AN EXPERT IN MURDER

An Expert in Murder

'An arm reached out towards her, drawing her into a deadly embrace which seemed to mock the physical affection she had so recently come to know. There was no time to scream. The hand that gripped the back of her neck, holding her close, was swift and sure, and by now no strength was needed. Surprise had given way to a paralysing horror and she had no more control over her limbs than the doll which fell to the floor and lay staring upwards, an indifferent witness to her final moments. She tried to breathe normally, to stay calm, but her face was pressed into her assailant’s chest and panic welled up in her as she realised that this must surely be death. Please God, no, she thought, not now, not when I’m so happy.' An Expert in Murder

An Expert in Murder is the first in a new series which features crime writer Josephine Tey as its lead character.

It’s March, 1934, and Tey is travelling from Scotland to London for the final week of her celebrated play, Richard of Bordeaux – but joy turns to horror when her arrival coincides with murder.

Detective Inspector Archie Penrose is convinced that the killing is connected to the play. Richard of Bordeaux has been the surprise hit of the season, with pacifist themes which strike a chord in a world still haunted by war, but now it seems that Josephine Tey could become the victim of her own success, as her reputation – and even her life - are put at risk.

A second murder confirms Penrose’s suspicions that somewhere amongst this flamboyant theatre set is a ruthless and spiteful killer. As his investigations lead him from the romance of the West End to the stark reality of the trenches, he and Tey must confront their own ghosts in a search for someone who will stop at nothing to right the wrongs of a past generation

Cleverly blending elements of the Golden Age author’s real life with a fictional murder mystery, An Expert in Murder is both a tribute to one of the most enduringly popular writers of crime and a richly atmospheric detective novel in its own right.

Published by Faber and Faber and by Harper Collins.

An Expert in Murder is now available as an unabridged audio book, published by Whole Story Audio Books. The book is beautifully narrated by actress Sandra Duncan, and you can order a copy and find out more at www.wholestoryaudio.co.uk

'The arrival of a new and assured talent is always a pleasure for aficionados of the classical detective story and Nicola Upson has not only given us a highly original and elegantly-written novel, but also the promise that her hero, Detective Inspector Archie Penrose, will continue his career and join the ranks of famous and well-loved police detectives. The novel cleverly combines fiction with real events and recognisable people, particularly the crime writer Josephine Tey, remembered by an older generation as the author of Richard of Bordeaux, and takes us into the vividly-evoked world of the West End theatre in the years following the horror and disruption of the First World War. To be able to evoke a fictional world which is at the same time totally believable is a rare talent and Nicola Upson is to be congratulated on this the first of what promises to be a distinguished series.' P D James

'An ingenious concept, beautifully realised.' Reginald Hill

'Chilling and clever, An Expert in Murder is an exciting series debut by Nicola Upson, which features the beloved crime writer Josephine Tey as its protagonist. A smart blend of fact and fiction, Tey comes alive as a vividly drawn character, back in the business of solving crime in an evocative trip to London in the 1930s. It's a well-crafted, suspenseful homage to the great Tey.' Linda Fairstein

AMERICAN EDITION PUBLISHED BY HARPER