An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson

An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson is as near perfect a murder mystery as it is possible to get. Set in the 1930s it features the wonderful Josephine Tey as a main character. The setting is fascinating located as it is in London's theatreland. It is obviously well researched and, from a theatrical point of view, clearly a labour of love.

Under a pen name Gordon Daviot, Josephine Tey has had a runaway West End hit Richard of Bordeaux but it has not brought her much happiness. She hates the London meetings and the pressure of business. She also hates having been sued for plagiarism by a fellow writer. In her despondent state she has a long train journey from her Scottish home to King's Cross enlivened by the company of a young fan on her way to see Richard of Bordeaux again before its run finishes. It is an unlooked for encounter and one that surprises Josephine in that she takes to the girl, Elspeth, and finds her engaging where normally she might have been irritated by such enthusiasm. Shortly after they part Elspeth is murdered and Tey is more shocked than she can believe. This excellently written opening is then slightly undercut by by rather long winded, but I suppose necessary in crime fiction, scene setting and character introducing, but it is not long before the narrative proper picks up again and we're off.

Tey is not the detective. Her close friend Archie Penrose of Scotland Yard takes that role. He is remarkably like Alan Grant, Tey's own fictional detective, because, of course, Tey bases Grant on Penrose.  Tey is involved throughout but is no Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher sleuthing away on her own account. Instead she provides a sounding board for Penrose as he unravels the mystery that entwines itself ever tighter round Richard of Bordeaux and its cast.

An Expert in Murder is a sharp, well paced mystery, a textured work of historical fiction, and is far removed from the pastiche into which it might have fallen. It recreates London's interwar West End and the odd flash back to WWI in equally fine and layered fashion. There is no romanticisation of war nor death nor the worst of human relationships. This is not a lace curtain and tea table mystery but something far deeper and gutsier. This theatreland is highly bohemian and heavy with sexual feelings, as well as murderous ones. Characterisation of stage stars, thwarted writers, designers, producers, lovers and families is handled cleanly and without over-adornment or fuss. Tey the inside 'outsider' makes a good focal point giving the narrative both polish and depth. The outcome is surprising and believable and the work as a whole manages to pull off being both charming and gritty. If you love the works of Josephine Tey, the 1930s, theatre, or the theatrical mysteries of Ngaio Marsh, of which you will inevitably be reminded, then you will love this. Do read it. Delightfully, it is the first of a series, and I can't wait for the next.

Edited to add some links to other reviews:

The Overdecorated Bookcase here.

A Work in Progress here.

Harriet Devine's Blog here. Harriet's mother is one of the characters in the book.

Comments

[Kristen M.]

I've been dying to read this one ... maybe this summer my TBR pile will have decreased a bit and I can add to it!

[Danielle]

I'm thisclose to reading this. I had planned on starting it but it was bumped in favor of PD James. If I didn't already have too many books started I would pick it up now. But after reading your post --especially the last paragraph it's at least waiting next in line!

[Sarah Wiss]

I'm a bit wary of books which use real authors as their detectives, so was unsure about this. I love Tey and Marsh, so you've convinced me to try it.

[Simon S]

Would you recommend reading any Tey before you read this as I have been sent a copy and dont know whether to go in knowing nothing of Tey's works or if I should have sampled a bit? Sounds like its a great book!

[Blithe Spirit]

I've had this sitting on my TBR pile for a while now - moving it up after reading your post. It sounds right up my alley.

[Kit Courteney]

Ooh, I like the sound of that.

My wish list is getting stupid-long.

[Juxtabook]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Simon - no you don't ned to have read any Tey novels. The book works mainly around her play rather than her novels, and the play is expalined where necessary as you go along.

[jane]

I loved this when it was on Radio 4, so thanks for reminding me about it. Another to be added to the tottering tbr pile.

[GeraniumCat]

This does sound good - I'm another with a tottering TBR pile, but on it shall go.

[Cornflower]

I enjoyed the book and loved all the theatrical side of it, but I'd agree with you about the excess of scene-setting after the very good beginning, and some idioms struck me as too modern for the period; also, the back-story was a bit convoluted and less than fully plausible. I'd be keen to see how the character of Josephine Tey is developed in the next book(s).

[Juxtabook]

You might be right about the idiom - that's the kind of thing that I don't pick up on a first read, expecially in lighter fiction where I am wizzing along. I think the Tey connection means it has the potential to disappoint, just for not being Tey, and it is of course not Tey at all. Like you I will be interested to see where the series goes.