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Fiction.
Literature.
Mystery.
A witty and sophisticated mystery featuring bestselling author Josephine Tey's popular Inspector Alan Grant, a beloved character created by a woman considered to be one of the greatest mystery writers of all time. Literary sherry parties were not Alan Grant's cup of tea. But when the Scotland Yard Inspector arrived to pick up actress Marta Hallard for dinner, he was struck by the handsome young American photographer, Leslie Searle. Author Lavinia Fitch was sure her guest "must have been something very wicked in ancient Greece," and the art colony at Salcott St. Mary would have agreed. Yet Grant heard nothing more of Searle until the news of his disappearance. Had Searle drowned by accident or could he have been murdered by one of his young women admirers? Was it a possible case of suicide or had the photographer simply vanished for reasons of his own?… (more)
Set primarily in the English countryside, this novel focuses on the disappearance of Leslie Searle, a well-known fashion photographer of Hollywood celebrities. He enters the lives of Lavinia Fitch (famous author) and Walter Whitmore (well-known broadcaster) on the strength of a dead mutual acquaintance and soon becomes an integral part of their household.
This is the third in the Inspector Grant series of mystery novels. Aside from a brief appearance in the first few pages, Grant does not enter the story fully until chapter eight, one-third of the way through the book.
In the first third, Tey gives us character sketches of all the upper class denizens of the small village of Salcott St. Mary, where the London “arts crowd” keeps a home for use on weekends and in the summertime. She deftly captures the egos and insecurities of those who live to please the paying public.
Leslie Searle quickly makes friends with Liz Garrowby, who is betrothed to Walter. Several people note how Liz “lights up” when she is with Leslie. Though Walter is too self-involved to consider the possibility of a rival suitor, in his subconscious, “a faint ripple stirred the flat water of Walter’s self-satisfaction”. Liz’s mother Emma, however, does notice and perceives the threat to her daughter’s “happiness” if she does not marry into the wealth of Walter’s family.
By the time Leslie disappears, there are plenty of suspects to choose from. There is Toby Tullis, the self-important playwright whose magnificent country home Leslie declined to photograph; Serge Ratoff, the performance artiste who took personal umbrage at the slight to his friend and threw a mugful of beer in Leslie’s face; Silas Weekly, tortured author and recluse, who despised all things beautiful and felt it to be his duty to destroy them.
As in her other books, Tey occasionally makes a side reference to a few of Grant’s previous cases - one’s which were never written about in any of her books. This gives his character more depth, as if to say he exists outside the pages of Tey’s mystery novels. One such case brought him into contact with Marta Hallard, famous stage actress. It is from that case that they developed a cordial friendship and Marta became Grant’s “leper’s squint on the theatre”.
Marta plays a key role in this book, acting as support and a sounding board for Grant, and giving her observation of the denizens of Salcott St. Mary. Tey’s positive cast of Marta in Grant’s eyes seems to reflect Tey’s own beliefs regarding the better qualities of women. Grant sees her as intelligent, resourceful, and companionable and Tey consistently puts strong, stable, intelligent women in the centre of all her novels.
Tey’s books have the recurring theme of outward beauty hiding an evil character. Shortly after Searle’s disappearance, people begin to wonder whether they really knew the man at all. His seemingly innocent actions are now seen in a new and possibly more sinister light. In this book one of the policemen says as much: “…you’ve been in the Force long enough to know that it is just those lovers of little bunnies that commit murder.”
As in her other novels, Tey uses Britishisms here and there that add richness and a sense of place to the novel. Tey also makes a sly joke at her own expense when the well-known author Fitch says: “…how immoral it is to make money out of writing.”
The writing is tight, the plot moves quickly, and the resolution is not only surprising but also very satisfactory. ( )
Not an author I've come across before (it's a pseudonym of Elizabeth Mackintosh - no, havent heard of her either) and it was passed on from a friend. As Tey, Mackintosh wrote six mystery novels including Scotland Yard's Inspector Alan Grant during the 1920s and 1930s, which would place her with Allingham, Christie and Marsh, if only less prolific. This is book number 4 in the series and the first I read.
Since it's already 2/3rds of the way through the series, Grant is relatively well established as a character. He has his favourite right hand (police) man to bounce ideas off - similar to Alleyn's Brer Fox - but Williams is missing for most of the book on another case. Grant therefore comes to rely on the famous actress Marta, who he finds to be insightful and intelligent in her own way and a good foil (and a good cook!).
American photographer Leslie Searle, he of the unusual and stunning good looks, suddenly arrives in Town, quickly becomes part of the lives of an extended family, and just as suddenly disappears, leaving everyone bewildered and at a loss. Grant, who has met Searle once, previously, is confronted with the disappearance of Searle whilst out on a camping research trip in Oxford. His companion, Walter Whitmore, is engaged to Liz, and there seems to be a rapid connection between Liz and Leslie that makes Walter jealous. Leslie's disappearance makes Walter the Prime Suspect, but there's one major problem: there's no body and no real sign that Leslie simply hasn't walked off into the night of his own accord. So has there really been a crime?
The ending is a novel take on a standard disappearance mystery, and I wont go further for spoilers. Most of the secondary characters are reasonably fleshed out for such a short book (sub 300 pages).
If I'm honest, this didnt grab me in the same way that my first Ngaio Marsh book did - another series that I started part way through the series. Allingham's stories about Albert Campion run a quick second after Rodney Alleyn books. Whilst a decent, tight story, there's nothing (on this book alone) to make Tey join the list. I have another book in the series that might (or might not) help.
We listened to it this time. Wonderful narrator. Great tale. Love the unusual solution. Such a wonderful writer. A pity there are not more books by her. ( )
I really like this story. The characters are interesting, nobody is evil, although some are annoying, and I wish them all well. Some of the performing arts characters are gay and accepted as such by everyone else (even in 1951). Let me just add that I'd like to know what happens when the suspects find out, as I suppose they will, the solution to the mystery.When I described the basic mystery to my husband, he immediately guessed the solution: "He wasn't murdered; he turned into a woman."( )
Grant paused with his foot on the lowest step, and listened to the shrieking from the floor above.
Quotations
'Why do you listen to him?'
'Well, there's a dreadful fascination about it, you know. One thinks: Well, that's the absolute sky-limit of awfulness, than which nothing could be worse. And so next week you listen to see if it really can be worse. It's a snare. It's so awful that you can't even switch off. You wait fascinated for the next piece of awfulness, and the next. And you are still there when he signs off.'
Fiction.
Literature.
Mystery.
A witty and sophisticated mystery featuring bestselling author Josephine Tey's popular Inspector Alan Grant, a beloved character created by a woman considered to be one of the greatest mystery writers of all time. Literary sherry parties were not Alan Grant's cup of tea. But when the Scotland Yard Inspector arrived to pick up actress Marta Hallard for dinner, he was struck by the handsome young American photographer, Leslie Searle. Author Lavinia Fitch was sure her guest "must have been something very wicked in ancient Greece," and the art colony at Salcott St. Mary would have agreed. Yet Grant heard nothing more of Searle until the news of his disappearance. Had Searle drowned by accident or could he have been murdered by one of his young women admirers? Was it a possible case of suicide or had the photographer simply vanished for reasons of his own?
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Book description
Literary sherry parties were not Alan Grant's cup of tea. But when the Scotland Yard Inspector arrived to pick up actress Marta Hallard for dinner, he was struck by the handsome young American photographer, Leslie Searle. Author Lavinia Fitch was sure her guest "must have been something very wicked in ancient Greece," and the art colony at Salcott St. Mary would have agreed. Yet Grant heard nothing more of Searle until the news of his disappearance. Had Searle drowned by accident or could he have been murdered by one of his young women admirers? Was it a possible case of suicide or had the photographer simply vanished for reasons of his own?
Inspector Grant and most of the other characters sense from the beginning that there is something "unreal" and even "wrong" about Leslie Searle. To Grant he is "disconcerting," to Lavinia Fitch "uncanny," and to Toby Tullis "a materialized demon." Serge Ratoff, searching for the worst possible insult, calls him a "middle-west Lucifer." These foreshadowing, logical in context, are even more satisfying in rereading. Once the mystery has been resolved, the reader recognizes how brilliantly the clues are laid down and is able to appreciate the complexity of the characterizations.
-----------------------------------
"Something very wicked in ancient Greece."
No one, confided the popular authoress Lavinia Fitch, had ever made her feel so abandoned as Leslie Searle, "I'm sure he must have been something very wicked in ancient Greece." And practically the whole art colony of Salcott St. Mary would have agreed — the "morning-of-the-world" good looks of the young American did affect them peculiarly.
Quiet Liz Garrowby, no artist herself, longed to paint his portrait, Miss Easton-Dixon, author of fairy stories, excitedly pointed out that he was the famous photographer of famous movie stars. Marta Hallard, the sharp-tongued actress who thought herself incombustible, admitted she was drawn to him. But Emma Garrowby, Liz's possessive stepmother, saw him as a menace to her well-laid plans, and loathed him on sight. And Walter Whitmore, Liz's fiancé and broadcaster of radio talks about the bliss of country life ("My dear, I hate the way he yearns," was Marta Hallard's comment), had reasons to hate him. Serge Ratoff, the weedy ballet dancer, emptied his beer mug in young Searle's face. And Toby Tullis, his sacred egotism as a playwright outraged by Searle's indifference, set about frantically to win his favor.
But no one would have dreamed that the handsome youth would disappear on a canoe trip down the Rushmore River with Walter Whitmore — the pewter-colored Rushmore, with its tricky currents, odorous mud, and its well-kept secrets. And that was when Detective-Inspector Grant of the Yard was called on the scene, and finally remembered something odd in the reports on Mr. Searle from America.
-----------------------------------
It is good to meet again Detective-Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard. At the start of the story he is going to collect an actress friend from a literary sherry party; he rubs shoulders with a very good-looking, "lost" young man — Leslie Searle — who wishes to be introduced to Lavinia Fitch, authoress, for whom the party is being given. Grant effects the introduction, is vaguely intrigued by certain qualities in Searle's manner and appearance, and then forgets all about him until the day he, Grant, is sent down to Salcott St. Mary to search for the young man's body.
Was he murdered? Was it suicide? Was he even dead? Was it a practical joke? Had he been abducted? Or had he suffered from amnesia and just wandered away? First Grant thinks one thing, then another, until eventually he gets on the right trail and with characteristic brilliance solves the mystery.
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Wikipedia in English
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This is the third in the Inspector Grant series of mystery novels. Aside from a brief appearance in the first few pages, Grant does not enter the story fully until chapter eight, one-third of the way through the book.
In the first third, Tey gives us character sketches of all the upper class denizens of the small village of Salcott St. Mary, where the London “arts crowd” keeps a home for use on weekends and in the summertime. She deftly captures the egos and insecurities of those who live to please the paying public.
Leslie Searle quickly makes friends with Liz Garrowby, who is betrothed to Walter. Several people note how Liz “lights up” when she is with Leslie. Though Walter is too self-involved to consider the possibility of a rival suitor, in his subconscious, “a faint ripple stirred the flat water of Walter’s self-satisfaction”. Liz’s mother Emma, however, does notice and perceives the threat to her daughter’s “happiness” if she does not marry into the wealth of Walter’s family.
By the time Leslie disappears, there are plenty of suspects to choose from. There is Toby Tullis, the self-important playwright whose magnificent country home Leslie declined to photograph; Serge Ratoff, the performance artiste who took personal umbrage at the slight to his friend and threw a mugful of beer in Leslie’s face; Silas Weekly, tortured author and recluse, who despised all things beautiful and felt it to be his duty to destroy them.
As in her other books, Tey occasionally makes a side reference to a few of Grant’s previous cases - one’s which were never written about in any of her books. This gives his character more depth, as if to say he exists outside the pages of Tey’s mystery novels. One such case brought him into contact with Marta Hallard, famous stage actress. It is from that case that they developed a cordial friendship and Marta became Grant’s “leper’s squint on the theatre”.
Marta plays a key role in this book, acting as support and a sounding board for Grant, and giving her observation of the denizens of Salcott St. Mary. Tey’s positive cast of Marta in Grant’s eyes seems to reflect Tey’s own beliefs regarding the better qualities of women. Grant sees her as intelligent, resourceful, and companionable and Tey consistently puts strong, stable, intelligent women in the centre of all her novels.
Tey’s books have the recurring theme of outward beauty hiding an evil character. Shortly after Searle’s disappearance, people begin to wonder whether they really knew the man at all. His seemingly innocent actions are now seen in a new and possibly more sinister light. In this book one of the policemen says as much: “…you’ve been in the Force long enough to know that it is just those lovers of little bunnies that commit murder.”
As in her other novels, Tey uses Britishisms here and there that add richness and a sense of place to the novel. Tey also makes a sly joke at her own expense when the well-known author Fitch says: “…how immoral it is to make money out of writing.”
The writing is tight, the plot moves quickly, and the resolution is not only surprising but also very satisfactory. (