lage of Port­meirion. They are to meet Alfred Hitch­cock and his wife to discuss

turn­ing Josephine’s novel into a movie. When a Hol­ly­wood star­let gets mur­dered in a nearby ceme­tery Chief Inspec­tor Archie Pen­rose becomes involved, yet he is unsat­is­fied with the way the inves­ti­ga­tion was resolved.

Sev­eral years later, another mur­der hap­pens, also linked to a Hitchcock’s movie. Pen­rose goes back to the scene to try to uncover the truth.

The rea­son I chose to read Fear in the Sun­light by Nicola Upson was because Alfred Hitch­cock was in the story, I had no idea it was part of a series and prob­a­bly wouldn't have noticed either until I read it somewhere.

I was look­ing for­ward to read a good mys­tery which was some­what involved in Hitchcock’s movies. How­ever the famed direc­tor is a char­ac­ter in this novel much like any­one else. Granted, not every­one has his inse­cu­ri­ties and eccen­tric­i­ties but there is no Hitch­cock spe­cific take on the story.

The story was very slow to start but once it got going it held my inter­est until the end, but the large cast of char­ac­ters kept me con­fused and I had to re-read some sec­tions to make sure I had the story correct.

I felt the author was try­ing to do sev­eral things in this novel, while inter­est­ing none of them really shine or come to the front. The mys­tery, Josephine Tey’s per­sonal life, Hitchcock’s per­son­al­ity, mar­riage, show busi­ness, police work and oth­ers are all part of the story. How­ever, it seemed that Ms. Upson was also try­ing to tie her story to Hitchcock’s themes of voyeurism, sus­pense, mis­taken iden­ti­ties, the charm­ing sociopath, as well as wink and nods to the great director’s films (stair­cases, bell tower and more). While as a movie buff I appre­ci­ated those nods, I felt they pushed the actual story to the back­ground. I was less inter­ested in Ms. Tey’s part of the story and wanted to read more about Chief Inspec­tor Pen­rose who I felt was a more inter­est­ing character.

This novel needs to be read with care and atten­tion, sim­ply breez­ing through it would con­fuse the reader due to the sev­eral sto­ries and time­lines. After a slow start, the novel is a worth­while read which deliv­ers on the mys­tery aspect being pro­moted.

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[Elizabeth Elwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m willing to admit that the names of Josephine Tey and Alfred Hitchcock attracted me to this book, but although it was beautifully written with lovely atmospheric descriptions of the Portmeiron settings, other aspects of the book really bothered me. The two incidents of extremely grisly violence seemed at odds with the ‘cozy’ nature of the rest of the book, and I was also troubled by the portrayal of the main character.

Everything I’ve read about Josephine Tey indicates that she was an extremely private person, and I’ve never come across anything that has provided a hint about her love life, beyond a mention of a ‘loss’ during the First World War. I’d be very happy if anyone could enlighten me where to find the documentation for the way she is portrayed in this mystery novel. Either I’m missing something, or else the author is taking great liberties with another writer’s life. I could have far more comfortably accepted the story if the ‘writer’ and ‘filmmaker’ had been entirely fictitious.

The other aspect of the book that failed to work for me was the emphasis on the personal lives of characters who were not directly embroiled in the mystery. I was so often sidetracked by these characters’ stories that I would lose track of the people who were driving the main plot. Having said all that, there were many sections that were lovely and absorbing, so I would certainly seek out other books by the author if she started another series that was not tied to real-life characters.

[LillyBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this 3 stars because I admire Upson's moxie. She's not going to write another traditional British between-the-wars whodunit, by golly, even if it entails taking a mean-spirited jab at my beloved Hercule Poirot in the process. She wants to turn the genre on its head: the murders don't take place until 2/3 of the way through the book, we see the grisly crimes from the victims' point of view, and they are not the details one can discuss calmly over afternoon tea and crumpets. And, honestly, it's not really a whodunit, either. I didn't keep meticulous notes, but I don't think the reader is given enough clues to "solve" the murder on their own (this is a hallmark of the Dame Agatha style). In addition, no one really seems to want to solve the crimes, for various reasons, and when the true solution really does happen it more falls into our collective lap than anything else. This is a physiological study, I think, which is perhaps fitting as the fictionalized version of Alfred Hitchcock here claims that is exactly what he wants to observe. Also, one more small con: I had trouble keeping track of who was speaking sometimes, as Upson doesn't like to surround her dialogue with markers and that is confusing when there are six or eight characters at a dinner table. One large pro, though: she does finely craft characters, especially Josephine Tey (as she should) and Archie Penrose, whom I liked immensely.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

FEAR IN THE SUNLIGHT
Nicola Upson

This is a fairly complex series by English author Nicola Upson. I recently found it and seemed to be mesmerized by it as I just keep moving from one to the next book, often out of order. Interestingly enough, the main character was a real playwriter, Josephine Tey, and this really enhances the book for me. I had to look up Tey who was one of the first true crime writers of her time.

It doesn't seem right that I am the first to review this here, but ok... In this book, Josephine and her friends go to the resort Portmeirion for her 40th birthday. Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Rsevile are trying to talk Josephine into selling her newest novel to them for a movie (this is an advantage, I loved Hitchcock and he appears in at least two of the books).

Hitchcock is a prankster and is up to his tricks which is confused with and intertwined with a murder. An actress is slashed to death in a cemetery (where else would you slash someone to death?). Everyone is a suspect and the hunt is to find the actor before another is hurt.

This is one of the most intriguing series I have read, the plots are diabolical and twisted in and out of real-life events and people. Suspense is written into almost every page and the writing has a panoramic feel if that makes sense.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book in this series from a writer who writes evocatively about time and location

[Gerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writer Josephine Tey is in Portmeirion in the summer of 1936 for two reasons, to celebrate her 40th birthday and to discuss a deal with Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville to make a film of her book 'A Shilling for Candles'. Also gathered there are a variety of film stars, hangers-on, friends and acquaintances so there is quite a gathering in the village designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.

Hitchcock, ever the joker, plans a number of tricks to lighten up, amuse or even startle the party but later on one of the tricks, involving a member of the party, has a very different spin put on it and ends up in a disaster. Before that there are plenty of petty jealousies among the film fraternity and old relationships are brought to light that cause friction between various people and highlight the darker side of the film industry.

Josephine has her old friend Chief Inspector Archie Penrose with her so when events take an unexpected turn and a murder is committed, there is someone on hand to investigate. A second death causes panic, fear and suspicion among the party and the talks between Hitchcock and Josephine take something of a back seat. Alma Reville eventually sorts that problem out by having a tête-à-tête with Josephine and arrangements are made to make the film, although Josephine declines to get involved in any writing of the script [the film was eventually made as 'Young and Innocent'].

There is more drama among the protagonists and the action flits between Portmeirion and London as reasons for the deaths are investigated. After much - too much at times - discussion and investigation the full story comes to light and it all ends with Josephine accompanying Archie to the opening night of the film of her novel.

The whole story was rather too long and drawn out for my liking but it did give a fuller picture of the Mr and Mrs Hitchcock relationship.

[Laura Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, a young woman is killed in a sick, perverse way. Notice the men never are, they just jump from heights, etc. This happens in 3 out of 4 books thus far, the only exception being the book featuring incest (which has its own creep factor).

Another negative is the fact I don't like the character of Marta Fox, a drawback since she plays such a big part in the series. Marta comes off as a selfish, backstabbing bitch and I can't figure out why Lydia puts up with her crap nor why Josephine shows any interest. If Ms. Upson's intention is to paint Marta in a sympathetic light, it's not working for me. In fact, the whole plotline makes me like Josephine less than I might otherwise since she is supposed to be Lydia's friend. As the old saying goes, "With friends like that, who needs enemies". All of this is too bad since I really do appreciate Upson's skill as a writer.

"Fear in the Sunlight" also featured way too many characters. A glossary at the front might have made it easier to keep track of everyone (I eventually made my own).

As always, I love the Motley sisters. I only wish they had more to do in the series. The character of Archie intrigues me. I did notice at the beginning (which is twenty years in the future) that he is married. I'm really hoping his wife is revealed one day as Bridget Foley because the character was wonderful and I liked the chemistry between the two. As some other reviewers have pointed out (at least with previous books), the character of Josephine is almost unneeded, the parts concerning the relationship between she and Marta distracting away from the mystery plot featuring Archie. I wish she managed to blend Josephine more seamlessly into the mystery.

In this book, one thing Ms. Upson captures perfectly is the arrogance of the film people's attitudes toward an author's work. An attitude which is inexplicable since rare are the times I find a movie as good as, yet alone better, than the book.

[Adam Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth in Nicola Upson’s series fictionalising Josephine Tey’s life, and I have to say - probably my least favourite.

Topped and tailed with chapters set in the 50s after Tey’s death (oddly), most of this book tells the story of a weekend party in Wales with Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Revel with some Hitchcock shenanigans and some pretty horrendously violent deaths.

The good stuff first of all. It’s beautifully written, you can tell that Upson has a deep fondness for Portmeirion and that really shines in her detail and description of the setting. I think the characters too are great - Tey feels much more 3 dimensional than in some of the previous books, and the characters’ story arcs, building across the books and clearly setting up for the future, is compelling. The story is excellently told but -

On the negative side - there’s too much going on here. Too many characters with dark or mysterious back stories all coming together with links to Portmeirion and too many odd coincidences. This really stretched credibility for me. I think the sheer amount of ‘stuff’ going on almost made it at times confusing. The story telling was also much better than the conclusion, which felt like a bit of a fizzle - I was waiting for a twist that never really came.

It’s a worthwhile read for the setting and characters alone, but I hope for more from the rest of this series.

[Ilinca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the previous Tey novels and will read the new one soon, but here's the thing. I keep thinking I'm going to give each of them five stars as I read, and then, once I'm done, I can't in full honesty give them more than four.
I got to Nicola Upson by searching for Agatha Christie-like novels. Someone recommended her as similar on some forum. With Fear in the Sunlight, it all started like a Christie mystery - not the "later" part of the '50s, but the setting, the hotel, the guests, the two parties being gathered together. But what Christie does schematically, in twenty-five pages, Upson does in - well, it was an audiobook so I don't know exactly how many, but it felt like half of the book. She does it extremely well, no question: the people and circumstances come alive, and it does capture your attention.
The problem is what happens afterwards: so much energy is spent on creating the backdrop of the murders, that very little is left for the actual mystery. And the solutions to her mysteries, though not bad, are never quite as clever or plausible as everything else in the book. Which is sad, since this is mostly the reason I read these books. Other than that, they're great - but this is a pretty big issue, so there: four stars.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed for Library Journal on March 15, 2013

The year is 1936, and English crime novelist Josephine Tey is turning 40. A celebratory weekend has been planned in the idyllic resort village of Portmeirion, but the holiday is not entirely focused on leisure because famed director Alfred Hitchcock will also be present to discuss transforming one of her mysteries into a film. The festivities quickly turn sour when Hitchcock’s penchant for mischief transforms a relaxing respite into a violent and deadly weekend. As usual, Tey’s close friend CI Archie Penrose is close at hand to investigate.
Verdict: This novel is the fourth installment (after Two for Sorrow) in Upson’s mysteries featuring real-life playwright and novelist Tey. This latest work is more concerned with concocting a tale about Tey’s personal life, of which very little is actually known, than with weaving a compelling mystery. An abundance of characters and an overly intricate plot make for a long slog to the finish line. Recommended for purchase only if you have a strong following of the series.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph, MI

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent series. Author Josephine Tey stars in this compelling series of mysteries set in the Golden Age of the 30's to the 50's.
Based in part on the life of Tey—one of the most popular, best-loved crime writers of the Golden Age, the book also features legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock as a prominent character.
It is the Summer, 1936: Josephine Tey joins her friends in the resort village of Portmeirion to celebrate her fortieth birthday. Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville, are there to sign a deal to film Josephine’s novel, A Shilling for Candles, and Hitchcock has one or two tricks up his sleeve to keep the holiday party entertained—and expose their deepest fears. But things get out of hand when one of Hollywood’s leading actresses is brutally slashed to death in a cemetery near the village.
Police inspector Archie Penrose is an interesting character who looks to solve the mystery.

The book started out rather slow but, once the murders began, it became a page turner that was difficult to put down. I really liked the book and the underlying secrets that were uncovered were well written and complex. I will definitely read more of this series.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series revolves around the characters of mystery writer Josephine Tey and her friend Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Archie Penrose, who serves as the model for Tey’s fictional detective, Alan Grant. They are celebrating her fortieth birthday in 1936 in the Welsh village of Portmeirion. Also at the village are Alfred Hitchcock and his entourage, just as the director is contemplating a move from England to Hollywood. When one of the film stars is murdered, the local police close the case with a convenient suicide. The story revolves around Josephine’s frustrated sexual life rather than a murder investigation. It is only years later after she has died of cancer that Penrose follows the story to find out the truth. All in all a rather disappointing entry in the series with a quite off-putting but plausible characterization of Hitchcock.

[Nancy I · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in such a way that you can't tell which character is speaking. Also, too many characters and sub-plots. Not sure if this is the way Upson always writes or if this was a departure from her normal style of prose. Bringing Josephine Tey & the Hitchcocks in as characters was also distracting, yes, even though they were supposed to be part of the overall situation, but slight changes to leave them out would not have hurt. The setting of Portmeirion in Wales was very interesting, however. Guess I'll have to try a different Upson book to see if I do indeed like style ( if if Archie Penrose is a recurring character I might be inclined to read more than one more of her books). Oh, and the mystery of who did what to whom . . . figured it out way early on; I'm certain that was not the author's intent (guess it comes from reading too many mysteries).

[charlotte, · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5)

Rep: lesbian mc & side characters, gay side character

CWs: rape, gore

so far, the weakest imo, since it took a good two thirds of the book before there was any sort of murder investigation. i couldn't have given less of a shit about the three way love triangle that josephine keeps obsessing over (and has been for 4 books now), nor any of the alfred hitchcock chapters. once the mystery actually kicked in for the final third, it did regain my attention though. (also, as ever, i find myself surprised when the apparent cosiness of the narrative gives way to some of the most gruesome murders - and also this is like the second book so far with rape scenes beforehand.)

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not as strongly written as the previous read in the series. Lots of character construction, somewhat distracting when portrayal of real people (eg Alfred Hitchcock), and way too many inter-related lines---as noted during the read, why didn't these folks recognize each other when so many of them had grown up in this remote small village? Well, at the end the author revealed they did recognize and know each other, they just didn't talk about it during the course if the action----weak and inconsistent writing, in my opinion.

[Tab · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really, really slow start. Listened to audiobook. It is 11 hours long. I got to 3.5 hours and the mystery had not started. Far too many characters to track.

Didn't finish.