Skip to main content

Franchise Affair completed, Josephine Tey

I didn't like this nearly as much as I liked Brat Farrar.  The ending was predicted by the attorney (Robert Blair) early on. Our sweet girl wasn't sweet, just as was anticipated.  Boyfriend, trip to Copenhagen, slapped around by angry wife. Marriage of Robert and Marion at end felt smug to me.

The writing and observations of Tey throughout are quite good.  Examples:  "There never was a criminal who didn't consider himself ill-done-by."

"crime begins in egotism; inordinate vanity"

"Robert was surprised all over again at the murderous rage that fills the pacifist when their indignation is roused."

Tey is basically distrustful of the common man and democracy.  Marion, Robert--most of the upper crust--are endowed with better sense and discretion than the rabble. Some of the rabble--the men at the shop who help out, for example--are sensible, but the propensity to act (violently) before thinking is clearly Tey's sense of the average worker.

I'll take a break from Tey for a time.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin . . . finished

 Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world.  Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way.  Plot is involved but sensible.  Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment.  The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview.  He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good.   Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child. 

Happy Valley Season 4

 Weakest.  Tommy is in prison.  His son, Ryan, is now 17.  Catherine the cop's sister, Clare, takes Ryan to visit Tommy in prison, without telling Catherine.  Not good.  Sisters have a break when Catherine finds out.   Plot two:  PE teacher, abusive to wife.  She is getting drugs from local Indian/Pakistani pharmacist. Husband finds out and has wife arrested!  Pharmacist worried . . . plots to kill husband.  Wife agrees, then changes her mind.  Pharmacist in a rage kills her. (All a bit of a stretch, as he is a mild mannered family man.) Tommy escapes from his court hearing, hides out, gets in touch with Ryan.  Plan is to go to Marabella, Spain together.  Tommy's "helpers" get worried about Tommy and decide to do him in.  Instead, he kills them . . . and is knifed himself.  He returns to Catherine's house, looks through a photo album showing Catherine took good care of Ryan, and decides not to kill her....