Nine Lessons

It takes pluck for a crime writer to put an illustrious predecessor at the centre of her novels. But in choosing to invent an afterlife for real-life author Josephine Tey, one of the crime-writing golden age greats, Nicola Upson rises to the challenge.

Nine Lessons is not for the faint-hearted. Moments of horror make it hard to keep to the page. But with its underlying theme of good intentions having tragic consequences, the story is strong enough to carry us through to a dramatic finale.

If Josephine Tey were alive, she would be the first to welcome a major talent. Daily Mail