REVIEW: ‘The Daughter of Time’ (1951) by Josephine Tey

This review is the start of a new feature on my blog: reviews of Vintage Mysteries. I’m a huge fan of old mysteries by authors such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Ngaio Marsh, to name but a few.

My first Vintage Mystery review is of The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. Josephine Tey (a.k.a. Elizabeth Mackintosh) is one of the Grand Dames of Mystery. Although her books are woefully underrated, she is the author of some of the most compelling mysteries I’ve ever read. Of the eight mysteries which she wrote under the pseudonym Josephine Tey, The Daughter of Time is my favourite. It is not strictly an historical mystery as the action occurs in the present day (late 1940s), but the murders under investigation happened in the 15^th Century.

Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard is recovering is hospital after a bad accident. He has to spend months in bed after injuring his back. Bored to tears – and uninspired by the numerous novels left by well-meaning friends – he finds unexpected inspiration in a serious of prints. They are prints of portraits on display at the Victoria and Albert museum. Grant has always been fascinated by faces and believes they are the key to a person’s true personality. The one portrait which particularly strikes him is of a young man wearing clothes of the late 15^th Century. Grant is surprised when he turns it over to discover that the portrait is of King Richard III, the alleged murderer of his young nephews, the Princes in the Tower.

His interest piqued – and having nothing else to do – Grant decides to find out more about King Richard and the fate of the princes. He starts by borrowing some old school books from one of his nurses. He shows the portrait to various visitors and asks them to speculate on what kind of man the subject was. Then he asks them what they know of Richard III. The more he learns, the more he is confused. It seems to Grant that the story of Richard the Wicked Uncle was passed down the generations, growing more terrible with each telling. He wants facts, not Chinese whispers.

With the help of a friend, Grant comes into contact with a young American research student named Brent Carradine. Carradine is enthusiastic and without British prejudice. Grant decides he’s perfect for the task. Thus commences an unusual partnership whereby Carradine conducts the research in the outside world and Grant analyses his findings from his hospital bed. The further they dig, a surprising image of Richard III begins to emerge.

This is a brilliantly-realized mystery novel. It’s a fascinating study in hearsay and how history twists facts. The story is highly original in its execution and is not a police procedural in the usual sense. The conclusion to which Grant comes regarding Richard III’s alleged culpability in the murders of his nephews has been used to support the relevant side in pro-contra debates. Although my professor stressed that the book is fiction, The Daughter of Time was required reading for a university course I took on The Wars of the Roses.

For fans of vintage mysteries and history buffs, Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time is a rare treat. Grade: A

Tagged as: A Reviews, Historical Mystery, Josephine Tey, Richard III, The Princes in the Tower, Vintage Mystery