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