Plot Summary:  Sixteen year old Jude longs to escape from her small town life; her place on the fringe, the ghost of her dead mother.  She dreams about theater and prestigious drama school, but lacks courage to try out–if she fails, what else is there?  Enter Stella, flashy childhood friend all grown up.  She pushes Jude to do wild and daring and dangerous things, but with Stella, there is no room for compromise and Jude learns, no room for anyone else.  When Stella threatens to take over Jude’s life, Jude realizes drastic measures are called for.

Critical Analysis:  I would have loved this book as a teen–it is a perfect snapshot of the life of a teen in a different part of the world, in a different kind of life then the one I knew.  And yet, I would have identified with Jude, with her pain and worry and wondering if her life were destined to turn out a certain predetermined way.  And I think therein lies the strength of this novel–Jude is so human, so real, and the reader will root for her the whole way, cringe when she does stupid things because she wants so badly to be Stella’s friend, smile when she realizes best friend Ed has stronger feelings for her, and gasp when the foreshadowed twist is finally revealed.  (Veteran mystery and thriller reader that I am, I was so wrapped up in the story I didn’t really see the twist coming.  I’m sure many teen girls will be surprised as well.)

Review Excerpts:  ”Teens harboring a secret wish to be anyone other than who they are will identify with Jude’s struggle to shrug off her status as a misfit. A promising U.S. debut for teens—here’s hoping for more from this British writer.”–Kirkus Reviews

“[T]he lure of danger will hook readers, and the story’s shocking revelations will make them go back to realize what they missed.”–Booklist

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Plot Summary:  Playwright and mystery writer Josephine Tey is traveling to London to see the last week of her hit play on stage.  On the train she meets a fan, who is found brutally murdered soon after arriving at the station.  Tey’s friend from Scotland Yard, Inspector Archie Penrose is investigating and finds out the victim was adopted.  When a second murder occurs, a link is found to the trench warfare of World War I, and Tey herself may be in danger.

Critical Analysis:  It is always interesting to me when someone builds a mystery series around a real historical figure.  It means the author has to be careful not only in how he or she portrays that character, but also in how events are laid out and unfold.  In the case of Tey, a pseudonym of Scottish author and playwright Elizabeth Mackintosh, the events are not that long ago, and while perhaps not as well known as some, her book, The Daughter of Time is still widely available.  Because of this, Upson has more latitude than if she had chosen a more public figure to helm her series.

The fictional Tey is very engaging, amicable and caring, whether of a fan she just met, old friends, a family in mourning.  The historical and physical setting is also very well done, Upson makes the reader feel as though they were there, at the train station, in the wings of the theater, at the run down flat.  Inspector Archie Penrose is a nice foil to Tey, in that he is rather serious and measured reminding her at every turn to be carful, not to take chances.  (But what kind of mystery would that be?)  Some seasoned mystery readers might see the resolution coming far in advance, but the story is so charming and full of life that I don’ t think most people will care.

Readalikes:  Upson and Tey join a growing group of mystery series set after World War I with detectives still dealing with the ravages of war : The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear,  Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd, and the Daisy Darymple series by Carola Dunn.  For a view of the war itself, try Anne Perry’s World War I mystery series.

Review Excerpts:  “While the heroine falls conventionally into the killer’s clutches before a solution many will anticipate, the engaging prose will leave even readers unfamiliar with Tey’s fiction eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Upson’s debut is a most promising valentine.” –Kirkus Reviews