Two for Sorrow, Nicola Upson
Two for Sorrow, Nicola Upson
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

Two for Sorrow
A New Mystery Featuring Josephine Tey

Author: Nicola Upson

Narrator: Davina Porter

Unabridged: 26 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/01/2011


Synopsis

London, 1903. Two women are hanged in Holloway Prison for killing babies. More than thirty years later, their crimes resurface with shocking consequences. When Josephine Tey sets out to write a novel about Amelia Sach and Annie Walters, the notorious Finchley baby farmers sentenced to death for a string of newborn murders, she has no idea that the research for her book will be used in the investigation of a modern-day killing—the sadistic murder of a young seamstress, found dead in the studio of Tey's friends, the Motley sisters, amid preparations for a star-studded charity gala. While initially the death of the young girl, an ex-con trying to go straight, seems to be the result of a long-standing domestic feud, Josephine's friend, Inspector Archie Penrose, is not convinced. And when a second young woman is involved in a horrific accident soon afterwards, the search begins for a vicious killer who will stop at nothing to keep the past where it belongs. Moving between the decadence and glamour of a private women's club, the bleak surroundings of Holloway prison, and the deprivation of London's slums, Two for Sorrow is a dark and unsettling exploration of the way in which the crimes of the past destroy those left behind—long after justice is served.

About Nicola Upson

Nicola Upson won an Escalator/Arts Council England Award in 2006 for her debut novel, An Expert in Murder, the first in a series of crime novels to feature Josephine Tey—one of the leading authors of Britain’s age of crime writing. Her research for the books included many conversations with people who lived through the period and who knew Josephine Tey well, most notably Sir John Gielgud. The book was dramatized by BBC Scotland. She has also written a number of nonfiction books, including Mythologies: the Sculpture of Helaine Blumenfeld and In Good Company: A Snapshot of Theatre and the Arts.

About Davina Porter

Davina Porter has been enthralling listeners for over twenty-five years with her ability to mine the psychological depths of the characters she reads and bring them convincingly to life. In 2006, she won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Female Narration and in 2004 for Best Inspirational Literature Narration. She has been honored as an AudioFile Golden Voice and has won nineteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actress, she has appeared on stage at the Vineyard Playhouse and the Square One Theater, among others.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mary Ronan on November 10, 2012

Here I am again grousing about a book I thought I was going to be giving five stars. This third mystery in which the amateur detective is Josephine Tey has a clever and complicated plot. But the book, which is nearly 500 pages long, should have been closer to 300. The author couldn't resist throwing......more

Goodreads review by Gintautas on January 25, 2024

Josephine Tey atvyksta į Londoną, rinkdama medžiagą savo naujai knygai apie 1903 metais nuteistas dvi kūdikių žudikes - Amelia Sachs ir Annie Walters. Rašytoją šįsyk labiau domina ne pats nusikaltimas, o tai, kaip su jo pasekmėmis tenka toliau gyventi tiems, kas vienaip ar kitaip su ta istorija susi......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on June 10, 2023

I think this book is where the series starts to pick up, my 4th Upson book (3rd in order) and this one compared to An Expert in Murder and Angel with Two Faces had me gripped. Filled with history, murder, and romantic intrigue it had it all. The characters appeared more developed and I enjoyed the bl......more

Goodreads review by Ryan on August 31, 2011

I'm always a little hesitant when an author takes a real life person and puts them into a work of fiction, especially a mystery. I'm even more suspicious when that real life person is herself a mystery author. I have never read anything that Josephine Tey has written, but a lot of my friends (who's......more


Quotes

“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)

“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.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Curiously touching and psychologically compelling.” Sunday Times (London)

“Upson’s style is compelling, meticulously researched, and immaculately written. She creates a world you enter through her pages and are reluctant to leave at the end.” Hunts Post (London)

“Any crime aficionado…should make room for Nicola Upson’s novels in which the real-life author Josephine Tey, one of the grandest dames of the Golden Age of detective fiction, investigates murders in the thirties.” Daily Telegraph (London)


Awards

  • Barry Award