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Josephine Tey #5
The Death of Lucy Kyte
When she unexpectedly inherits a remote cottage, mystery author Josephine Tey is troubled by tales of a historic murder committed nearby which still rattles the locals, and by a sense that she is part of a tragic cycle which is about to begin anew.
432 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2013
212 people are currently reading
1776 people want to read
About the author
Nicola Upson
15 books544 followersNicola 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
Nicola is currently writing the sixth book in the 'Josephine Tey' series, and a standalone novel set in the 1920s.
Series:
* Josephine Tey
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
March 15, 2018
I've been a big fan of the masterful mystery author, Josephine Tey, for decades and am delighted to discover Nicola Upson's series. Tey is just as I imagined her to be. Her biographical background is subtly introduced and serves to create the heavily atmospheric plots, both in the present time (1930s) and in the century-old murder mystery. The story develops slowly, which may frustrate readers who are looking for action. The important development, though, is in the character of Josephine, as she learns more and more about the mysterious cottage she has inherited and the godmother who left it to her. is my first of Upson's books--now I'll go back to the beginning of the series and read them all.
November 9, 2013
This is a beautiful literate book, which I was so looking forward to reading; so why have I been disappointed? Let me say first, that I’ve never read any books by Nicola Upson; maybe that is part of the problem. I know she has used the character of Josephine Tey in at least two other books, so, as a new reader, I expected some information about Josephine Tey, some idea of her as a person; but apart from the fact that she was a real person, rather than a fictitious character, I was left frustrated that I didn’t get to know her, or empathise with her in any way. Also, apart from the occasional mention of the First World War, there was nothing to suggest that the story was set in the 30’s; I certainly didn’t get a feel for the period. The mixing of fact and fiction didn’t work for me, either. However, the book has whet my appetite for more and I will look for some of her other books, in the hope that I can get a better feel for the author and her main character, Josephine Tey.
August 29, 2013
Kudos to the author for bringing attention to Josephine Tey aka Elizabeth MacKintosh, scottish writer of murder mysteries and a successful playwright.
Upson has created a main fictional character based on the image, I presume, that Upson has of Tey. That in itself would have been a challenge, as Tey was multifaceted and also elusive as a person. Tey actively avoided the pres and public attention.
The story suffered on occasion from drawn out descriptions and purple prose, which made it slightly long-winded at times.
At the same time it was the intricate detailed descriptions of the gardens, buildings and the cottage that gave the book a comfortable feeling of deja-vu. Even the plants, windows and furniture had a part to play in the overall scheme of the storyline.
Upson has used a notorious nineteenth century true crime as the basis for this story. She has given a previously unheard voice to the murder victim and to a young girl who worked for the murderer. Obviously these voices are completely fictitous and yet simultaneously plausible. I think that is what made the story so intriguing. It wasn't outlandish or unbelievable.
The author has also highlighted the role of the single female in that era. The strong independent type that tends to end up caring for the elderly parents or siblings, as opposed to the married or male siblings who are eager to pass on the responsibility. These selfless acts are rarely acknowledged, even now in our day and age.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley.
Upson has created a main fictional character based on the image, I presume, that Upson has of Tey. That in itself would have been a challenge, as Tey was multifaceted and also elusive as a person. Tey actively avoided the pres and public attention.
The story suffered on occasion from drawn out descriptions and purple prose, which made it slightly long-winded at times.
At the same time it was the intricate detailed descriptions of the gardens, buildings and the cottage that gave the book a comfortable feeling of deja-vu. Even the plants, windows and furniture had a part to play in the overall scheme of the storyline.
Upson has used a notorious nineteenth century true crime as the basis for this story. She has given a previously unheard voice to the murder victim and to a young girl who worked for the murderer. Obviously these voices are completely fictitous and yet simultaneously plausible. I think that is what made the story so intriguing. It wasn't outlandish or unbelievable.
The author has also highlighted the role of the single female in that era. The strong independent type that tends to end up caring for the elderly parents or siblings, as opposed to the married or male siblings who are eager to pass on the responsibility. These selfless acts are rarely acknowledged, even now in our day and age.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley.
May 18, 2014
I felt pretty ho-hum about this, all the way through. The story was interesting enough, but I just didn't warm to the characters or feel as if they were particularly rounded. And the writing seemed oddly flat. Not sure where all the glowing reviews inside the front cover came from, but this is not a series I'll follow.
December 13, 2019
I enjoyed reading this historical-mystery-within-an-historical-mystery, the former based on a true historical crime, the latter fictional. Nicola Upson's series consists of fictional novels featuring real-life crime writer Josephine Tey as the central character and amateur detective.
In this story, Josephine inherits a country cottage in Suffolk from her late godmother, a famous stage actress, of whom she has seen nothing since her childhood in Inverness. The cottage happens to overlook the site of the notorious Red Barn - where local woman Maria Marten was murdered and buried by her lover William Corder in 1827 (see Red Barn Murder). While the surrounding community still bears the scars of the notorious historical crime, Josephine can't help but follow in her godmother's footsteps by developing an interest in the crime and the people involved. The strange atmosphere of the cottage is immediately felt by Josephine, and as the novel goes on she explores the personal histories of her godmother, a former occupant of the cottage who was close friends with the murdered woman Maria Marten, and her own. As she comes closer to solving some of the mysteries, Josephine begins to sense malign influences at play...
This is not a fast-paced thriller by any means, but a lovely old-fashioned and meandering read, very character-driven and an intriguing re-imagining of a true historical criminal case.
I'm a great fan of the real Josephine Tey's work, especially The Daughter of Time (which I'm now desperate to re-read for perhaps the fifth time!), and enjoyed reading of her (fictional) adventures and (based on fact) literary and private lives.
In this story, Josephine inherits a country cottage in Suffolk from her late godmother, a famous stage actress, of whom she has seen nothing since her childhood in Inverness. The cottage happens to overlook the site of the notorious Red Barn - where local woman Maria Marten was murdered and buried by her lover William Corder in 1827 (see Red Barn Murder). While the surrounding community still bears the scars of the notorious historical crime, Josephine can't help but follow in her godmother's footsteps by developing an interest in the crime and the people involved. The strange atmosphere of the cottage is immediately felt by Josephine, and as the novel goes on she explores the personal histories of her godmother, a former occupant of the cottage who was close friends with the murdered woman Maria Marten, and her own. As she comes closer to solving some of the mysteries, Josephine begins to sense malign influences at play...
This is not a fast-paced thriller by any means, but a lovely old-fashioned and meandering read, very character-driven and an intriguing re-imagining of a true historical criminal case.
I'm a great fan of the real Josephine Tey's work, especially The Daughter of Time (which I'm now desperate to re-read for perhaps the fifth time!), and enjoyed reading of her (fictional) adventures and (based on fact) literary and private lives.
March 13, 2018
a disappointment for me - I could give it 2.5, because the writing is beautiful, but I haven't found the atmosphere of the previous books by Nicola Upson
May 26, 2020
Acclaimed author, Josephine Tey, who has a sideline in amateur detection, inherits an old cottage in Suffolk from her godmother, actress Hester Larkspur. Hester was a close friend of Josephine's mother but Josephine only met her once or twice as a child.
Hester's Will stipulates that she wants Josephine to dispose of the contents of the cottage as she sees fit, and it soon becomes apparent that the task is an unusual and daunting one, for Hester's possessions include memorabilia from the notorious Red Barn murder of Victorian days. The victim, Maria Marten, lived in the cottage and was murdered in the adjoining barn. Apart from Josephine and Hester's theatrical dresser who is left her clothes, there is only one other beneficiary in the Will, the Lucy Kyte of the title. No one seems to have any idea who she is.
Josephine's efforts to carry out her godmother's wishes and find Lucy Kyte make a fascinating story with lots of mystery, spooky atmosphere, and historical detail. Josephine Tey was, of course, a real person whose books are still enjoyed today. The note at the end of the book explains how much of the story is true to her life and the real Red Barn murder, and how much invented.
This is the first book in the Josephine Tey series that I've read, although there have been several before it, but it seemed to work fine as a standalone novel. A good read and expressively written, the book brings the Suffolk landscape and some of its historic towns to life. My only criticism is that it could have been a bit shorter. The scenes from Josephine's London life, and her relationship with her father and her lover, Marta, dragged a bit.
Hester's Will stipulates that she wants Josephine to dispose of the contents of the cottage as she sees fit, and it soon becomes apparent that the task is an unusual and daunting one, for Hester's possessions include memorabilia from the notorious Red Barn murder of Victorian days. The victim, Maria Marten, lived in the cottage and was murdered in the adjoining barn. Apart from Josephine and Hester's theatrical dresser who is left her clothes, there is only one other beneficiary in the Will, the Lucy Kyte of the title. No one seems to have any idea who she is.
Josephine's efforts to carry out her godmother's wishes and find Lucy Kyte make a fascinating story with lots of mystery, spooky atmosphere, and historical detail. Josephine Tey was, of course, a real person whose books are still enjoyed today. The note at the end of the book explains how much of the story is true to her life and the real Red Barn murder, and how much invented.
This is the first book in the Josephine Tey series that I've read, although there have been several before it, but it seemed to work fine as a standalone novel. A good read and expressively written, the book brings the Suffolk landscape and some of its historic towns to life. My only criticism is that it could have been a bit shorter. The scenes from Josephine's London life, and her relationship with her father and her lover, Marta, dragged a bit.
October 16, 2017
You'll have to check out an official summary (or someone else's. This book has a fascinating mystery (including hauntings) and the MC's process in finding the truth was intriguing....but it would take too long to explain right now.
Incidentally, I think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd read the previous Josephine Tey mysteries.
P.S. It took me so long because I only read it in bed.
Incidentally, I think I would have enjoyed this more if I'd read the previous Josephine Tey mysteries.
P.S. It took me so long because I only read it in bed.
November 22, 2014
This has been a bit of a disappointing read. The crux of a good story is there because it unites the present in a town in the English countryside with a horrible murder from a century before.
Josephine Tey, a mystery writer is bequeathed a cottage by her Godmother, Hester Larkspur. Hester was a famous English actress, who appeared in many stage presentations with her husband, Walter. But when Walter died, Hester's life seemed to crumble. When Josephine starts to investigate her inheritance there appears to be many loose ends.....the circumstances of Hester's death....how the people who were involved in the last few years of her life, treated her. And most of all in the diaries of a friend of the murdered young woman , Maria Marten.
Josephine is determined to unravel the mystery. And her's where I have my complaints. The pace of the book is so painfully slow that at least two times I almost gave up and put down the book. And then suddenly about 2/3 of the way through the pace quickened as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. I have to admit that the last third of the book was much more interesting.
This is a well written book with a good story line but I think that the pace needed to be picked somewhat.
Josephine Tey, a mystery writer is bequeathed a cottage by her Godmother, Hester Larkspur. Hester was a famous English actress, who appeared in many stage presentations with her husband, Walter. But when Walter died, Hester's life seemed to crumble. When Josephine starts to investigate her inheritance there appears to be many loose ends.....the circumstances of Hester's death....how the people who were involved in the last few years of her life, treated her. And most of all in the diaries of a friend of the murdered young woman , Maria Marten.
Josephine is determined to unravel the mystery. And her's where I have my complaints. The pace of the book is so painfully slow that at least two times I almost gave up and put down the book. And then suddenly about 2/3 of the way through the pace quickened as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. I have to admit that the last third of the book was much more interesting.
This is a well written book with a good story line but I think that the pace needed to be picked somewhat.
February 8, 2024
2.25*
Set in the 1930s, Josephine Tey, who lives in Inverness with her father, inherits Red Barn Cottage in Polstead, Suffolk, from her godmother Hester Larkspur. Hester was a friend of Josephine's dead mother, and an actress famous for playing Maria Marten on stage, the murder victim of the notorious 'Murder in the Red Barn' of 1827. Josephine didn’t know Hester very well but after inheriting the cottage she feels curious enough to go to Suffolk to find out more about Hester's life before she died, and of course, to claim her house. She meets some local people and slowly uncovers some of the secrets the cottage holds, about a book that Hester was working on and her mysterious death in a room in the cottage, and a diary written by Lucy Kyte, a childhood friend of Maria's in the 1820s.
Part ghost story, part mystery and part whodunnit, I’ve wanted to read a book by Nicola Upson for a while. It also has several connections with Suffolk which interest me. Nicola is a local author born in Suffolk; Josephine Tey, the real life crime writer and the main protagonist in Nicola’s books, also has Suffolk ancestry; and Maria Marten's murder happened in Suffolk. However, despite the obvious interest this book held for me, it did not appeal at all after the first 100 pages or so. I thought it was overly long, nor am I a fan of dual timelines. It also had too many different stories to tell. There is Josephine, Josephine's mother, Hester, Maria and Lucy's story to tell and it is a long time before Lucy even starts to make any sense to the plot. There is also little to suggest it is set in the 1930s and I thought it was contemporary - I only realised towards the end of the book when she talks about Mrs Simpson's visit to Felixstowe as this happened in 1936. I did enjoy some of the writing and I quite liked reading Lucy's diary which gave another (fictional) angle to Maria's story.
Set in the 1930s, Josephine Tey, who lives in Inverness with her father, inherits Red Barn Cottage in Polstead, Suffolk, from her godmother Hester Larkspur. Hester was a friend of Josephine's dead mother, and an actress famous for playing Maria Marten on stage, the murder victim of the notorious 'Murder in the Red Barn' of 1827. Josephine didn’t know Hester very well but after inheriting the cottage she feels curious enough to go to Suffolk to find out more about Hester's life before she died, and of course, to claim her house. She meets some local people and slowly uncovers some of the secrets the cottage holds, about a book that Hester was working on and her mysterious death in a room in the cottage, and a diary written by Lucy Kyte, a childhood friend of Maria's in the 1820s.
Part ghost story, part mystery and part whodunnit, I’ve wanted to read a book by Nicola Upson for a while. It also has several connections with Suffolk which interest me. Nicola is a local author born in Suffolk; Josephine Tey, the real life crime writer and the main protagonist in Nicola’s books, also has Suffolk ancestry; and Maria Marten's murder happened in Suffolk. However, despite the obvious interest this book held for me, it did not appeal at all after the first 100 pages or so. I thought it was overly long, nor am I a fan of dual timelines. It also had too many different stories to tell. There is Josephine, Josephine's mother, Hester, Maria and Lucy's story to tell and it is a long time before Lucy even starts to make any sense to the plot. There is also little to suggest it is set in the 1930s and I thought it was contemporary - I only realised towards the end of the book when she talks about Mrs Simpson's visit to Felixstowe as this happened in 1936. I did enjoy some of the writing and I quite liked reading Lucy's diary which gave another (fictional) angle to Maria's story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2020
If you are in the mood for a slow, but thoroughly detailed look into both the 1930s English countryside as well as the 1800s English countryside, this book may be for you. I've never been to England, but have always loved reading of/hearing of the countryside, especially the English coast. Josephine is a lovely character, and she came to life for me, as did those around her. There is a bit of a meta-quality to the story as we are reading a mystery about Josephine reading about a mystery, thus connecting the 1800s and 1930s, and it was quite well done. However, be warned, it is a slow story, though well-delivered. I didn't know that this was #5 in a series, and likely wouldn't have read it had I known--after all, how many mysteries can one actually happen upon, short of being a detective...?
March 30, 2024
An enjoyable read.
August 11, 2013
This is a beautiful literate book, which I was so looking forward to reading; so why have I been disappointed? Let me say first, that I’ve never read any books by Nicola Upson; maybe that is part of the problem. I know she has used the character of Josephine Tey in at least two other books, so, as a new reader, I expected some information about Josephine Tey, some idea of her as a person; but apart from the fact that she was a real person, rather than a fictitious character, I was left frustrated that I didn’t get to know her, or empathise with her in any way. Also, apart from the occasional mention of the First World War, there was nothing to suggest that the story was set in the 30’s; I certainly didn’t get a feel for the period. The mixing of fact and fiction didn’t work for me, either. However, the book has whet my appetite for more and I will look for some of her other books, in the hope that I can get a better feel for the author and her main character, Josephine Tey.
December 23, 2021
This was my second book by Upson, in her series featuring the golden age crime writer Josephine Tey as her protagonist. I had read the latest in the series a few days back and reay enjoyed the book. This one, though, was sadly a struggle from beginning to end.
The biggest problem with the book is that it feels unnecessarily drawn out. Tey gets a cottage in her godmother's will and the entire story is related to the history of the cottage. In the will is also named a woman Lucy Kyte but nobody knows about her. Until, one day, Tey finds a diary which opens doors into the past and leads her to where Lucy is today.
The book was very slow and nothing much happened in the first 130+ pages that would forward the story. Even the final denouement felt flat considering all the lengthy buildup.
The biggest problem with the book is that it feels unnecessarily drawn out. Tey gets a cottage in her godmother's will and the entire story is related to the history of the cottage. In the will is also named a woman Lucy Kyte but nobody knows about her. Until, one day, Tey finds a diary which opens doors into the past and leads her to where Lucy is today.
The book was very slow and nothing much happened in the first 130+ pages that would forward the story. Even the final denouement felt flat considering all the lengthy buildup.
July 26, 2014
A series, will be reading the rest! Josephine Tey is a successful playwrite who inherits a cottage in the Suffolk countryside. It was the home of her godmother Hester, an actress of past renown. Josephine did not really know Hester, her mother's best friend, except a few memories as a child. The cottage is seemingly haunted, sad and full of grief. Josephine follows in Hester's footsteps to release the house from its demons. Excellent story, wonderful writing, would be great book club book. I don't think you have had to read any other books from the series to enjoy this book. Enjoyed very much.
March 13, 2019
My favourite in the series so far. Rides that fine line between Murder mystery & ghost story with ease, bringing to life both an 1828 Murder & a suspicious death in the 1930s. Add in some doors opening on their own, the smell of smoke with no source for it & footsteps on the backstairs, going to a room with an atmosphere of sadness and you have a genuinely creepy mystery.
February 17, 2018
It was ok. It sadly bored me throughout the book. She writes very well. Her landscapes descriptions are amongst the best. I didn’t like the characters. Almost liked Miss Peck more than Josephine, or at least, cared more about her. Understood her. Josephine’s indecisiveness was too much.
July 31, 2019
This one was slow to unfold. The writing was beautiful but lacked real bones and stretched out unnecessarily in some parts, while important plot reveals were brushed over. A little uneven for me but I did want to keep reading and untangle the mystery.
July 31, 2018
This Josephine Tey mystery was different in that a) it seemed more Tey centric and contained a 100 yo murder for her to figure out. Very descriptive passages of Suffolk. Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
February 19, 2020
This fifth book in the series based on the life of Josephine Tey, detective novelist and playwright, continues to develop the shy, private persona of the intelligent protagonist while revealing all her self-doubts and second guessing about her relationships. The reader learns more about Marta Fox whom Josephine had met two years before; Marta was involved with Josephine's good friend, Lydia, and had reluctantly fallen in love with Marta. Marta is as complex as Josephine; her experience with grief and betrayal has marked but not destroyed her. Her son was executed for killing her daughter, but she steadfastly refuses to speak of all that lies beneath the surface, creating "a peculiar hybrid of barrier and bond between them."
Josephine has inherited Red Barn Cottage in a remote, small village in Suffolk, England, from her godmother, Hester Larkspur, a woman she barely knew, her mother's best friend. She understands their shared love for theater is the reason she has been entrusted with sorting through Hester's papers and the ephemera of her theater days. She also understands that the darkness that pervades the isolated cottage has its roots in something that deeply troubled Hester long before Hester began to lose her vision and independence.
Hester had been passionate/obsessed about Maria Marten's death over 100 years before. For years she and her husband had staged a melodrama about Maria, a servant girl who lived nearby, and her sad affair with William Corder. During the renovation of the cottage, Josephine discovers Hester's unfinished manuscript, a fictional account of the months of Maria's courtship with William Corder, her murder and the aftermath of the trial and execution, told through the eyes of an unnamed narrator, Maria's best friend. Then she discovers the diary of that friend, which strengthens her commitment to finding the truth about Hester's last months and the mystery surrounding the narrator.
As the renovation continues, Josephine discovers a link to a book seller in London whom she believes has received stolen goods from Hester's cottage, relics of Maria Marten, which are extremely valuable. Following the clues, Tey learns the truth about all the women in the story but also uncovers terrible sadness and bitterness. Some readers might find the diary thread a bit tedious, and others might find the local villagers tiresome; no one could predict the plot threads coming together or the outcome.
A fun interlude in the rather dark plot involves Josephine meeting Chief Inspector Archie Penrose for his advice while Archie and his colleagues are guarding King Edward and Wallis Simpson in the weeks before the King's abdication of the throne. Not only did I enjoy being reminded of its importance and interest to the English but Archie also mentions the "Boston Globe," my daily newspaper!
Josephine has inherited Red Barn Cottage in a remote, small village in Suffolk, England, from her godmother, Hester Larkspur, a woman she barely knew, her mother's best friend. She understands their shared love for theater is the reason she has been entrusted with sorting through Hester's papers and the ephemera of her theater days. She also understands that the darkness that pervades the isolated cottage has its roots in something that deeply troubled Hester long before Hester began to lose her vision and independence.
Hester had been passionate/obsessed about Maria Marten's death over 100 years before. For years she and her husband had staged a melodrama about Maria, a servant girl who lived nearby, and her sad affair with William Corder. During the renovation of the cottage, Josephine discovers Hester's unfinished manuscript, a fictional account of the months of Maria's courtship with William Corder, her murder and the aftermath of the trial and execution, told through the eyes of an unnamed narrator, Maria's best friend. Then she discovers the diary of that friend, which strengthens her commitment to finding the truth about Hester's last months and the mystery surrounding the narrator.
As the renovation continues, Josephine discovers a link to a book seller in London whom she believes has received stolen goods from Hester's cottage, relics of Maria Marten, which are extremely valuable. Following the clues, Tey learns the truth about all the women in the story but also uncovers terrible sadness and bitterness. Some readers might find the diary thread a bit tedious, and others might find the local villagers tiresome; no one could predict the plot threads coming together or the outcome.
A fun interlude in the rather dark plot involves Josephine meeting Chief Inspector Archie Penrose for his advice while Archie and his colleagues are guarding King Edward and Wallis Simpson in the weeks before the King's abdication of the throne. Not only did I enjoy being reminded of its importance and interest to the English but Archie also mentions the "Boston Globe," my daily newspaper!
December 9, 2021
Yes, there are mysteries to be solved here by Josephine Tey (a writer of mysteries, and the main character) and even a little assistance from the police. The way she solves them is a little reminiscent of Tey's masterpiece The Daughter of Time, in that reading through a manuscript, and what is said and not said, is her main method of investigation.
The mystery is quite secondary, however, compared to the novel, the melodrama, the illumination of the way women were expected to sacrifice their lives for men's in the 1820's and the 1930's, the asides about the life of the theater, a ghost story or two, and even the ongoing love story. And that's just fine with me.
Dorothy Sayers once wrote Busman's Honeymoon as a love story with detective interruptions. Call this book a poignant history with a detective plot that doesn't interrupt but keeps on intertwining with the real story, which is the characters' lives.
The mystery is quite secondary, however, compared to the novel, the melodrama, the illumination of the way women were expected to sacrifice their lives for men's in the 1820's and the 1930's, the asides about the life of the theater, a ghost story or two, and even the ongoing love story. And that's just fine with me.
Dorothy Sayers once wrote Busman's Honeymoon as a love story with detective interruptions. Call this book a poignant history with a detective plot that doesn't interrupt but keeps on intertwining with the real story, which is the characters' lives.
July 25, 2021
This is by far my favourite of Upson’s Josephine Tey books that I’ve read so far.
Josephine inherits an isolated cottage in the Suffolk countryside from her estranged godmother, and sets out to discover the secrets of a crime it was involved in almost 100 years prior. Through the story she discovers the much about her godmother.
In many ways it’s a very different book from the others in the series - focussed very much solely on Josephine as a character. Through that, you get a real sense of the isolation. The scenes in the cottage are incredibly atmospheric, and at times creepy. Upson does an excellent job at building tension and a sense of growing darkness.
The story within the story is interesting and you find yourself gripped to the fate of more than one person.
It’s an excellent read that I absolutely devoured.
Josephine inherits an isolated cottage in the Suffolk countryside from her estranged godmother, and sets out to discover the secrets of a crime it was involved in almost 100 years prior. Through the story she discovers the much about her godmother.
In many ways it’s a very different book from the others in the series - focussed very much solely on Josephine as a character. Through that, you get a real sense of the isolation. The scenes in the cottage are incredibly atmospheric, and at times creepy. Upson does an excellent job at building tension and a sense of growing darkness.
The story within the story is interesting and you find yourself gripped to the fate of more than one person.
It’s an excellent read that I absolutely devoured.
February 18, 2025
The writing is food and I liked the concept of this one and what it centres around, but the ending fell flat. I suppose one thing I do want from a mystery novel is a sense of justice (realistic or no), and this doesn't deliver. Also the implications of the love triangle crop up towards the end, and I'm not wild about them. I think I'm done with the series. There are enough good mystery series that I don't need to read one that just makes me sad.
April 2, 2021
I enjoyed the audio version of this book, I didn’t find it slow as many other readers did although I thought Josephine a little bit needy and pathetic. It was an excellent narration
May 14, 2021
Finally found a new detective series to enjoy. A little slower than some, but never boring.
December 30, 2018
I won’t include a basic description of the story; a lot of other people share good versions and I have nothing to add to them. I thought that the story started off a little slow but after a while became extremely interesting and well written. The last third of the book was a combination of a great story that was left dangling in a way that seemed forced.
The interplay with Miss Peck seemed a little over the top and the fact that neither character would do more does not seem consistent with the previous parts of the book.
Surely Archie would have predicted a different future and so would Marta. Why wouldn’t Josephine tell her boss. Surely Miss Pecks actions impact him.
Lucy’s love for her friend seems realistic until the final diary. It seems conceivable that she would like to eradicate the structure she connects with pain but fire is reckless and Lucy never displays that even in the worst moments.
The end seemed rushed and not as well thought out as the middle third. So many plot lines seemed to drag out and then they were tied up quickly at the end with little thought.
Oh well.
The interplay with Miss Peck seemed a little over the top and the fact that neither character would do more does not seem consistent with the previous parts of the book.
Surely Archie would have predicted a different future and so would Marta. Why wouldn’t Josephine tell her boss. Surely Miss Pecks actions impact him.
Lucy’s love for her friend seems realistic until the final diary. It seems conceivable that she would like to eradicate the structure she connects with pain but fire is reckless and Lucy never displays that even in the worst moments.
The end seemed rushed and not as well thought out as the middle third. So many plot lines seemed to drag out and then they were tied up quickly at the end with little thought.
Oh well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2020
There are some things I liked about this book, and some things I didn't. Things I liked include wonderful descriptions of the locale (Suffolk village), the cottage, the countryside. I am a sucker for all things English and old, and fortunately, since I was listening to this rather than reading it (all that description might've felt a bit draggy had I been reading it while doing nothing else) I was able to just be swept along, enjoying the atmosphere. Liked the country folk in the village, was intrigued with the ghostly aspects manifested themselves in the house, etc.
Upson is a good writer, though she does tend to "run on" a bit.
Generally like stories that combine the past with the present. Though the story in the past was a lot less interesting than some I've read, I thought the ending tied things up satisfyingly.
Things I didn't like: this is my second book about the fictionalized Josephine Tey, and I have mixed feelings about her. For one thing, she spends a lot of time telling us how much she doesn't like spending time with people. In both books, there was a lot of dwelling on how if she was friendly she would find herself imposed upon and forced into social interactions she didn't want. I'm not the most sociable person in the world, but somehow reading about a character who is so reclusive and suspicious of friendliness was not fun. She also dwells a lot on the fact that she is to a certain extent tied down to taking care of her father, even though he still seems pretty healthy and able to take care of himself, and that motif – fear of having to give up her life to take care of someone else – grates. She was close to her mother, but when her mother dies all she can think of is, "Oh, dear, now there's no one else to take care of dad." It's all to a certain degree understandable, and I get it that back in the day women were expected to become caretakers when they didn't want to, but she just dwells on it to a degree that feels stifling. She doesn't somehow feel terribly positive.
Finally, since this is a cozy, and since it does take place in the 30s, I find having characters say "f***ing" jarring. As in, "So and so was f***ing unhappy." Why do you have to use the more vulgar term when you could have used something milder? This is a book my mother-in-law might've enjoyed, but the occasional, (and in my opinion, given books from that era that I've read, not realistic) swear word would pull me out of the mood jarringly.
Although I like stories from the past, I didn't find the diary that she shares in its entirety to be particularly compelling. The author of the diary, Lucy Kyte of the title, is the best friend of a woman who was murdered in the 1800s (apparently a true story) and although she, Lucy, is married, she is obsessed with the murdered woman. I didn't find it realistic, unless she was actually gay and in love with her and that is not overtly said. In fact, her semi-obsessiveness with her dead friend's fateis the cause of much tragedy, and I didn't buy it. Plus, Josephine is apparently really captivated by Lucy Kyte and her diary, but I thought her life seemed rather ordinary and was a bit bored by the diary itself.
So there we are. I feel that there are themes and language in this series that are not true to life given the era, and this fact takes me "out of it" and frankly makes me a bit uncomfortable. Probably will not read another one of these, although the mysteries have been interesting.
Upson is a good writer, though she does tend to "run on" a bit.
Generally like stories that combine the past with the present. Though the story in the past was a lot less interesting than some I've read, I thought the ending tied things up satisfyingly.
Things I didn't like: this is my second book about the fictionalized Josephine Tey, and I have mixed feelings about her. For one thing, she spends a lot of time telling us how much she doesn't like spending time with people. In both books, there was a lot of dwelling on how if she was friendly she would find herself imposed upon and forced into social interactions she didn't want. I'm not the most sociable person in the world, but somehow reading about a character who is so reclusive and suspicious of friendliness was not fun. She also dwells a lot on the fact that she is to a certain extent tied down to taking care of her father, even though he still seems pretty healthy and able to take care of himself, and that motif – fear of having to give up her life to take care of someone else – grates. She was close to her mother, but when her mother dies all she can think of is, "Oh, dear, now there's no one else to take care of dad." It's all to a certain degree understandable, and I get it that back in the day women were expected to become caretakers when they didn't want to, but she just dwells on it to a degree that feels stifling. She doesn't somehow feel terribly positive.
Finally, since this is a cozy, and since it does take place in the 30s, I find having characters say "f***ing" jarring. As in, "So and so was f***ing unhappy." Why do you have to use the more vulgar term when you could have used something milder? This is a book my mother-in-law might've enjoyed, but the occasional, (and in my opinion, given books from that era that I've read, not realistic) swear word would pull me out of the mood jarringly.
Although I like stories from the past, I didn't find the diary that she shares in its entirety to be particularly compelling. The author of the diary, Lucy Kyte of the title, is the best friend of a woman who was murdered in the 1800s (apparently a true story) and although she, Lucy, is married, she is obsessed with the murdered woman. I didn't find it realistic, unless she was actually gay and in love with her and that is not overtly said. In fact, her semi-obsessiveness with her dead friend's fateis the cause of much tragedy, and I didn't buy it. Plus, Josephine is apparently really captivated by Lucy Kyte and her diary, but I thought her life seemed rather ordinary and was a bit bored by the diary itself.
So there we are. I feel that there are themes and language in this series that are not true to life given the era, and this fact takes me "out of it" and frankly makes me a bit uncomfortable. Probably will not read another one of these, although the mysteries have been interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2014
Nicola Upson, Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd, and Susan Elia MacNeal, now you may be asking why I'm just listing a bunch of authors at the beginning of a book review, well good question. For a reasons, I will get to in a second, these authors are all tied up together in my head. First of all, they are all set around the same time, in the same country. Basing mysteries in England, around the two World Wars, will automatically link them together. For me, it's more than that though. They aren't the only author's who are writing about that time period, nor are they the only authors who are doing it with mysteries, but they are a group of writers who are doing it with a certain narrative style and "feel" to their books. I've said it about all their books before, but their is a "gentleness" to the narrative, even when they are talking about horrific murders and people destroying lives all around them. I'm not even sure, nor have I ever been able to, explain what I say, but if you have read their books, I hope you know what I'm talking about. The easiest way I can say it, these books, though they are mysteries, make me feel comfortable.
This is only the second book I've read in the Josephine Tey series by Nicola Upson. The first book was Two for Sorrows, and I read that way back in 2011. Going into it, I was a little hesitant, simply because the main character is a fictionalized version of a mystery writer. A lot of authors butcher that concept, either changing the character so much, that they have nothing in common with their real life counterpart. Or they do the exact opposite, keeping so faithfully to who they were in real life, that they just should have written a biography of them. A good author, which Nicola Upson is, will combine real and fictional, paying homage to the character, allowing them to come back to life for an audience who may not already be familiar with them.
Like Two for Sorrows, the narrative pace is slow and relaxed, which allows the past to mingle with the present. It allows the two time periods to meld together, which creates a smooth flow to the story. There is not harsh jumping back and forth, nor is there any sense of disharmony between the two plot points. For what it's worth, while there is a sense of danger and mystery to what's going on around her, it doesn't over shadow the story of the Red Barn murder, nor that of Lucy Kyte. It's actually made me want to read about the actual Red Barn murder case.
Even though I'm reading this series out of order, which is making the relationship between Josephine and Marta a little confusing to me, I love the fact that the author is not shying away from Tey's sexuality. Until recently there has been this habit of whitewashing or ignoring the sexuality of famous gay or bisexual people. I'm glad that we seem to be correcting that wrong, which allows us to fully understand our past, and our literary history.
This is only the second book I've read in the Josephine Tey series by Nicola Upson. The first book was Two for Sorrows, and I read that way back in 2011. Going into it, I was a little hesitant, simply because the main character is a fictionalized version of a mystery writer. A lot of authors butcher that concept, either changing the character so much, that they have nothing in common with their real life counterpart. Or they do the exact opposite, keeping so faithfully to who they were in real life, that they just should have written a biography of them. A good author, which Nicola Upson is, will combine real and fictional, paying homage to the character, allowing them to come back to life for an audience who may not already be familiar with them.
Like Two for Sorrows, the narrative pace is slow and relaxed, which allows the past to mingle with the present. It allows the two time periods to meld together, which creates a smooth flow to the story. There is not harsh jumping back and forth, nor is there any sense of disharmony between the two plot points. For what it's worth, while there is a sense of danger and mystery to what's going on around her, it doesn't over shadow the story of the Red Barn murder, nor that of Lucy Kyte. It's actually made me want to read about the actual Red Barn murder case.
Even though I'm reading this series out of order, which is making the relationship between Josephine and Marta a little confusing to me, I love the fact that the author is not shying away from Tey's sexuality. Until recently there has been this habit of whitewashing or ignoring the sexuality of famous gay or bisexual people. I'm glad that we seem to be correcting that wrong, which allows us to fully understand our past, and our literary history.
May 22, 2016
I took a long time to read this book. The beginning was so slow that I had actually put it aside, thinking I would just not finish it. I didn't enjoy the portrayal of Josephine Tey, whose novels I had so enjoyed in my teens. A private person in real life, I felt that Tey would be incensed at Upson's commandeering of her, adding details that no one could possibly know the truth about. However, about a week ago, I looked at it on my Kindle again and realized that, having read about 30% of it, I had no idea who "Lucy Kyte" was. I wanted to find out and so dipped back in again. And then read it compulsively every night. The last half of the book is compelling as Josephine discovers the secrets of the cottage bequeathed to her by her late godmother, multiple tragedies that permeated the very walls of the cottage and reach outwards to Inverness. Part Gothic novel, part tragedy, I am glad that I persevered to the end. Upson writes very well, her descriptions of the Suffolk countryside beautiful and true to that era. I still don't like her commandeering Josephine Tey as her heroine but I can't deny that she is a good mystery writer.
May 23, 2018
The book started out slow, but then picked up. I got really interested in it then it took a nose dive again. The story line was very interesting but it got very long winded in the middle. I skimmed over a lot of pages because the story just wasn't holding my interest anymore. The ending did pick up again, but by then I justed wanted to finish the book and move on.
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