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Franchise Affair

Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

37 posts | 35 read | 1 reading | 27 to read

Robert Blair was about to knock off from a slow day at his law firm when the phone rang. It was Marion Sharpe on the line, a local woman of quiet disposition who lived with her mother at their decrepit country house, The Franchise. It appeared that she was in some serious trouble: Miss Sharpe and her mother were accused of brutally kidnapping a demure young woman named Betty Kane. Miss Kane's claims seemed highly unlikely, even to Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard, until she described her prison -- the attic room with its cracked window, the kitchen, and the old trunks -- which sounded remarkably like The Franchise. Yet Marion Sharpe claimed the Kane girl had never been there, let alone been held captive for an entire month! Not believing Betty Kane's story, Solicitor Blair takes up the case and, in a dazzling feat of amateur detective work, solves the unbelievable mystery that stumped even Inspector Grant.

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review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

This is an Alan Grant mystery with almost no Alan Grant. A 16 year old girl accuses two women, who live out in the country, of kidnapping her, beating her, and trying to force her to work for them. Solicitor Robert Blair gets pulled into the case. The sexism and classicism are all over this book, even though Marion is surprisingly modern and independent — I really liked her. The turtles were out everywhere today. #audiowalk

review

lauraisntwilder

Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I'm a day late finishing this for the #GoldenAgeCrimeClub, but I enjoyed it! Like most (if not all) of the crime fiction I've read from the 1940s, there were some cultural aspects that had to be overlooked. Still, the story was engaging and it was nice to read a mystery with no murder.

review

Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

This mystery sans murder is such an odd and fascinating story (inspired by a real life case from the 18th century). Definitely a pick for me! I was gripped and really enjoyed my time with this crime classic. I previously read and loved Daughter of Time so I see more Tey in my future. I own Miss Pym Disposes so will probably try that next.

#GoldenAgeCrimeClub

tagged users icon

batsy I loved Miss Pym Disposes! Read it years ago though so am also keen to revisit that. 2y

jlhammar @batsy Yay, that is great to hear! Looking forward to it. 2y

quirkyreader This one might have been made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock. 2y

71 likes3 stack adds3 comments

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I genuinely enjoyed this book so much! I‘m surprised my Grandma did not read or recommend her when I was younger - this is an author we would both enjoy so much. The characters were great- the mystery was a reminder of how tricky people have always been. I want to read more by this author and called my son at college to tell him he needs to read it when he gets home. #goldenageofcrime

tagged users icon

jlhammar Great cover! 2y

85 likes2 stack adds1 comment

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Discussion 6
As always - over to you! Anything I‘ve missed, hasn‘t been said, particularly struck you about the book?

#goldenagecrimeclub

Cuilin Anybody else shocked at the use of the slur “slut”? We would call Tey‘s treatment of Betty “slut shaming” today. 2y

Cuilin Interesting article https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2009/may/30/sarah-waters-books 2y

AmyG @Cuilin I thought that, for that time period, this must have been shocking. Not surprised she was slut shamed….people being so high and mighty. Everyone assumed at first that she seemed so sweet…this must have happened to her….the kidnapping. 2y

See All 9 Comments

Larkken @Cuilin really interesting, thanks! I always forget the lessons of Downton Abbey of the social upheaval after the war and how much the gentry tried and failed to put the working class back in their place. 2y

Chrissyreadit @i think slut shaming still occurs- to me these abortion bans are punishment for women getting pregnant and “choosing” abortion over “keeping their legs closed”( I‘ve had that said to me). 2y

batsy I thought Robert being into his client probably not the best frame of mind to approach things. And how it went from that straight to a marriage proposal, lol. 2y

Ruthiella I liked the personal story here. How Robert gets out of his comfortable rut. How Neville grows up. I also like the open end of it. The reader can decide what happens…marriage or not. I think Marion is right. She‘s not marriage material. But maybe Robert will meet someone else in Canada? 🤔 2y

jlhammar Really glad I read this one! I think Tey is very much my cup of tea in terms of mystery writing (based on this and Daughter of Time). Thanks for hosting! Look forward to trying Bowers next month. 2y

Mitch @jlhammar 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y

44 likes9 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Discussion 5
This book is an early example of a psychological drama popular in books now. The villain, although we hardly meet them is terrifying in terms of the impact of the crime and the amount of people it effects. How well do you think Tey builds the image of this person and their impact?
#goldenagecrimeclub

catiewithac I didn‘t really understand her motivation. If she‘s such an evil genius she should have had a better long-term plan. 2y

Cuilin It was probably very convincing in 1949/50. I certainly had issues with an underage girl being taken to Denmark by an older married man and the subsequent beating by his wife!!! The pts and fear of this discovery leading to the fantastical tale. (edited) 2y

AmyG Yes, it was probably ery convincing in 1949/50…agree with @Cuilin. I found Betty fascinating. That girl was manipulative and just…”off”. I wonder if she was smart enough to pull this off or probably just arrogant and self-centered. I was amazed at the part the guy‘s wife played and how easily she took him back. 2y

See All 13 Comments

Larkken I was fascinated by Betty and wanted much more. The end where it was revealed that she spent days and days eating bonbons in bed was so weird. @Cuilin I agree the whole resolution on where she was ended on a weird note 2y

Larkken I did like how the victims were so relatable and witty it really played on my fears as the reader of being wrongfully accused and its consequences. 2y

Chrissyreadit I think it was a great example of how Bettys behavior exploded into so much more. It‘s also a great example of human behavior in general- there are many people who remain in marriages for clout and financial stability. And there are still groomers and trafficking that occurs every day in front of us. 2y

quietjenn Betty is such a noir character, for a book that isn't at all noir. I really appreciated those moments when Robert noted her façade dropping, and just the general undercurrent of uncertainty and unease throughout. Plus, rather astute commentary on the media and the roll they play in crime coverage. 2y

batsy Same @Larkken ! Like @catiewithac I didn't get Betty's motivation. I found her interesting but in Tey's rendering she just seemed like a cross between an evil genius or a petulant girl who wanted to be "above her station". @quietjenn Great point about Betty being a noir character. 2y

Larkken @quietjenn what a fun reframe! @Cuilin posted a link to a story where Sarah James talks about wanting to write a story from Betty‘s pov - a noir would be fun 2y

Mitch @AmyG yes!!!! Why would you do that! 2y

quietjenn @Larkken I just read that! Totally fascinating. 2y

Ruthiella I think Tey did a good job in manipulating the readers and keeping them in the dark as to what really happened till the end. She also showed how the media and mob mentality work in influencing opinions. Unfortunately, we still see it today. 2y

jlhammar I think Betty was a really interesting villain. I agree that a story from her POV has such great potential. Was she just selfish and naive, taking advantage of a “solution“ that presented itself with no regard for others? Desperately seeking attention? A manipulative mastermind? 2y

37 likes13 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Discussion 4
This book was based on the real case of Elizabeth Canning who was a media sensation of her time! So much of her case and the report g of it focused on class boundaries and overstepping those. Tey doesn‘t really challenge this does she??
#goldenagecrimeclub

catiewithac Tey wholeheartedly endorsed the “bad blood” attitude. She leaned hard on traditional class distinctions. 2y

Cuilin It‘s blatantly classist. From an upper middle class post war Britain Betty Kane represents everything they fear. The inherent evil (blue eyed) coming from her bad mother and her promiscuity. The agenda was clear. Marion, Robert,and Nevil all mentioned wanting to hurt or beat Betty, this was a totally acceptable attitude. 2y

AmyG I agree, she did write about class distinctions. I didn‘t know this was an actual case. 2y

See All 11 Comments

Larkken The casual classism and the idea that Betty was getting a jump on the bad behavior shown by her mother despite her good upbringing totally threw me off. Lots of little opinions about who was worth saving and etc that was obnoxious. 2y

Chrissyreadit Normally classism would really bother me, and this time I just recognized it as what it was. 2y

quietjenn The snobbery and classism is definitely the aspect of things that gives me the most pause, although I do think it's something I've come to expect, so I'm able to sort of box up or compartmentalize when I'm reading a book like this. 2y

batsy Nope, Tey doesn't go against it all. In fact the book pretty much reinforces the bad blood thing among the working class and the suggestion that they'll be prone to crimes of this nature because of envy towards the upper classes, so to speak. Especially the whole single working class woman aspect. So that wasn't great. However it does provide a revealing glimpse into a certain milieu. 2y

Ruthiella Not only does Tey not challenge this, she reinforces it at every opportunity. That bothered me when I first read the book and bothered me on the second go-round even more because I was even more sensitive to it. The idea that Betty deserves her fate, that criminals are born, that this is a lower class trait, that the “right kind” of lower class doesn‘t want to move up and is happy to serve their “betters”…put my teeth on edge. 😡 2y

jlhammar I thought the large role the media played was one of the most interesting things about this mystery. Yes, the whole daughter of a “fallen/wanton“ working-class woman must be a bad seed thing was troubling, but not surprising. 2y

lauraisntwilder It's not just that the middle class are looked down on, but the conversations about the Bishop were enlightening, too. The "upper crust" didn't just think they were superior, they looked down on others in their class who didn't agree. 2y

kwmg40 The classism was one of the things I disliked about the book, but I did enjoy the story nonetheless. 2y

36 likes11 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Discussion 3
There seemed to be lots of fear amongst the community of unmarried women of a certain age- people who don‘t quite fit. I found these women my favourite characters! Who appealed to you ?
#goldenagecrimeclub

catiewithac I loved the garage guys and the nephew. 2y

Cuilin It seemed a fear of female independence. Even the ending with Robert not accepting Marion‘s marriage refusal and showing up on the boat to Canada demonstrated this. He could be arrested for stalking today. 2y

AmyG Iliked the different characters….they were allvery different people. And I loved the women…their i dependence and wit. Ah, it was and still is a man‘s world, sadly. I don‘t blame Marion for not marrying him. Forget the women, my concern is the man who lives with his aunt in his, what, 40‘s? 2y

See All 15 Comments

Larkken I liked the mother very much. I found most of the characters to be obnoxious in that it took very little reassurance that these ladies were down on their luck aristos and to be pitied for their lack of money before going over to their side. 2y

Chrissyreadit I loved the garage men, Marion and Mom and Robert. I think I liked that Robert had recognized Marion as a woman of superior quality and appreciated her independence and intelligence. I like that Marion did not need any one‘s approval or admiration to be happy with who she is. I did like the idea that there was a possibility for them to remain in some kind of relationship in the future. 2y

quietjenn Oh, the sinister spinsters! I love them in just about every form of pop culture! Including here, but I thought Tey did a great job with characterizations. For all their foibles, I quite liked all the characters, except the ones I was supposed to dislike, namely Betty and the vengeful, petty townspeople. But yes - special shout out to the garage guys! 2y

batsy I didn't like any of the characters much, but that has never gotten in the way of enjoying the story, especially a mystery. They all had their blind spots and weird bigotries that was interesting to read about, but not something that made me like any of them. I found the mother, Mrs Sharpe, most compelling/admirable, in a way. 2y

Mitch @Cuilin absolutely! 2y

Mitch @AmyG 🤣🤣🤣 2y

Mitch @quietjenn I think ‘ sinister spinsters‘ is a category I would read book after book from! 😅 2y

Mitch @batsy I agree - I think she has a fascinating life history to tell! It would make a great subject for some fan fiction! (edited) 2y

Ruthiella I think the book shows how difficult it can be to integrate into a closed community like a village. But I also think the ladies (Marion and her mother) didn‘t try much. They didn‘t try to make friends until they discovered they needed them and had none. I think there‘s room on both sides for improvement. (edited) 2y

jlhammar I did enjoy the Sharpes. I also appreciated Marion's reaction to Robert's proposal. I liked how the court of public opinion played such a large role. First, in how the locals saw Marion and her mother--living alone in that big old house, a couple of witches (making them ideal for Betty's big ruse). And then later with the larger public as the case makes headlines. And Betty was chilling. That someone would do something like that...yikes! 2y

kwmg40 I thought all the characters were well drawn and interesting in their own ways. 2y

lauraisntwilder Like others have said, I liked the garage guys! I liked Mrs. Sharpe, too, for being so intimidating for no real reason -- she's not actually mean, I didn't think, just not what she's expected to be. 2y

35 likes15 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Discussion 2-
Without a murder - did you find the plot and the detection ‘ satisfying‘? How well did Tey do at keeping up the tension?

#goldenagecrimeclub

catiewithac I enjoyed the story except how the mystery was resolved by prayer and surprise foreign visitors. 2y

Cuilin I really liked the mystery, it reminded me of a Jonathan Creek episode. I was invested in figuring it out. @catiewithac I rolled my eyes at prayer bringing about the conclusion. 🙄 2y

AmyG I liked that the plot was NOT a murder. I was still very invested. I kept going back and forth suspecting the women and the girl. I agree with @catiewithac about the surprise foreign visitor and the prayer. But I still enjoyed it. 2y

See All 21 Comments

Larkken I liked the mystery but found it pretty passive- not much to detect and we don‘t really get clues as to the how or why as readers. I‘m still confused as to how Betty knew about the particulars of the suitcase and found the motivations by her and the thieving maid (why pick on these particular women) to be swept under the rug. When did Betty go by on a bus? 2y

Larkken @catiewithac yes, very quaint 👻 2y

Chrissyreadit @catiewithac I agree the only part I did not love was the saved by a prayer. 2y

Chrissyreadit @Larkken I think they discussed how it was a very common suitcase and “lucky guess” like carnival trick 2y

Chrissyreadit I enjoy any good mystery, death or no death. I love them all. I like how it was set up and reminded me that people have always been tricky charlatans. 2y

quietjenn It was rather refreshing to me that there was no murder involved! And, the sort of plodding nature of things - that there would be a lot of sleuthing with no real progress being made - felt much more realistic to me than in mysteries where the clues and revelations just easily come one right after the other. Although it was definitely not a book steeped in realism! 2y

batsy I found Betty really compelling; a woman who's veering towards sociopathic tendencies is intriguing, and it was somewhat unnerving. It made me wonder what it would have been like if we got her POV, but perhaps that would have been messy and it's pretty clear Tey was not interested in humanising the villain too much. 2y

Mitch @catiewithac I know right! 2y

Mitch @Cuilin love that comparison! So you think that makes Tey ‘cosy‘? 2y

Mitch @AmyG quite unusual for the time I imagine - not having a murder. And using a real life case not just as inspiration but a very close retelling. I‘d of like to have met Tey I think she‘d make a very interesting dinner guest! 2y

Mitch @Larkken what I took from it was she had no motive to involve these women other than she really didn‘t care as long as someone served her purpose. I think she knew about the house from bad style of questioning from the police - ie: Do you remember the suitcases on the landing? - oh yeah - there were suitcases on the landing! 🤨 2y

Mitch @Chrissyreadit yes! We tend to think of that as a modern invention - but how wrong we are ! 2y

Mitch @batsy mmmmm….. Betty terrifies me! 2y

Larkken @Mitch yeah the police procedure was suspect. I really wanted her to have to pick out the women out of a lineup! Seemed like she got everything handed to her, like, yeah, sure let‘s tour her around the house! No problem could possibly arise 🙄 2y

Ruthiella I liked the plot, the fact that this isn‘t a murder mystery, a lot. That‘s sort of refreshing. I also liked showing how the detective work is a collection of details and all pieced together. Sure, the man from Copenhagen came a bit out of nowhere, but I think lucky breaks happen in real life too. I liked how in between the reader gets Robert‘s comfortable home life and relationship with Neville. That kept my interest. (edited) 2y

jlhammar The plot and detection really worked for me. Felt realistic. I was surprised by how small of a role Inspector Grant played. I did enjoy following Robert Blair though. I saw that there was a 1951 film adaptation and a 1988 BBC TV Series (I think you can watch both on YouTube) so looking forward to giving those a try. 2y

kspenmoll The plot was different but I enjoyed it maybe because of that. The characters grew on me- initially it was not what I expected so I felt cautious approaching the book, then suddenly it seemed to gel for me. 2y

kwmg40 I was surprised by how suspenseful the story was, even though there wasn't a murder. It was a nice change to read a different kind of mystery. 2y

37 likes21 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Welcome to this months chat - let‘s start with your general impressions of the book (an unusual crime novel for the 1940s as it is no murder) and your experience of reading Tey………
#goldenagecrimeclub

catiewithac I really loved this one! The writing was excellent, good story, decent characters. Not too much anti-semitism and only moderate sexism and classism. 2y

Cuilin Great writing, enjoyed the pace, structure and setting. 2y

AmyG I liked this one, too. Ithought the writing was good. The story was laid out well with the slow release of information. I liked the characters. 2y

See All 18 Comments

Larkken I enjoyed the audiobook but it‘s not sticking well with me now 2y

rabbitprincess I found this story moved at a good pace, and Robert made a reasonable amateur sleuth. This is the fourth Tey novel I've read and as a mystery I might rank it third of the batch; I gave Love and Be Wise 3 stars as well, but that one I found very confusing. This mystery is definitely clearly plotted. 2y

Chrissyreadit I have discovered I am definitely a Tey fan. I loved this mystery- the characters, setting and plot. 2y

quietjenn I very much enjoyed this! It was a reread for me (first read about ten years ago) and I remembered very little. And it made me want to go back to Tey's other books - as well as the one title I apparently never got to! 2y

batsy Agree with the others—there's no murder yet it was a very compelling page-turner that didn't have to rely on twists. I only learned this time that it was based on a true story from the 1700s. Tey's writing is strong and that I think always sets her mysteries a notch above the usual. 2y

Mitch I enjoyed this one too! I didn‘t know what I was getting in to - never read a Tey before but I loved her writing and she gave us a strong sense of place, lots of gothic vibes and a really different take on some classic tropes 2y

Mitch Since reading this have read Daughter Of Time thanks to @Chrissyreadit recommendation and loved that too! She seems to be a very versatile writer who switches gears with every book 2y

Ruthiella This was a re-read for me too. I agree that Tey is a very versatile mystery writer. Every book, whether they feature Inspector Grant or not, is really different from the others. This time round I concentrated less on the mystery, which I remembered, and more on the development of Robert Blair, who I completely forgot was the amateur detective. 2y

jlhammar Really enjoyed this. I like that she is doing something different with each of her mysteries and like her writing style. Daughter of Time is the only other Tey I've read so far (loved it). Will definitely be reading her others. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella I love it when re-reads give you the chance to focus on something very specific. Sometimes the mystery just gets in the way 🤣 2y

Mitch @jlhammar me too! I love how every book is soooooo different 2y

kspenmoll I took@have only read this & Daughter of Time which I loved. This was another unique story of hers. 2y

kspenmoll @batsy I had no idea this book was based on a true story from 1700s. That intrigues. 2y

kwmg40 This was a reread for me, and while I loved the mystery elements, I did find the book very dated. I fear that a story in which a girl lies about being assaulted would be less appealing these days. I did like the characters very much! 2y

lauraisntwilder This was my first Tey and I thought it was great. I loved how much intrigue there was for a mystery with no murder. 2y

37 likes18 comments

blurb

Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Saturday afternoon with tea and Tey. Looking forward to our #GoldenAgeCrimeClub discussion tomorrow!

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I first read this many years ago & upon this re-read I'm happy to find that the mystery remains excellent. Tey has a great sense of plot & also knows how to unfold the story at a good pace. Her writing is crisp & precise. There is something almost gothic about the "two women in a great, big lonely house out in the country" plot; it's definitely my kind of thing. It's a shame that there are right-wing views about working-class people & women.

batsy I was also more troubled this time around by how quickly the narrator established innocence in the other party based on class affinity and attraction. It's all very cringe-worthy. Still, I find Tey's mysteries a cut above the rest for the way the plot is constructed & unravelled. #GoldenAgeCrimeClub @Mitch 2y

erzascarletbookgasm My sentiments exactly about the narrator! 2y

Cathythoughts Great review 👍🏻❤️ stacked. 2y

See All 12 Comments

batsy @erzascarletbookgasm I saw that you mentioned something similar! It definitely stood out to me more on this read. 2y

batsy @Cathythoughts Thanks, Cathy! 2y

AmyG Agreed. All the books we have read have been a bit cringeworthy in one way or another. 2y

Tamra I‘m anxious to read it with all the renewed buzz! 2y

batsy @AmyG A sadly common feature of detective fiction of this era. 2y

batsy @Tamra It's a great mystery with no dead bodies, despite its dated elements (or maybe not so dated; views like this remain pretty common!) 2y

AmyG Exactly. 2y

willaful This is probably the cringiest of her books in terms of the politics. Love the detail and characterization though. So immersive. She breaks all the “rules“ of the mystery genre in her books and I don't give a hoot. 2y

batsy @willaful Yes and yes! I thought it was clever that she did also factor in how crime reportage and media coverage works. 2y

76 likes2 stack adds12 comments

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Repost for @Mitch

#GoldenAgeCrimeClub

Buddy read discussion is on Sunday. All welcome.

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

In a sleepy English village, Milford, it‘s late Friday afternoon and lawyer Robert Blair is thinking about finishing the day early. Then the phones ring and one of the villagers wants his legal counsel. Before he knows it, he is tangled up in quite the case.

This was a gripping read that had me turning the pages, and a reminder to not make assumptions based on looks.

#goldenagectimeclub @Mitch
#1948 #192025 @Librarybelle

Librarybelle I need to start this one for the discussion! 2y

63 likes1 stack add1 comment

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

It‘s that time of the month again….. we‘re getting set for Sundays chat about this months book - The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey.

Everyone welcome
#goldenagecrimeclub

tagged users icon

jlhammar Looking forward to it! 2y

Mitch @jlhammar 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y

40 likes2 comments

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I‘ll hold my tongue till Sunday @Mitch and #goldenagecrimeclub All I‘ll say for now, despite my liberal leanings for many reasons this was an easy pick. 4 ⭐️
Anybody else love the editions section on Goodreads?

batsy Fun to see all of the different covers! 2y

Mitch Love those covers. Cant any wait to chat on Sunday. 2y

52 likes2 comments

review

erzascarletbookgasm

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

It‘s refreshing to read a mystery/crime novel without a murder. This one has a good pacing that kept me engaged, right up to the climatic court scenes. And it has a nice ending. However, the fact that the protagonist so quickly took the side of the accused, kept niggling at me. Overall it was interesting to see how the mystery unravelled, and putting aside some dated remarks and ideas, my first Josephine Tey is a ‘Pick‘.

#goldenagecrimeclub

tagged users icon

CarolynM I love Josephine Tey 2y

Mitch Glad it was a positive start ! See you Sunday 2y

58 likes2 stack adds2 comments

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

My second time around with this one and while it definitely has it's cringey, dated bits, I still got rather liked it and it made me think that perhaps another reading of Tey's others might be in order. I mostly read the library ebook, but thought y'all would appreciate this rather worn, checked out many times since the 80s copy that I also used. #goldenagecrimeclub

dabbe I love a well-read book. #heaven 💙 2y

AmyG I‘m enjoying this one! 2y

Tamra The blurb sounds good! 2y

Leftcoastzen Well loved ! Wish my library kept older books. 2y

batsy I enjoyed this though I do recall the cringey bits. Hoping I can find time to squeeze in a re-read. 2y

63 likes1 stack add5 comments

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I loved this classic mystery! The characters and plot are such fun. There‘s very little causal racism or anti-semitism…but there‘s a lot of blatant sexism and classicism. Despite these elements, the story is a lot of fun and very clever. The writing is superb! #GoldenAgeCrimeClub

MemoirsForMe Cool puzzle! 2y

50 likes1 comment

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

The third Inspector Alan Grant mystery, in which Grant doesn‘t play much of a part. A 16yo girl accuses two local women of kidnapping her and holding her prisoner so she will work for them. Highly implausible story, but the girl has details that seem to support her story. Local lawyer tries to unravel the truth.
Minus twenty points for some really ugly classist attitudes and themes that run through the book. Low pick.
#goldenagecrimeclub

blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

It‘s only 73 degrees- what a difference from 96 degrees of yesterday! Enjoying the slight breeze while I read.#goldenagecrimeclub

tagged users icon

AmyG Holy cow! 96 in April???? (edited) 2y

kspenmoll @AmyG Yes, this is New England! We broke a record of being the hottest state in the country! That never happens in CT! 2y

AmyG I spent most of my life in NJ….so I was shocked to read 96. 2y

70 likes3 comments

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Meh

so-so

I found this a quick read, and it was nice to see Blair coming into his own as an amateur sleuth. However, plenty of classism and more than a little squickiness about the plot leave me marking this a so-so.
April 2023 #DoubleSpin

review

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Pick

pick

I decided this book is a pick even though I have very mixed feelings about it. It's excellent as a mystery and I liked many of the characters but ideas and attitudes described in the book are definitely dated.

#goldenagecrimeclub @Mitch
#EasterOMC @Clwojick @LadyKatrina
#AwesomeApril @Andrew65
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#192025 #1948 @Librarybelle

Ruthiella Agreed. The class vitriol is particularly unpleasant. 2y

Librarybelle I‘m looking forward to reading this one, and knowing that some of the ideas in this are very dated is good to know! 2y

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y

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kwmg40 @Ruthiella I thought the same, and a novel about a a girl making up a story about an assault would not be popular in the current times! 2y

kwmg40 @Librarybelle I'm definitely looking forward to the discussion of this book at the end of the month! 2y

kwmg40 @TheAromaofBooks Thanks for the continuing readathon and #BookSpinBingo encouragement! 2y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

#Weeklyforecast #awesomeapril #readathon
4 buddy reads, 3 my choices.
The Land of Spices #nunlit plan to start reading
The Power of Adrienne Rich #sundaybuddyread- read this week‘s section
The Franchise #goldenagecrimeclub - staring tonigt
Googleplex- #adventuesinphilosophy -keep on kerping on
Sherlockian-#audible #sherlockholmes - listen
NYT Book Review- finish-
A Great Deliverance-#kindle #elizabethgeorge -keep reading

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Cinfhen, Andrew65

Andrew65 Fantastic week ahead by the look of it, enjoy. 2y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

repost for @Mitch:

Our April #goldenagecrimeclub read was written in 1948 - inspired by an eighteenth century true crime! In 1990, it was voted the 11th greatest mystery novel of all time by the Crime Writers Association. Grab a copy, have a read and come back and share your thoughts with us here on April 30th.

original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2567257

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blurb

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Our April #goldenagecrimeclub read was written in 1948 - inspired by an eighteenth century true crime! In 1990, it was voted the 11th greatest mystery novel of all time by the Crime Writers Association. Grab a copy, have a read and come back and share your thoughts with us here on April 30th.
#goldenagecrimeclub

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AmyG I am really looking forward to this one! 2y

Librarybelle Looking forward to it! 2y

kspenmoll Me too! 2y

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jlhammar Can't wait! I've been so eager to read more Tey after loving The Daughter of Time. 2y

rabbitprincess The Crime Writers‘ Association list is what put this book on my radar—this has been on my “want to read” list since 2008 😮 Glad to finally have the opportunity to read it! 2y

Hooked_on_books Great cover on your edition! 2y

rubyslippersreads I‘ve read The Daughter of Time and Brat Farrar, but I‘m going to try to squeeze this one in. 2y

rubyslippersreads @jlhammar One of my very favorite books. 👑 2y

CarolynM Not my favourite Tey, but it will be interesting to revisit it 🙂 2y

Chrissyreadit Ordered 2y

Mitch @Chrissyreadit 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y

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review

bookandbedandtea

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

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pick

I've listened to a couple Josephine Tey books this week and very much enjoyed them.
In TFA, the charactors are colorful, the plot is entertaining, the descriptions are vivid, and the narration was very well done. It's a product of its time, esp when it comes to everyone knowing and accepting their place in the class system, but the gentle pace of life was charming. It's 'an Inspector Grant' book but Grant is scarcely in it which I found odd.

MaGoose I read a number of Tey's books 📚 many years ago. I think I want to revisit them sometime this year. 2y

bookandbedandtea @MaGoose I read The Daughter Of Time years ago and my interest in rereading it (which I haven't done yet) is what has me reading some of her others. I like the ones I've read so far! 2y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

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pick

Read in the context and society in which it was written this is fab. It‘s my first Tey and I love her approach to crime. There‘s little mystery and no murder - it‘s about the impact of crime with time spent with a cast of great characters.

Ruthiella Yes, I remember this one. There‘s quite a bit of classism in it, not uncommon for the time in which it was written, but jarring to the modern ear/eye. 2y

Dragon I really like her book about King Richard

[tagged book]

Daughter of Time

2y

Mitch @Dragon I have that one queued up! 2y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

I usually like to match my bookmarks - but it seems todays #bookhail has accidentally coordinated with my sweats!

elkeOriginal That cover is fantastic! 💕 2y

jlhammar I need to get this! I read The Daughter of Time last year and loved it. Hope to try Miss Pym Disposes soon. 2y

Mitch @jlhammar I‘ve not read any Tey yet… love the Nicola Upson series where she is a fiction character so thought I‘d delve back into her own writing 2y

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LeahBergen I love these new covers for her books. 👍 2y

Mitch @LeahBergen I‘ve got a set of three! 2y

LeahBergen Nicely done! 😆 2y

Mitch @LeahBergen 😂😂😂 2y

quietjenn What a fab cover! 2y

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TheNookOfKnowledge

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

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pick

What a mysterious plot with so many enjoyable and loveable characters for different reasons.

Robert for his loyalty, Nevil for his courage and kindness, Marion for being strong willed, and Betty Kane for being a true villain in her horrendously dangerous ways.

The discovery of all the lies, all the sorrow from the destruction of not only The Franchise as a building, but the attempted destruction towards Miss & Mrs Sharpe.

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TheNookOfKnowledge

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

What else are 6:30am starts for?

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

It's a party at my house today- consisting of the plumber, electrician, painters, AND carpenter 😅 so I'll be here living my best life.
#darguschfamilymarkupbookclub

Cinfhen Oh the joys of owning a new home 🏡 🙌🏻❤️ 6y

TheKidUpstairs That pastry looks delicious! 6y

saresmoore Oh my gosh, that‘s a lot! It‘s so awkward 🐢, hope you can find some respite. 6y

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JillR Could you send them to my house next please?! I so need to get some big jobs done but can‘t quite summon up the energy to make the calls and get started 😨...maybe in the new year! 6y

LeahBergen Well, at least you‘re getting them all over at once. 😘 6y

Kalalalatja I feel your pain, but that pastry tho 🤤🤤🤤🤤 6y

Reviewsbylola At least it gives you an excuse to read all day! 6y

kspenmoll Pastry helped I hope! And Josephine Tey! 6y

Megabooks You‘re brave tackling that much!!! I‘m hoping to move into a brand new home next time! 6y

Reviewsbylola I keep checking your profile and it‘s this same damn post. 😆🤨 6y

emilyhaldi I can‘t believe it‘s been 2 weeks 😱 @Reviewsbylola ....new post today just for you 😉 6y

Meredith3 I wanna eat that 6y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

#babyitscoldoutside and rainy 🌧 therefore, it‘s the perfect day to finish decorating our tree 🎄 and to start this book I chose for the #darguschfamilymarkupbookclub 🎉🎉🎉

I don‘t even care that my new house is still mostly empty, I have my tree 🙌🏻 (priorities!!)

#winterwonderland

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Cinfhen, TrishB

Kate.Braithwaite Classic book! Great choice 6y

Susannah You have a book, a chair, and and tree. It looks pretty perfect to me. Your tree is lovely! 🎄🎅🏼🎁 6y

TrishB All looks good to me 👍🏻 6y

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Cinfhen Tree is lovely ❣️ 6y

LeahBergen It looks lovely!! 😍😍 6y

MaGoose I agree with @Susannah . A warm place to sit down and read by the Christmas tree. 6y

Reviewsbylola It better be good tho. 6y

batsy So pretty! 6y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

The Franchise is the rundown, old country house at the heart of this mystery from 1948.

A mother and her daughter are accused of kidnapping a local woman who claims they kept her in their attic for a month. They say she was never at their home but she can describe the attic in detail.

This is a job for Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard!

#Building
#MayLovesClassics
#LitsyClassics
#FolioSociety

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Bambolina_81, Sarah83

saresmoore This sounds so fun! 6y

Moray_Reads Lovely cover. I've never read Tey but this sounds good! 6y

Redwritinghood So pretty! 6y

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kylienoele So so pretty!!! 6y

Suet624 What a gorgeous color for a cover. 6y

ValerieAndBooks Hmm, I don‘t think I‘ve read this one by Tey!! 6y

RohitSawant Such a great cover! 6y

CarolynM Love Josephine Tey❤️❤️❤️ 6y

ReadZenRites Another gorgeous book!😊💕 6y

kspenmoll Gorgeous copy! 6y

emilyhaldi Sounds creepily good 🖤 6y

DebinHawaii It sounds really good and I love the cover! 💙 6y

Kalalalatja Sounds creepy! 6y

batsy Beautiful! @ValerieAndBooks It's so good 👍🏽😊 6y

Aimeesue Oooh, I love Tey. And so pretty! 6y

Reviewsbylola Looks and sounds amazing!! 6y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Food to fuel the #24in48 #readathon -- oatmeal banana yogurt pancakes with maple syrup and local berries. Finished The Franchise Affair and current tally is 11 hours of reading (3.5 of them on audiobook).

rabbitprincess Mmmmmm pancakes 😋 7y

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The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

For #shadesofblue, here's a pic of some of my blue Folio Society books. I found The Franchise Affair really entertaining. The rest of these are on my lengthy tbr. #somethingforsept #septphotochallenge #day11

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RealLifeReading, TheSpinecrackersBookClub

annahenke Great pic! 8y

britt_brooke Lovely picture! 📷 8y

MrBook Great picture!!! 😁 8y

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rubyslippersreads I have a few Folio editions, and you are so making me want to add to my collection! 😸 8y

Suzze Many years ago I collected Heritage Press books. They look much like these, classics with slipcovers. I still have them all. 8y

PurpleyPumpkin @annahenke @britt_brooke @MrBook Thank you! @rubyslippersreads You can never have too many of these lovelies IMHO. @Suzze I'd love to see a pic of your collection. 😉 8y

Suzze @PurpleyPumpkin As soon as I can tunnel my way through that room (when my sister came for a month I threw every thing I own in there), I'll take a pic and tag you. 8y

DebinHawaii Lovely shelves! 💙📘 8y

RealLifeReading 💙💙💙so pretty! 8y

Linsy Love the compass!! 8y

PurpleyPumpkin @Suzze I'll look forward to it! @DebinHawaii @RealLifeReading @ABookishPixie Thanks😊 8y

CoreyG Love the Franchise Affair, one of my favourites. 8y

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LibrariansGuide

The Franchise Affair | Josephine Tey

Classic crime queens - Margery Allingham & Josephine Tey. If you like Agatha Christie, you'll love these authors.

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