The greatest fears were the ones you never admitted to, in case the very act of speaking them aloud made them come true
Fear in the Sunlight
by Nicola Upson
Genre: Cosy Crime
About: Author Josephine Tey is celebrating her fortieth birthday in the charming village of Portmeirion, but it's also the place none other than Alfred Hitchcock and his film crew are scouting out. And although the eccentric director has a flair for dramatics, his own games are overshadowed by a series of violent murders.
The Good
The writing is solid with a variety of well-drawn characters and plenty of intrigue (layers and layers of it). Surprisingly, the murders don't start until halfway through the book, but there's such a confidence in the build-up that you simply enjoy the ride the author takes you on. And with so many characters (their history and relationships often intertwined) you have plenty of suspects and questions running through your mind, even before the first murder.
The Bad
I appreciated the ending for giving twist upon twist but there was something about it that didn't feel fully satisfying. I think it came in the nature of the reveal - decades later in a letter from the killer, plus the extra information we get at the deathbed of someone related to the murders. Personal preference perhaps, but I would have liked Detective Penrose to have solved it at the time of the murders and in true Hercule Poirot fashion, as joked about in one of the scenes after the victims are first discovered.
The Somewhat Iffy
A lot of the character reveals are given early on. Too early in some cases I think. We're given so much information in the switching point-of-views, or sometimes in characters simply telling others their deepest secrets, instead of discovering the various character's past and relationships to each other the good old fashioned detective way.
Overall
I loved this novel's consciousness of itself. Lots of irony in the writing and it really has an atmosphere to it that pulls you in. A perfect read if you're looking for a mystery with a bit of old Hollywood glam.
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