Angel with Two Faces - (Josephine Tey Mysteries) by Nicola Upson (Paperback)

About the Book

As befits a tribute to the golden age of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers et. al., there are plot twists, plot turns and red herrings aplenty. Time Out LondonReal-life British mystery writer Josephine Tey returns as a fictional sleuth in Angel with Two Faces the second atmospheric mystery in Nicola Upson s wonderfully inventive series. In this riveting sequel to Expert in Murder, Tey, in league with intrepid policeman Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, is called upon to help unravel a dark and perplexing crime at a Cornwall country house and backstage at a local theater. Fans of P.D. James and of British noir in general will adore Angel with Two Faces a traditional mystery with a twist and this writer whom Ms. James herself calls, A new and assured talent. "

Book Synopsis

"As befits a tribute to the golden age of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers et. al., there are plot twists, plot turns and red herrings aplenty."
--Time Out London

Real-life British mystery writer Josephine Tey returns as a fictional sleuth in Angel with Two Faces--the second atmospheric mystery in Nicola Upson's wonderfully inventive series. In this riveting sequel to Expert in Murder, Tey, in league with intrepid policeman Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, is called upon to help unravel a dark and perplexing crime at a Cornwall country house and backstage at a local theater. Fans of P.D. James and of British noir in general will adore Angel with Two Faces--a traditional mystery with a twist--and this writer whom Ms. James herself calls, "A new and assured talent."

From the Back Cover

Exhausted and disillusioned with the world of theater in May 1935, Josephine Tey has traveled to Cornwall to spend the summer with her friends the Motleys at their run-down but beautiful country estate. Ready to begin work on her second mystery novel, Tey finds much to inspire her in the landscape and its legends. Meanwhile, the Motleys have become involved in an amateur production at the nearby Minack Theater.

Detective Inspector Archie Penrose has returned to his roots in Cornwall to attend the funeral of a family friend, a young estate worker who died in a tragic riding accident. Penrose has a few questions about the circumstances surrounding the fatal occurrence. And when the Minack Theater proves to be the stage for a real-life tragedy, Penrose and Tey together must investigate an audacious murder and confront an evil suggesting that there are darker things than death.

Review Quotes

"Some books just grab readers and never let go. Using classic mystery author Josephine Tey as her detective protagonist, debut novelist Upson has written an original mystery as finely plotted as any of Tey's works. . . . We can only hope that the next adventure of Miss Tey will be out soon. Fans of Tey, Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and other writers of mystery's "Golden Age" (1919-39) will put this on their reserve lists. Highly recommended." - Library Journal
"[A] skillful blend of fact and fiction. . . . With flair and compassion, Upson lays out this clever whodunit against the vividly evoked London theater world during 'the long weekend'--the period between world wars. She plays fair with clues, uses the form of the Golden Age detective novel while infusing it with contemporary sensibilities and crafts memorable characters. An obvious work of love, AN EXPERT IN MURDER is also a distinguished debut with great promise. Tey fans will devour it in one long night. And who could blame them, for in Upson's deft hands, the Golden Age is recalled to life with authenticity and civility." - Richmond Times-Dispatch
"[A] wonderful debut mystery that imagines Josephine Tey as the protagonist in one of the most original mysteries I've read in ages. Upson's novel has beautifully rendered the modernist atmosphere of Britain between the wars. Her characters are developed richly, each one drawn from a real person who populated the London theater of the 1930s, and her plot is a lovely layered puzzle." - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel