DEATH LUCY KYTE (Josephine Tey Mysteries, 5)

In this atmospheric, intriguing historical mystery brimming with psychological tension, an unexpected inheritance plunges beloved British mystery author Josephine Tey into a disturbing puzzle of dark secrets eerily connecting the present and the past.When Josephine Tey unexpectedly inherits Red Barn Cottage from her estranged godmother, the will stipulates that she must personally claim the house in the Suffolk countryside. But Josephine is not the only benefactor—a woman named Lucy Kyte is also in Hester’s will.Sorting through the artifacts of her godmother’s life, Josephine is intrigued by an infamous death committed on the cottage’s grounds a century before. Yet this old crime—dubbed the Red Barn murder—still seems to haunt the tight-knit village and its remote inhabitants. Is it just superstition, or is there a very real threat that is frightening the locals? Could the truth be related to the mysterious Lucy Kyte, who no one in the village admits to knowing?With a palpable sense of evil thickening around her, Josephine must untangle historic tragedy from present danger and prevent a deadly cycle from beginning once more.

From Booklist

An unusual inheritance lands mystery author Josephine Tey in the midst of a mystery not of her own making. The godmother she hardly knew, actress Hester Larkspur, a dear friend of Josephine’s late mother, has died, leaving her Suffolk home, Red Barn Cottage, to Josephine, asking her to decide “what stories are worthy of being told” from the personal papers Hester also leaves to Josephine. A codicil also bequeaths anything else in the house to Lucy Kyte. Then Josephine discovers that the cottage is on the site of the notorious nineteenth-century murder of Maria Marten by her gentleman lover, William Corder, a crime frequently dramatized on stage (with Hester in the role of Maria) and that seems to have poisoned the atmosphere of the cottage itself. With the help of a nineteenth-century diary and her own keen instincts, Josephine pieces together remaining puzzles surrounding both the old crime and Hester’s death. Upson’s fifth Tey mystery is a hauntingly atmospheric story based on fact with personal reverberations for Josephine herself. A worthy addition to this intriguing series starring a real-life mystery writer and set in between-the-wars England. --Michele Leber

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Upson…possesses great skills in creating character-driven novels that evoke a strong sense of place, spins this sad but seductive story with grace and intelligence.”

Publishers Weekly (starred review)A

“Lyrical prose…and subtle plotting make Upson’s fifth novel featuring real-life mystery writer Josephine Tey a worthy successor to Fear in the Sunlight, a PW Best Mystery of 2013…. Upson…amply rewards her readers’ patience with a satisfying resolution that feels true to life rather than pat.”

Kirkus Reviews

“carefully crafted tale of heartbreak and haunting…. The contemplative tone and historical detail yield their own rewards, along with a couple of clever surprises.”

Booklist

“Upson’s fifth Tey mystery is a hauntingly atmospheric story based on fact with personal reverberations for Josephine herself. A worthy addition to this intriguing series starring a real-life mystery writer and set in between-the-wars England.”

National Examiner

“Upson’s fifth book in the Tey series skillfully weaves a plot of intrigue, deceit and obsession.”

From the Back Cover

An unexpected inheritance plunges beloved British mystery author Josephine Tey into a disturbing puzzle of dark secrets connecting the present and the past in this intriguing historical mystery brimming with psychological tension.When Josephine Tey unexpectedly inherits Red Barn Cottage from a godmother she barely knows, the will stipulates that she must personally claim the house in the Suffolk countryside. But Josephine is not the only benefactor—a woman named Lucy Kyte is also in Hester's will. Sorting through the artifacts of her godmother's life, Josephine is intrigued by an infamous murder committed on the cottage's grounds a century before. This old crime—dubbed the Red Barn murder—still haunts the tight-knit village and its remote inhabitants. Is it superstition, or is there a very real threat that is frightening the locals? And is the truth related to the mysterious Lucy Kyte, whom no one in the village admits to knowing? Surrounded by the shadows of obsession, abuse, and deceit, with a palpable sense of evil thickening around her, Josephine must untangle historic tragedy from present danger to prevent a deadly cycle from beginning once again.

About the Author

Nicola Upson is the author of five previous Josephine Tey mysteries, including An Expert in Murder, and two works of nonfiction. She has worked in theater and as a freelance journalist. A recipient of an Escalator Award from the Arts Council England, she splits her time between Cambridge  and  Cornwall.

Reviews

News