Sunday, April 2, 2017

THE FRANCHISE AFFAIR - Josephine Tey

























In her introduction to this edition Antonia Fraser states:

..."that Josephine Tey, whose life was outwardly sad in many ways, including her early death from cancer, did find fulfillment in her books.  Certainly they will live so long as classic crime fiction is read." 

On a spring evening Robert Blair , a small town solicitor is contemplating going home for the day when he receives a telephone call from one of two women who life at a local house called The Franchise.

Marion Sharpe wishes to engage his services to represent her and her mother who have been accused of abducting and torturing a 15 year old girl.  As the accusation sound so ludicrous Blair accepts.  It is not until he finds that the victim can describe minutely details within the house that could only be known by someone who has been inside. The problem is his clients deny that she has ever been inside the premises.

This scenario sets off a trail of events until the story reaches in climax in Court.

This is a good story, there is a couple of loose ends not very well explained away, but over all a great mystery and very well written, it kept me guessing until the last few pages.


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