Harking back to the detective crime novels of yesteryear this second book in the series follows Josephine Tey (a fictionalised version of the author) stumbling across murder and intrigue as she holidays in Cornwall. Lovely descriptions of the Cornish landscape and plenty of sleuthing from Tey and Inspector Archie Penrose makes for an imaginative and lively crime novel.
Inspector Archie Penrose invites Josephine Tey down to his family home in Cornwall so she can recover from the traumatic events depicted in An Expert in Murder. Josephine welcomes the opportunity, especially since Archie's home is near the famous Minack open-air theatre perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea. However, Josephine's hopes of experiencing a period of rest are dashed when her arrival coincides with the funeral of a young man from the village who had drowned when his horse inexplicitly leapt into the nearby lake.
When another young man disappears and the village's curate falls from the cliffs of the Minack Theatre onto the rocks below, Josphine and Archie begin to suspect the involvement a cold-blooded murderer.
As Josephine and Archie try to unravel the mystery, they begin to see death as an angel with two faces - one gazing at the violence in the present, the other looking back to the crimes hidden in the past.
‘[Gives] new life to a classic murder setting ... Upson is chillingly effective at showing how good intentions may lead to evil consequences ... a fine addition to a promising series.’ Andrew Taylor, Spectator
‘Any crime aficionado whose beach reading usually consists of a bagful of crinkly old paperbacks should make room for Nicola Upson's novels.’ Daily Telegraph
‘Carefully plotted, full of historical information, local colour and meticulous psychological analysis.’ Literary Review
‘Packed with lust, illicit passion and incest.’ The Sunday Times
Author
About Nicola Upson
Nicola Upson was born in 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 the Arts Council England.
She lives with her partner in Cambridge, and spends much of her time in Cornwall, where the next novel in the series is set.
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