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The Man in the Queue (Inspector Alan Grant, #1)

Josephine Tey

Start date: June 1, 2016

Finish date: June 30, 2016

Discussion: Group reads

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What Members Thought

May 30, 2016 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is the first Josephine Tey mystery, featuring Inspector Alan Grant. The novel begins on a March evening in London, where there are long queues outside the many theatres, including the Woffington; currently playing the long running show, “Didn’t You Know?” This is coming to the end of a long run and so the crowds are intense, with a patient crowd inching forward and hoping to get to see the beautiful Ray Marcable. As the doors open though, a man in the queue is murdered and Inspector Grant i ...more

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Apr 30, 2016 Susan added it · review of another edition

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Nov 30, 2012 Abbey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, series, vintage, suspense-thriller, myst-police, own, myst-fems-project, myst-set-andor-auth-uk, reviewed

1929, #1 Inspector Alan Grant, London and Scotland; also published as "Killer in the Crowd".
The Man In the Queue gets himself murdered, and the chase is on! Her weakest novel, but still very good stuff. Cosy police procedural, three-and-one-half stars.

Playwright Elizabeth Mackintosh's first novel, originally published under the "Gordon Daviot" name in 1929 and later as "Josephine Tey", is a true 1920s' thriller, based on the police procedural format, very similar in style and tone to Philip McDo 1929, #1 Inspector Alan Grant, London and Scotland; also published as "Killer in the Crowd".
The Man In the Queue gets himself murdered, and the chase is on! Her weakest novel, but still very good stuff. Cosy police procedural, three-and-one-half stars.

Playwright Elizabeth Mackintosh's first novel, originally published under the "Gordon Daviot" name in 1929 and later as "Josephine Tey", is a true 1920s' thriller, based on the police procedural format, very similar in style and tone to Philip McDonald's then extremely popular mysteries. With the likeable Inspector Grant at the helm it works pretty well, due to a strong plot that has mostly been well-worked out (not many loose ends) and quite smoothly, if s mite stodgily, written.

A dead man with stab wounds, a gun (but very few personal belongings otherwise), and no identification is found in the midst of a long theater line just before the box-office opens for a popular play. We follow the somewhat famous Inspector Grant as he works his way through this convoluted case, as he tries to identify first the murdered man, and then his killer, all the while dealing with huge publicity and political maneuvering in the police force. The threads are many, and tightly interwoven, and Ms. Tey's writing is smooth, if rather slow-going.

The ending is the only weak thing about this now-classic story, as it resorts to an extremely theatrical bit. It looks as though Ms. Tey has written herself into a corner and has had to resort to a then-often-used cliche (already a cliche by the late 1920s!) for a supposedly shocking finish. Up to the last chapter the plot is a good one, however, as the characters are extremely likeable and very well-drawn, and the police setting fairly decently done - if a bit sketchily. And the pacing isn't bad either.

This was Ms. Tey's first novel, and it does show a bit, but only in comparison with her later works, which improve enormously one by one; she becomes, IMO, one of the very best at the "psychological mystery" by the mid-1940s. As a novel representative of the 1920s popular style, her first mystery is a fairly strong one, with beautiful descriptive passages (if a mite florid at times). Ms. Tey didn't produce a lot of novels but what she did publish was extremely good stuff. Although this is her least interesting novel for my taste, it's still a very good read, and very entertaining - at least until the stage-y ending, but that doesn't occur until the last few pages. Recommended, as are all Miss Tey's works.
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Jan 16, 2016 Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore rated it liked it

Shelves: british, alice

This was my second time reading this book so while I didn’t remember all the details, I did the solution and broad plot. I enjoyed Tey’s writing (particularly some of her descriptions) this time around though it wasn’t the most PC in certain spots. This can’t really be described as a whodunit where the reader is presented with an array of suspects and can simultaneously try working out the solution but a detective story where we go along with Inspector Grant’s line of investigation, following hi ...more

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Jun 11, 2016 Deborah rated it really liked it

A great classic mystery. I really enjoy her writing. Can't wait to read this author again. ...more

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Feb 28, 2019 Frances rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

This is the first novel written by Josephine They, best known for The Daughter of Time. This book introduces Inspector Grant, who will feature in 6 more novels, and is an engaging and enjoyable mystery. The denouement is a bit disappointing, but Grant is a strong and interesting character, and the setting and scenery, between London and the Scottish Highlands, is very well done. I will be reading the rest of her novels! ...more

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