First thing first I’m a fan of Josephine Tey series and was more than happy to have the pleasure of reading this ARC.
I think this is the best installment in this excellent series, a perfect Golden Age mystery that mixes some of the Golden Age tropes (closed circle of suspects, the atmosphere of a weekend in the country) with a modern touch making them fascinating.
I loved the mix of historical and fictional characters. I found both Marlene and Hilaria well rounded and fleshed. The character development is excellent and I loved the empathy of the author toward the more frail or damaged characters.
The historical background is excellent and well researched, I loved the references to historical facts and the attention to the details.
The island setting could have been a bit claustrophobic but I wished to visit the Mount St Michael and see the places the author describes so well.
Last but not least the mystery part. It’s very complex with some subplots, red herrings, twists and turns. The solution came as a surprise and I wasn’t able to guess the culprit even if I tried.
A gripping and highly entertaining page turner I couldn’t put down and kept me reading till late in the night.
It’s strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Faber&Faber for this ARC, all opinions are mine