In this atmospheric, intriguing historical mystery brimming with psychological tension, an unexpected inheritance plunges beloved British mystery author Josephine Tey into a disturbing puzzle of dark secrets eerily connecting the present and the past. When Josephine Tey unexpectedly inherits Red Barn Cottage from her estranged godmother, the will stipulates that she must personally claim the house in the Suffolk countryside. But Josephine is not the only benefactor—a woman named Lucy Kyte is also in Hester’s will. Sorting through the artifacts of her godmother’s life, Josephine is intrigued by an infamous death committed on the cottage’s grounds a century before. Yet this old crime—dubbed the Red Barn murder—still seems to haunt the tight-knit village and its remote inhabitants. Is it just superstition, or is there a very real threat that is frightening the locals? Could the truth be related to the mysterious Lucy Kyte, who no one in the village admits to knowing? With a palpable sense of evil thickening around her, Josephine must untangle historic tragedy from present danger and prevent a deadly cycle from beginning once more. An unusual inheritance lands mystery author Josephine Tey in the midst of a mystery not of her own making. The godmother she hardly knew, actress Hester Larkspur, a dear friend of Josephine’s late mother, has died, leaving her Suffolk home, Red Barn Cottage, to Josephine, asking her to decide “what stories are worthy of being told” from the personal papers Hester also leaves to Josephine. A codicil also bequeaths anything else in the house to Lucy Kyte. Then Josephine discovers that the cottage is on the site of the notorious nineteenth-century murder of Maria Marten by her gentleman lover, William Corder, a crime frequently dramatized on stage (with Hester in the role of Maria) and that seems to have poisoned the atmosphere of the cottage itself. With the help of a nineteenth-century diary and her own keen instincts, Josephine pieces together remaining puzzles surrounding both the old crime and Hester’s death. Upson’s fifth Tey mystery is a hauntingly atmospheric story based on fact with personal reverberations for Josephine herself. A worthy addition to this intriguing series starring a real-life mystery writer and set in between-the-wars England. --Michele Leber “[A] blithely spirited debut. . . . Upson clearly knows her way around pre-World War II London and the grimy backstages of Covent Garden, and delivers an ending shot through with palpable surprise and emotion.” - Los Angeles Times on An Expert in Murder “One of the most original mysteries I’ve read in ages. Upson’s novel has beautifully rendered the modernist atmosphere of Britain between the wars. Her characters are developed richly, each one drawn from a real person who populated the London theater of the 1930s, and her plot is a lovely layered puzzle.” - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel “A highly entertaining blend of fact and fiction. . . . This debut mystery is written in a straightforward and assured style, similar to Tey’s own.” - Mystery Scene Magazine “A well-crafted, suspenseful homage to the great Tey.” - Linda Fairstein “Upson…possesses great skills in creating character-driven novels that evoke a strong sense of place, spins this sad but seductive story with grace and intelligence.” - Richmond Times-Dispatch “Upson’s fifth book in the Tey series skillfully weaves a plot of intrigue, deceit and obsession.” - National Examiner “This excellent entry in this highly recommended series provides all the classic detective components with a contemporary kick. The case is intricate and surprisingly intimate, weaving in and out of two historical periods and featuring that Upstairs Downstairs class element.” - Library Journal on Two for Sorrow “Excellent. . . . Upson upsets readers’ expectations with a surprise that keeps the suspense high to the satisfying conclusion. Puzzle fans as well as admirers of psychologically rich crime authors such as Ruth Rendell will find a lot to savor.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Two for Sorrow A “carefully crafted tale of heartbreak and haunting…. The contemplative tone and historical detail yield their own rewards, along with a couple of clever surprises.” - Kirkus Reviews “Lyrical prose…and subtle plotting make Upson’s fifth novel featuring real-life mystery writer Josephine Tey a worthy successor to Fear in the Sunlight , a PW Best Mystery of 2013…. Upson…amply rewards her readers’ patience with a satisfying resolution that feels true to life rather than pat.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Upson’s fifth Tey mystery is a hauntingly atmospheric story based on fact with personal reverberations for Josephine herself. A worthy addition to this intriguing series starring a real-life mystery writer and set in between-the-wars England.” - Booklist “Upson, who possesses great skills in creating character-driven novels that evoke a strong sense of place, spin