I love this series by Nicola Upson as was delighted to be given the opportunity to read this latest instalment – ‘The Dead of Winter’ – which is the ninth book to feature Josephine Tey as detective. Thanks to Nicola Upson, Faber Books and the power of Twitter for getting this fabulous book into my hands.
In this book, Josephine is invited to spend Christmas in Cornwall at the imposing and distinctive St Michael’s Mount – a tiny island community cut off from the mainland at high tide and presided over by the aristocratic St Aubyn family. Along with Josephine and Marta (her partner), the Cornish Christmas is to be shared with several other guests, including German film star Marlene Dietrich who is being accompanied by Josephine’s old friend and sleuthing partner, Chief Inspector Archie Penrose. This is one party, however, that will not be forgotten as the blizzards set in and two people die in mysterious circumstances…
As with all of Upson’s writing, the sense of place and time is beautifully done. St Michael’s Mount is the perfect setting for this country-house style murder mystery – it is imposing and beautiful on the one hand, but takes on a distinctly sinister dimension when isolated from the mainland, essentially trapping a killer with a host of potential victims.
Similarly, the historical period feels authentic; there is plenty of period detail and attitudes, yet also a creeping sense of dread as the country faces war in Europe. The inclusion of Marlene Dietrich is inspired in this regard as she provides a link to Hitler’s Germany and opportunity for Upson to explore the contemporary feeling around this.
So far, so sinister! However, Upson’s strength also lies in her characterisation and – nine books in – Josephine Tey and Archie Penrose now feel like old friends. The issues around Josephine’s sexuality and relationship with Marta that were the focus of previous books have stabilised, allowing this book to centre more on the mysterious deaths and their investigation.
Secondary characters are also vibrantly brought to life – I loved the glimpse at Hollywood glamour in the character of Dietrich but was heartened by the fact that she is given a strong, sympathetic, incisive personality. The relationships between characters are presented subtly and with real humanity – although there are some obvious villains of the piece, most of the characters are caught up in events beyond their control or immersed in their own personal tragedies and sadnesses.
The plotting of the novel is also skilful – as we get caught up in the different characters’ lives and learn about their backgrounds, the mystery unravels slowly back to the events of Christmas Day 1920 that begin the novel. It never feels forced and there are some genuinely twisty moments in the narrative.
The book is set at Christmas, I read it at Christmas. However, it isn’t a cosy Christmas read! It’s a cleverly-plotted, slightly melancholy tale of people thrown together during a period intended to be festive while the storm clouds (both literal and metaphorical) are circling during the winter of 1938. Perhaps don’t read it expecting Christmas cheer, but do read it – or you’ll miss out on another excellent instalment in the Josephine Tey series.
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