This week as I continue my little essays on the ladies of The Golden Age of Mystery, my subject is Josephine Tey, a pen name used by Scottish author Elizabeth Mackintosh (1896-1952). She also wrote plays under the pen name Gordon Daviot.
She created Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant as her sleuth and wrote five novels featuring him. The Daughter of Time is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, mystery novel of all time. Alan Grant also appears in a sixth novel The Franchise Affair as a minor character. She wrote two other mystery novels that did not feature Grant.
Although her mystery novel output was small compared to other writers of the Golden Age of Mystery, she had great influence on authors such as Mary Stewart and Elizabeth Peters (pen name of Barbara Mertz). She is mentioned in Stephen King's novella Apt Pupil. Nicola Upson wrote a series titled the Josephine Tey Mysteries in which Tey is the main character.
It has been many years since I read her mysteries and, as a result of researching this little piece, I want to go back and reread them. I am also intrigued by the Nicola Upson series.
7 comments:
Pat,
I LOVE Josephine Tey's books. They're so original. In fact, I talk about her novels in my mystery, MURDER THE TEY WAY, which has yet to be published. And I've discussed BRAT FARRAR at the book club I lead in my library. What's so unique about this novel is we know Brat is pretending to be someone he isn't, yet Tey manages to keep us wondering about certain issues until the very end. It's considered a classic, as is THE DAUGHTER OF TIME.
Thank you, Marilyn. I am looking forward to MURDER THE TEY WAY. My favorite author Mary Stewart used Brat Farrar as a model for a character in her novel THE IVY TREE. I wish I had known that when I read the book many years ago.
That's right--I read Mary Stewart had been inspired by BRAT FARRAR when she wrote THE IVY TREE. I've read BRAT FARRAR three times and have enjoyed it each time.
I've never read her books, but I can see that I need to. Your blogs are so interesting, and I keep finding out about authors I haven't read yet. Thank you!
Marilyn, I think I need to reread BRAT FARRAR and maybe THE IVY TREE also. I read The IVY TREE many years before I read BRAT FARRAR.
Marja, I'm glad you find the blogs interesting. As a fan of mysteries, I'm sure you would like them.
I think we mystery writers should read the Golden Age of Mystery authors. Amazing how they've withstood the passing of time.
I agree, Marilyn, that they have withstood the test of time and I wonder if we would have "cozy" mysteries now if they had not paved the way.
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