Mit dem Schnee kommt der Tod

Josephine Tey #9

by Nicola Upson

Eine Legende des British Crime wird zur Hauptfigur

Auf der kleinen Insel St Michael’s Mount verbringen Krimiautorin Josephine Tey und Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose in illustrer Runde und mit Marlene Dietrich als Ehrengast ihre Weihnachtstage. Die festliche Stimmung schlägt jedoch schnell um, nach zwei Morden scheint jede und jeder verdächtig – dass die Insel auch noch durch Schneesturm und Flut vom Festland abgeschnitten ist, macht die Angst der Gäste nicht kleiner.

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

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2020

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

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1938, Nicola Upson's latest in Scottish author Josephine Tey series echoes Agatha Christie's golden age of crime era, indeed it references her with Hercule Poirot's Christmas in the novel. Instead of the country house, we have a Cornish Castle on St Michael's Mound island, owned by the St Aubyn family, with a party of house guests invited for exclusive Christmas festivities by Hilaria St Aubyn to raise funds for a Jewish Refugees Charity. With the ominous clouds of WW2 hanging heavily in Britain and Europe, the Nazis are pushing famous film star Marlene Dietrich to return to Germany, but she is courageously supporting the Jewish Refugee Charity with a large donation, and accompanied by DCI Archie Penrose, is the star guest at Hilaria's gathering.

They are joined by Josephine and her partner, Marta, Reverend Richard and Angela Hartley, Gerald and Rachel Lancaster, Nazi sympathiser Barbara Penhaligon, Mrs Carmichael, and The Times photographer, Alex Fielding. The weather is atrocious, and there are unprecedented heavy snow blizzards which provide the requisite White Christmas, but ensures that locals and guests on the island are cut off from the mainland with a killer amongst them. There are two murders, one discovered by climbing to the top of the church to St Michael's Chair, a local landmark that symbolises dominance, prayer and judgement, a murder that brings back echoes of one of the most gruesome murder scenes he had ever seen in London at Christmas time in 1920 for Archie. The other murder is one that takes place in the local museum and readers are made aware of who the killer is here.

This is the first in Upson's series that I have read, and I found it a hugely enjoyable, fun and entertaining historical Christmas murder mystery, fantastically atmospheric, with the perfect Cornish location and castle, a locked room created by the dangerous and life threatening snow blizzards and a group of guests where not everyone is as they seem. No festive season is complete without a helping of a murder or two, and this fits the bill wonderfully for those crime readers in search of just such a read, and served with all the tropes of a classic golden age of crime, set in the turbulent times, just prior to WW2. Many thanks to Faber and Faber for an ARC.

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead of Winter opens with one of Upson's clever prologues set twenty years earlier and which leaves the reader guessing for the rest of the book. Just who did those two children grow up to be? I managed to guess one and the other was a total surprise.

The main story is set in December 1938 when Josephine and Marta are invited to attend a Christmas house party in the castle on St Michael's Mount off the coast of Cornwall. Archie Penrose is there too as security for the actress Marlene Dietrich, who really was at that time assisting to raise funds to help German Jews and was being sought out by the Nazis trying to persuade her to return to her homeland.

St Michael's Mount provides the perfect situation for this Golden Age mystery when two murders occur and the island is cut off from the mainland by the winter weather. Archie has a lot on his hands trying to solve the murders and keep people safe with an unknown killer on the loose. As events unfold he finds himself taken back to the time in the prologue and the murders are solved.

Five stars for this one because I could not put it down. I always like the books which centre on Archie Penrose, I loved the setting (I have been there which always aids enjoyment), and I always like a book which includes historical fact. Altogether excellent but I now find myself left with only one more book in the series to read.

[sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

"it was the day that stripped the joy from christmas"

This is my first Nicola Upson novel, but unbeknownst to me it was actually the ninth in long running series. That is my fault for not checking beforehand, but luckily this can be read as a standalone.

The Josephine Tey series follows, you guessed it, Josephine Tey. She was a real life crime writer, and this series blends fact and fiction in a really interesting way, where it become difficult to tell what is truth and what has been embellished.

This book feels like what an Agatha Christie novel would be if it were set at Christmas on a Cornish island. We follow a large cast of characters, isolated on an island for Christmas in 1938. WW2 looms on the horizon, and the festivities are dampened by not only by the impending war but by two brutal deaths that took place in their midsts. There is a killer among them, but who?

That sounds like something I would absolutely adore, and at the beginning I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing and characters. However, as the novel continued, I became more and more bored and couldn't even bring myself to theorise about the mystery. I must acknowledge that some of my feelings are almost definitely influenced by the time at which I read this. I was going through exams, and as such, quite stressed. I could only read between 10-20 pages of this a day, which definitely could have impacted the extent to which I became invested in the story. But at the same time, I never really felt the urge to read more than that, and most of the time felt like I just wanted to get it over with so I could move on to other things.

This book felt quite simple and archetypical. I think my lack of enjoyment was partly to do with misplaced expectations. I have been reading quite a few modern mystery/thrillers recently, and have become accustomed to their twisty, dramatic nature. In comparison, this felt slow and unexciting. While I know it was meant to mirror the tone and pace of older whodunnits, it wasn't my cup of tea. If you have enjoyed more classic and old timey mysteries, I would definitely recommend this one! The Christmas element makes it perfect for the upcoming holiday season, but also introduces some darkness and grittiness for readers who want something more than a fluffy Christmas rom-com.

As for the actual resolution, I found myself a little underwhelmed. Two murders take place, and the first I found a little predictable. The second, we experience near the beginning- meaning that we can't even try to guess what happened. The stakes didn't feel all that high, and as a result I never felt that underlying tension or suspense that keeps me going.

Overall, I want to make it clear that this is by no means a bad book. In fact, I think it was written quite well. However, the execution wasn't done in a way that made me all that invested and I found the resolution to be a bit anticlimactic. I think this is definitely a case of its not you, its me. Other readers will undoubtably adore this, but I wasn't quite the target audience.

★★☆☆☆.5 stars

Thank you to Faber and Faber Ltd for this ARC

Release Date: 5 November 2020

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a long way from Christmas in 1938, war was a distant rumble, but the Nazis had a long reach. St Michael’s Mount was the destination for Chief Inspector Archie Penrose, Josephine Tey and Marta, along with several others. Hilaria St Aubyn had invited a slew of house guests for Christmas with the intention of raising much needed funds for a Jewish Refugees Charity; with what was happening in Europe, the Jewish society was desperate for help. Among the guests was German born Marlene Dietrich and Archie was charged with keeping her safe for the duration of their visit.

When a storm hit with brutal ferocity, St Michael’s Mount was cut off from the mainland – and any assistance Archie might need. And when a murderer struck, fear was immediately among the guests along with the residents of the small village below the castle. Obviously the killer was among them as no one could get on or off the island – but who was it? And when a second body was found, Archie could feel himself becoming overwhelmed. With phone lines out, he needed to get to the mainland…

The Dead of Winter is the 9th in the Josephine Tey series and my first by Nicola Upson and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With lashings of real people, and echoes of Agatha Christie, the notes at the end informing me that Josephine Tey was a real life crime novelist was something I hadn’t known. Yes, The Dead of Winter can be read as a standalone – I had no problem with characters etc. I’ll be checking out the previous in the series now. Highly recommended.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicola Upson's ninth instalment in her Josephine Tey series is a fitting homage to the golden age tradition of the Christmas mystery. Upson's series features as her heroine a fictionalised characterisation of real life "golden age" crime writer Josephine Tey (author of the classic The Daughter of Time, one of my own all time favourite books).
The Dead of Winter opens with a chapter set during Christmas 1920, as then young detective sergeant Archie Penrose attends the scene of a domestic tragedy, the details of which will haunt him for years to come.
The remainder of the book is set in December 1938, in a nervous Britain poised on the brink of World War 2. Josephine Tey and her partner Marta agree to join their good friend DCI Archie Penrose for Christmas at St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall. Archie's lifelong friend, the Hon. Hilaria St. Aubyn, is hosting Christmas at her castle home for a select group of guests, in order to raise much needed funds to assist in the evacuation of Jewish refugees from Europe. Archie's own role in the festivities is to accompany and provide personal security for the guest of honour, German-born actress Marlene Dietrich, who is sympathetic to the fundraising cause.
As the guests make their way to Cornwall, heavy snowfalls begin, eventually leaving the island and its inhabitants cut off from the mainland over Christmas - the perfect setting for a classic Christmas mystery!
Unbeknownst to Josephine and her fellow guests, a murder has already been committed on St. Michaels Mount as they arrive, shortly followed by the discovery of a dramatically posed body - one of the Christmas guests - on Christmas morning. Josephine and Marta, aided by their gracious host Hilaria and the unexpectedly practical Dietrich, support Archie in his efforts to identify and apprehend the murderer or murderers amongst them.
Upson's prose is beautifully crafted and evokes the style of the golden age (albeit with the occasional contextual f-bomb!), and her cast of characters intriguing and well-developed. St. Michael's Mount is a remarkable setting and Upson skilfully incorporates architectural and other detail into the story - the depth of her research for this novel is evident.

To use more than one person who actually lived as characters in a fictional work is not an exercise to be entered into lightly. Upson's portrayals of both Tey and Dietrich are thoughtful, sympathetic and, as far as I can tell, quite consistent with their real-life personae.
The Dead of Winter is another well-executed instalment in a delightful series. It was an absolute pleasure to read.
My thanks to the author, publisher Faber and Faber Ltd. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title in advance of its publication on 5 November 2020.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved this series from the start but have to confess that this isn't my favourite book in the series. Upson has tackled some tough subjects in the past (baby-farming, rape and sexual assault) and has set her stories in wonderful locations (I particularly remember the one set in the BBC against the coronation broadcast) where the historical evocation has proved as much of a draw as her characterisation of Tey and her wonderfully smooth writing.

This one feels much simpler, drawing on the archetypal Christie Christmas trope - the house-party, a cut-off location, snow and no phones, with murder amongst the guests. I found the crime more predictable than I'd expect with the clues made very obvious from the start, and we are witness to the second murder anyway so that's more a 'how will it get found out' plot.

What lifts it is the 1938 setting and the presence of Marlene Dietrich though both are rather underused. Tey and Marta are present but don't have much to do and with no tensions in their relationship anymore they're a hook with not much function. The writing is, as ever, smooth and involving, and the character vignettes turn all the usual suspects into real people whose lives touch at this specific moment. There are also darker intimations such as the Nazi presence and some quite vicious murders that off-set the cosiness.

This will probably be ideal for December reading as an antidote to too much saccharine but I guess I just expect more from Upson and Tey. With the war on the horizon, I do hope the next installment is grittier.

Many thanks to Faber & Faber for an ARC via NetGalley.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

On Christmas Day in 1920 a mother murders her children & then kills herself. A boy & girl are the only survivors of this horrific event. Archie Penrose sees the aftermath of the crime & never forgets it.
Eighteen years later DCI Penrose & writer Josephine Fey are spending Christmas on St Michael's Mount in Cornwall. When the tide comes in covering the causeway & a blizzard begins all the guests at the castle are cut off from the mainland. Soon the murders begin...
After a superb opening & a very well written first half the rest of the novel became somewhat dull for me. This was such a shame after a wonderful build up, but I kept going until the end.
I found one location in the novel unintentionally funny as there is a place on St Michael's Mount called the Chevy Chase Room. I kept thinking of the actor & comedian, which was quite distracting to say the least!

[Miss R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Faber and Faber Ltd and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Agatha Christie may have written the rule book for murder but Nicola Upson has perfected it - even exceeding the great woman’s talents. Each of the novels in the Josephine Tey series are true masterpieces of the crime fiction genre, and this one is no different. As devotees of this series will already know, Josephine Tey was a real life Scottish crime writer of the ‘Golden Age of Detective Fiction’ era of the 1920s and 1930s. Encompassing an approximation of real events in Tey’s life, Upson’s series is an alchemical blend of truth and fiction, culminating in the most glorious examples of crime fiction I have ever read. Nicola Upson’s novels are a triumph of meticulous research, fiendishly clever plotting and most importantly - a breathtaking imagination. ‘The Dead of Winter’ is a richly contextualised Christmas Murder mystery, set on Michael’s Mount off the coast of Cornwall. The dark clouds of WWII are gathering, however, giving this novel a certain poignancy - of a world about to vanish in the convulsions of mass bloodshed. This sense of melancholy and the looming spectre of war, so soon after the first great conflict of 1914-1918, takes on an oppressive force on the island where Tey and others are gathered to raise money for a Jewish Refugee charity. A localised, more personal set of conflicts, occupy the guests of the Mount, however, with two grisly deaths on a snowy Christmas Eve. The roots of one of the murders, at least, has its foundations in the past. The brutal murder/suicide of a mother and her children, several decades ago, haunt more than one protagonist amongst the assembled guests on St Michael’s Mount. Many have secrets they would rather remain hidden, but which one has a motive for murder? With some ingenious red herrings and wonderfully taut plotting, the narrative reaches a crescendo that is as explosive as it is unexpected. It is the rich contextual detail of the 1930s and the tantalising mysteries at the heart of this novel, that makes the Tey series a classic of its genre. Another reminder, if any were needed, that Nicola Upson is one of the best British authors on the literary scene today.

[Melissa Joulwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I love about manor house murder mysteries — vivid settings, varied cast of characters, devastating secrets, twisty plot — plus a real depth of emotion. This is a very satisfying novel, and I’m excited to read the rest of the series.

[Anna Catharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich kannte die Serie bisher nicht und vielleicht war es ein Fehler, mit Band 10 zu starten. Ich hatte zwar nicht das Gefühl, dass ich die Vorgängerbände gebraucht hätte, aber wahrscheinlich hätte es den Charakteren mehr Tiefe gegeben. Dass die Krimischriftstellerin Josephine Tey (deren Krimis ich sehr schätze) eine Hauptrolle spielt, hat mich erst auf dieses Buch gebracht. Leider blieb sie sehr blass und oft habe ich mich gefragt, in wie weit ihre Darstellung (besonders ihre Liebesbeziehung zu Marta) authentisch oder fiktiv ist. Auch alle anderen Personen waren mir zu eindimensional und die Handlung insgesamt zu wenig. Der Kriminalfall war an und für sich nicht schlecht, kam mir aber einfach zu kurz. Auch die Ermittlungen nahmen kaum Raum ein. Stattdessen unendlich viel Lobhudelei m Marlene Dietrich.

Insgesamt war das Buch einfach etwas langweilig und nie kam so richtig Spannung für mich auf. Ich weiß nicht genau, was die Autorin mir damit sagen wollte. Personen und Handlung waren dafür einfach zu oberflächlich und alles wurde viel zu schnell abgehandelt.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so very much appreciate a surprising reveal, and this sure had one. Well written, good dialogue, believable and great characters. Marlene Dietrich, as always, played a major role.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series, centred around a fictionalised version of Golden Age crime writer Josephine Tey (real name Elizabeth Mackintosh, although here she's Josephine). The Dead of Winter is the ninth, and a very good addition to the series.

This is the second book in a row I've read with a Cornish setting - funny how that happens. Here, Josephine and her lover Marta are invited by their friend, DCI Archie Penrose, to attend a Christmas gathering - a fundraiser for refugees - at St Michael's Mount, an island off the coast of Cornwall, accessed at low tide via a causeway. As ever, Nicola Upson has woven real historical people into her narrative - here, Hilaria St Aubyn, the owner of the island and a childhood friend of Archie, and a certain *very* famous German-born Hollywood actress who is among the guests.

The story is set in 1938 and the looming threat of Nazism is very much felt - and indeed seen - providing a darker counterbalance to the supposedly festive atmosphere. (Not that festive, as it turns out.) It's set at Christmas, but it hardly turns out to be a season of goodwill - the story opens with a younger Archie, eighteen years earlier, discovering the horrific deaths of a mother and her children on Christmas morning - "the day that stripped the joy from Christmas, or so he thought afterwards". There are more murders to come once the characters arrive at St Michael's Mount, although only one is a mystery - the reader, at least, knows exactly what happened to the other victim from the outset. As the snow falls and the island is cut off from the mainland, though, Archie must uncover who among the assembled guests is a murderer.

The setting is very atmospheric, making great use of the island and its medieval church, and setting it at Christmas, in "the dead of winter" is perfect.

Josephine and Marta, who have now settled into their often long-distance relationship, actually don't have that big a role to play in this one, remaining on the sidelines with Archie taking more of the centre stage.

There's a nice nod to Agatha Christie, with one character reading the newly published 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas'.

I enjoyed this very much, though I'm not sure it's the best in the series, although I did love the setting. The plot is ultimately quite straightforward and there is no mystery about one of the deaths, and it somehow all seemed to be resolved quite quickly, with the famous actress - a fascinating person in real life - perhaps a little underused. I would have liked to know more about what became of some of the characters. Nevertheless an excellent read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series and was delighted when a copy of The Dead of Winter, came through the letterbox courtesy of Sophie from Faber & Faber.

This story has a prologue beginning in 1920 with a young Archie Penrose, newly promoted to DS, making a dreadful discovery at a house one Christmas Day. Something he has never forgotten. Events then move forward to Christmas 18 years later when Archie (now Detective Chief Inspector), Jacqueline Tey and her lover Marta are included in a select gathering at the invitation of Hilaria St Aubyn at the family castle on St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall. Hilaria is fundraising for the evacuation of Jewish refugees in Europe and the 12 guests include a famous actress, trying to avoid the attention of Nazi officers together with a photographer from The Times, there to cover the event for some publicity.

The guests are looking forward to enjoying Hilaria’s hospitality and the Christmas festivities however their plans are to be cruelly curtailed. With the Mount only accessible by foot during low tide and being isolated from the mainland by boat due to bad weather, the guests have no way of calling for help when a murder takes place in the most shocking of ways on Christmas Eve. Archie finds himself hampered by the lack of police resources and when it is clear that the murderer is still amongst them, time becomes of the essence in getting assistance from the mainland as soon as possible.

For once, Jacqueline especially, and Marta have little to do in this mystery and are largely relegated to the role of bystanders and assisters. It is Archie who has to take charge and attempt to keep the remaining guests safe particularly when he discovers that more than one death has taken place.

The isolation of the Mount adds to the atmosphere of this ‘locked room’ mystery. There were no shortage of suspects and enough red herrings to keep taking me down the wrong path. The final journey to the conclusion was a well structured series of revelations that I hadn’t even considered.

This is another excellent addition to the series, particularly with the Christmas setting. With a mixture of both engaging and abhorrent personalties and domestic dramas, I thoroughly enjoyed this dark festive tale where not everything was as it seemed.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these and this was excellent. Review copy sent in advance full review near publication.

[Wal.li · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine besondere Bescherung

Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose lädt die Schriftstellerin Josephine Tey und deren Freundin Martha ein, mit die Weihnachtstage auf St. Michael’s Mount zu verbringen. Seine Jugendfreundin Hilaria St. Aubyn richtet die Festlichkeiten aus. Ihr besonderer Gast ist die Schauspielerin Marlene Dietrich, die sich im Jahr 1938 für jüdische Flüchtlingskinder einsetzt. Ein Spendenaufruf hat bereits etliche tausend Pfund eingebracht. Bei den Gästen handelt es sich um eine sehr gemischte Gruppe. Es ist zu hoffen, dass diese Unterschiedlichkeit eher zu angeregten Gesprächen führen mag. Doch Animositäten sind nicht immer vermeidbar. Unangenehm wird es jedoch erst als die Haushälterin eine Leiche entdeckt.

Im englischen Original handelt es sich um den achten Band einer Reihe um die Autorin Josephine Tey. Eine Reihe, in der Wahrheit und Dichtung klug miteinander vermischt werden. Bei Josephine Tey handelte es sich um eine Schriftstellerin, die tatsächlich gelebt hat, die Kriminalromane geschrieben hat und über deren Leben nicht viel bekannt ist. In diese Leerstelle sind die Kriminalromane hineingeschrieben worden. Ganz im Sinne von Agatha Christie und anderen Weggefährtinnen kommt es hier auf einer Insel zu einem Mord. Um die Weihnachtstage bei schlechtem Wetter, wird es schwierig die Insel zu verlassen oder zu ihr zu gelangen. Inspector Penrose hat also eine begrenzte Anzahl von Verdächtigen und eine Flucht ist nicht ohne Weiteres möglich.

Eine sehr britische Kriminalgeschichte, die ihren traditionsreichen Vorgängern in nichts nachsteht. Vielleicht kommt einem beim Lesen der Gedanke, so ähnlich kennt man es schon. Doch die Autorin hat ihre Akteure so liebevoll in ihren Rahmen gesetzt, dass man in jedem Moment mit Freude weiterliest. Wenn sich alles auflöst, ist man schließlich doch überrascht. Josephine Tey als Autorin von Kriminalromanen hat logischerweise einige Erfahrungen, wie Menschen sind und weshalb sie mitunter morden. Penrose ergänzt die dabei mit seinen langjährigen Berufserfahrungen und den technischen Möglichkeiten. Doch während sie von Festland abgeschlossen sind, müssen sich Tey und Penrose ganz auf ihr Bauchgefühl und ihre Fähigkeiten konzentrieren, geschickte Fragen zu stellen. Mit ihrer Art fesseln sie beim Lesen und man folgt ihren Gedankengängen mit Spannung.

St. Michael’s Mount kann während eines großen Teils des Jahres besucht werden. Wenn man sich die web.site anschaut, kann man einige Schilderungen noch besser würdigen. Wie schon gesagt, die Verknüpfung von wahren Begebenheiten und Orten mit fiktiven Schilderungen, ist hier ausgesprochen gelungen.

[Charlie Morris (Read, Watch & Drink Coffee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw that this murder mystery was set on St Michael's Mount in Cornwall and that it was set at Christmas, I was so excited to read this festive murder mystery set in one of my favourite places. The causeway makes the perfect setting for a locked-in thriller and having had a tour of the castle myself, I could really get a feel for the claustrophobic atmosphere as the group are isolated from the rest of the town.

Obviously influenced by both Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock, both of whom are mentioned, I could really get a sense of this being a classic thriller. Although there aren't many red herrings and quite a bit is revealed early on, there are still plenty of surprises in the second half and I really enjoyed the suspense that follows.

The story itself is quite simplistic as the mystery isn't over-complicated with too much going on. So for readers who like gripping twists and intense characters, you'll probably be left wanting more. But if you're looking for a more laidback murder mystery or for a comfy armchair read, this will certainly fill the gap nicely. And for anyone living in Cornwall, I definitely think that it's worth a read as it captures the setting brilliantly.

[Les Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book both enjoyable and informative. I learned a lot about Marlene Dietrich and was so impressed with her anti nazi activities that I have decided to read her life story. I was amazed at the Germans accusing her of disloyalty to her county when she was just anti nazi as they should and still should support her for. Same on you Germans who think that being against Hitler was being disloyal.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in three days, which is a reading timeframe unheard of for me. Continually fast paced, and although you are able to have a guess throughout, I never quite tied all the bits together enough to complete the mystery - just as it should be. One of Upsons’ best.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series I have read. It was enjoyable but the story didn’t involve Tey or Dietrich much. They seemed very much secondary characters which was strange. Also the author portrays Tey as homosexual. Is there validity for this belief that she was so?

[Ellinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mit dem Schnee kommt der Tod ist ein solider Krimi. Personal und Setting fand ich charmant, bin aber nicht völlig überzeugt.

[Ruhani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm generally not into cosy mysteries but this is Christmas season and I was looking for a cosy Christmas mystery. I thought this might fit the bill (never tried this author before though I'd heard so much about her) but the first scene itself was pretty grim. Giving this 3 stars only because it is not what I was expecting and there were parts of the book that I think were not very convincing. Otherwise, I like the chracters and the writing style and hope to read more of this series.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Cornwall on St Michael’s Mount in the 1930s, this clever cosy murder mystery combines an old police case with a new one. Well written and had me hooked.

[Dominique || dominiquetravels · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's something about whodunnits in wintery isolated settings this year. I've read The Guest List, Snow and One by One is the next book I've planned to read.

The Dead of Winter also takes place on an isolated location, namely St Michael's Mount in Cornwall in 1938. An exclusive charity event has been planned by the owner of the Mount in order to support displaced Jewish children from Germany.

The police officer Archie has been invited since he's an old friend of the owner Hilaria St. Aubyn. She has invited a celebrity to attend as well hoping that it would bring about some publicity for the Mount and its cause. Archie in turn invites his two friends Josephine and Marta.

You might have guessed it. The guests all have their own backstories and as they arrive on their location one by one, they find out that the Mount will be isolated for a few days due to bad weather. They are ready to celebrate Christmas, so they don't mind until one of them ends up dead and the only one who could've done it has to be among them.

I felt that this book was a little bit short. It's strange to say, but the action and investigation started half way through and it wasn't enough to fully grip me although I found the ending to be satisfying.

The story is told through the eyes of around eight different characters, which means part of the first half you'll have to guess who was who. Then when the action gets going the novel has ended.

I like that this novel is in a way based on real life. Josephine Tey is apparently the Agatha Christie of her time, the celebrity is also well-known and St Michael's Mount was in hands of Hilaria St. Aubyn back then. I didn't mind that there are 8 novels about Josephine prior to this one. Sure, I don't know the characters as well as fans of this series will do but I still enjoyed the story.

All-in-all it's an OK read. The setting didn't feel as isolated or grim as I would've liked it to, and there are a few too many characters for such a short novel. It's an interesting whodunnit though with a few twists and turns I didn't expect.

Many thanks to the publisher Faber and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy!

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story so brilliant that I will be picking up all of Upson’s previous books - and I can’t think of a better time to read this than before Christmas!
There are so many twists and turns to this story that it’s hard to know where to start - we open with a scene from 1920 where a family of children and their mother are found dead, of an apparent murder-suicide, but it then takes quite some time to realise the significance of this as we move to Christmas 1938. With the Second World War looming, a handful of esteemed guests are invited to spend Christmas at the isolated St Michael’s Mount - including the writer Josephine Tey, her friend Detective Archie Penrose, and a famous movie star trying to escape the attention of the Nazis. But when two people are found brutally murdered, Archie can’t help but wonder if there’s a connection to that brutal crime from long ago...
What follows is a brilliant story reminiscent of the Golden Age of crime writing - a brilliant whodunnit where nothing is as it seems and everyone is a suspect. I loved the glamour of the setting and the famous actress against the backdrop of Christmas and I could so easily see this on the big screen - this is crime writing at its best.
To also include queer relationships, domestic violence and what I assume is Dementia in the story gives it a fresh take on the classics, and I loved the relationship between Josephine and her partner Marta, which added some fun and joy to the story.
If this review is garbled and all over the place it’s simply because I’m still feeling that rush of excitement from discovering a fantastic author - I cannot wait to read more!

[Franklin P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look I dont understand why Marlene Dietrich was in this book. The most pointless crowbarring of a name into a book ever. There were about 20 lines relating to her. There was zero relevance to the plot or story.
There were loads of supplemental characters loads of side alleys and dead ends, but at the heart of it was a tidy little whodunit with mystery and intrigue sprinkled liberally about the place.

The tie in to the chapter one events was very good and I like how it all linked together well.

I think shes a clever writer but how this is classed as a Josephine Tey novel when she is just a side character I dont know. The plot barely involved her and I know nothing about her.

Also the 'other' murder seems totally irrelevant.

Look its messy ok.
But its a good little whodunnit.
Too many characters sure
Too intricate a plot yeah ok
Too many side plots indeed there are
But at its heart a classic whodunnit and why.
3/5
Decent book. Glad I read

[Mirjam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I visited St. Michael's Mount this summer, and was glad to find this book in the tourist shop, because the island seemed like a wonderful story setting — and it was! This book was a delight: the perfect Christmas mystery. I loved learning more about the history of the mount (and now wish I would've paid more attention to the Chair) and the character dynamics were very compelling. I especially loved Marlene Dietrich's (!) scenes. I didn't know this book was part of a series about Josephine Tey; will definitely give the other books a go.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big fan of this series, and the casual way in which the author introduces real-life historical figures in a very believable way, as well as beautiful locations around the United Kingdom that I don't know all that well. One of my favourites was Alfred Hitchcock in Portmeirion. In this book, it's Marlene Dietrich and St Michael Mount.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for an advance copy of The Dead of Winter, the ninth novel to feature Josephine Tey and DCI Archie Penrose.

Christmas 1938 and Josephine, her lover Marta and Archie have been invited to the castle on the island of St Michael’s Mount, off the coast of Cornwall. Archie is there to escort a world famous film star, but these duties are interrupted by the discovery of two dead bodies. Cut off from the mainland by snowstorms, Archie is on his own.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Dead of Winter which is a fascinating tale, both for the murder mystery and the seamless incorporation of real life historical figures. I’m not naming the famous film star but it certainly made me look at them in a completely different light. The author has a knack for humanising these distant figures, although Wikipedia supplied the real detail. I couldn’t help but to want to know more.

The plot held my attention throughout and while the reader learns early on what happened in the case of one body and makes it more a study of guilt and self betrayal, the second body is much more of a puzzle. It has a couple of clever twists, a convoluted motive and again involves guilt, but of a different kind. I had no idea and blindly followed the author’s path. I thought it was really clever that the movie star points Archie in the right direction.

I don’t read this series primarily for the plot. I love the marriage of fiction with real people and places as it’s always a guessing game as to who’s real and who’s fictional. The author helpfully fills in some of these blanks in her afterword. There is a certain wistfulness in this novel as the characters can feel the winds of war and don’t know if this will be their last Christmas. It is well done in that it is there, as is the spectre of Nazism, but not over gilded. It gives a good sense of the era.

The Dead of Winter is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Monika Armet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* review rounded up to 5*

This book begins with a gripping prologue set on Christmas Day in 1920. Archie Penrose is called to a scene of a brutal crime. It appears that a mother murdered her four children and then killed herself. There were two surviving children, who managed to hide in the coal bunker…

18 years later and the world is on the brink of another war. Hilaria St. Albyn from St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall opens up her family home for a Christmas weekend to raise money for charity.

The guests include Archie Penrose who is on bodyguard duties to a famous Hollywood film star, Josephine Tey and her lover, Marta. Others guests arriving are a senior photographer for The Times, a Reverend and his wife, a military man and his Nazi-loving daughter, and an unhappily married couple.

With a plethora of such guests, it’s no wonder when tensions rise, followed by two murders. As the weather turns for the worse the rising tides make it impossible to cross to the mainland to alert the authorities.

Who is the killer? And how does it link to Archie’s 1920 case?

I immensely enjoyed this murder mystery. I loved the location having visited St Michael’s Mount previously – it is truly stunning. The book had an Agatha Christie feel to it; it reminded me of And Then There Were None.

I have a soft spot for Archie, he is a truly wonderful policeman. You can tell he really cares about his job and the people he protects. I was glad to read that things are improving for him with regards to his daughter.

This book is the ninth in the Josephine Tey series, but you can read it as a standalone. It’s a tense locked-in murder mystery, perfect for these cold winter nights.

Thank you to Faber & Faber for my gifted copy.

[Wil Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola Upson’s series of novels based around real-life figure Josephine Tey have only recently come on to my radar. I blasted through the latest entry in the series, “Shot with Crimson” which centres around the filming of Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary cinematic epic adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” and have been excited to check out previous entries in the series. I was delighted, then, to discover that there is a festive entry in the series, the Christmas-set ninth instalment, “The Dead of Winter.”

Immediately, I knew I was in safe hands and familiar territory. Upson’s writing style has a smooth feel to it; a mixture of modern cosy crime writing coupled with the real zing of period appropriate Agatha Christie. The novel centres of Josephine Tey spending Christmas in Cornwall on the island St Michael’s Mount, throwing in a contemporary celebrity (this time cinematic icon Marlene Dietrich) and before too long there has been a murder. From there, the novel combines the isolated tension of classic Christie novels like “And Then There Were None” with the crime procedurals of the modern day. It’s simply presented, but utterly wonderful in its execution.

The historical setting and the inclusion of real-life figures allows Upson to delve into the context of the time and mounting tensions as the world slowly lurches towards the Second World War. Indeed, Marlene Dietrich’s role at the start seems to be designed to offer commentary on the looking Nazi threat.

At the core, though, this is a well told, expertly crafted piece of crime fiction. Nicola Upson has nothing to prove at this point with almost a dozen entries in this series alone, all of which seem to develop and evolve in the best ways possible. The rest of the series is calling to me and I look forward to answering that call in the months ahead.