Reading the Detectives discussion

Our first group read for 2019 is The Singing Sounds by Josephine Tey. Published in 1952, this is the sixth in the Inspector Alan Grant series.

On his train back to Scotland for a well-earned rest, Inspector Grant learns that a fellow passenger, one Charles Martin, has been found dead. It looks like a case of misadventure - but Grant is not so sure. Teased by some enigmatic lines of verse that the deceased had apparently scrawled on a newspaper, he follows a trail to the remote Outer Hebrides.

And though it is the end of his holiday, it is also the beginning of an intriguing investigation into the bizarre circumstances shrouding Charles Martin's death...

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

Firstly, happy New Year to everyone!

I think this is my least favourite of Tey's novels: it gets off to an intriguing start but then seems to lose its way as Grant goes off on his trip around the highlands. It all perked up once he was back in London where the real investigation starts.

I liked the greater insight we get into Grant's mind and personality - just could have done with a bit less fly fishing and the trip to the island (which was a touch Wicker Man for me!).

I read this last month, and can't remember everything about it, but gave it five stars. In my review I wrote that I enjoyed this book in the Inspector Grant series very much, especially compared to the previous one, "The Daughter of Time", which I found disappointingly boring.

I really liked Tey's writing, with her descriptions of Grant's holiday with his cousin and family. I liked the new characters introduced, and I found the investigation interesting and satisfying.

I felt it was a shame that this was the end of the series. It would've been lovely to have read more about Alan Grant and his flair for sleuthing.

I definitely read this years ago - I read all the Grant books when I was younger. I think I re-read it recently, although I must have borrowed it from a library, since I don't own it in any form. I do remember being less impressed with it this time round (if it's the book I'm thinking of), so I won't be joining in the discussion on the details of the book.

Aussie, I sympathize with forgetting a book within a month. Its quite embarrassing how soon many of them are wiped from the record.

And, Roman C, I agree that the mystery does get rather lost mid-book, but I was equally interested in Grant's vacation / recovery so enjoyed the travelogue portion.

One aspect of Grant I didn't understand: he was grateful for being 'saved' from falling in love with the Viscountess when I thought that would be welcome. Is there something in his history I missed by not reading the entire series?

On the Vicountess, I got the impression that he was relieved to be able to go back to his calm bachelor life and be able to concentrate on police cases without the 'distractions' of emotions, a wife and a family.

I thought the best parts were where he was arguing with himself.

Roman Clodia wrote: "On the Vicountess, I got the impression that he was relieved to be able to go back to his calm bachelor life and be able to concentrate on police cases without the 'distractions' of emotions, a wif..."

Yes, that's the impression I had too. I think he may be a "confirmed bachelor", who's happy to have female friends, but is wary of being committed. (I also wonder if he may be slightly bi-sexual, as I seem to remember descriptions of men in these cases that are very flattering when viewed through Grant's eyes.)

Sandy wrote: "Aussie, I sympathize with forgetting a book within a month. Its quite embarrassing how soon many of them are wiped from the record.

And, Roman C, I agree that the mystery does get rather lost mid-..."

I read so many books, and often forget them! A sign of old age perhaps. I try to write fairly comprehensive reviews, but mostly just make quick notes, which aren't a lot of help.

Aussie54 wrote: "(I also wonder if he may be slightly bi-sexual, as I seem to remember descriptions of men in these cases that are very flattering when viewed through Grant's eyes.) "

This is the 3rd of these novels I've read, and I haven't ever gotten such an impression. He's just very happy being a bachelor. Some men/women prefer not to have partners who muck up their lives. Grant is happy to have Mrs. Tinker.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Aussie54 wrote: "(I also wonder if he may be slightly bi-sexual, as I seem to remember descriptions of men in these cases that are very flattering when viewed through Grant's eyes.) "

This is the ..."

Yes, I agree he's quite happy being single. It's interesting that we all read the same book, but have different interpretations. For example, one of my favourite authors, K.J. Charles, didn't like this book at all and wrote in her review: "Poorly structured and tiresomely misogynist murder mystery ...". That made me a bit sad.

Wow! Misogynist? I wonder where that comes from? I can see nothing that would even remotely indicate such an attitude.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Wow! Misogynist? I wonder where that comes from? I can see nothing that would even remotely indicate such an attitude."

Maybe because, apart from Laura and Zoë, there aren't many women characters (though I do like Laura's portrayal), Grant comes to regards Zoë as a distraction (and even has a moment of frustration with Laura's domesticity), and the majority of the action is undertaken through male characters?

Emma wrote: "Maybe because, apart from Laura and Zoë, there aren't many women characters (though I do like Laura's portrayal), Grant comes to regards Zoë as a distraction (and even has a moment of frustration with Laura's domesticity), and the majority of the action is undertaken through male characters? "

And that makes this a novel that hates women? That's ridiculous!

What did people think of the murderer? I usually want my suspects lined up fairly early in the book, but I did not mind the late entry in this case.

And what about Grant's opinion of vanity? His quick leap from 'vain' to 'guilty' could get him in trouble!

Sandy wrote: "His quick leap from 'vain' to 'guilty' could get him in trouble! "

Yes, though isn't intuition one of Grant's strengths as a detective?!

I guessed the villain fairly quickly and the motive. As for the vain (perhaps arrogant?) aspect, I was just glad that that long diversion in the Highlands and the introduction of Wee Archie was finally pertinent to the plot. I'd been getting impatient but Tey pulls it all together in the end.

Sandy wrote: "And what about Grant's opinion of vanity? His quick leap from 'vain' to 'guilty' could get him in trouble! "

Well, he didn't suspect Wee Archie despite the vanity. I must admit I went in that direction early when Wee Archie knew about the singing sands.

It's a little while now since I read this, but I don't think it is ever fully explained why Grant fears allowing himself to fall in love and get married - whether it is a fear of women or just a reluctance to allow himself to get too intimate with anyone?

I do slightly wonder if, if Tey had lived, she would have written more romantic involvements for him, as other detective writers did for their heroes... sadly we will never know.

Something I find interesting and poignant about both this book and The Daughter of Time is how Tey presumably draws on her own illness for the story - first through the stay in hospital and then through Grant feeling ill and vulnerable in this one.

This reminds me that I have been vaguely meaning for ages to read a biography of Tey - has anyone read the one which came out a few years ago, Josephine Tey: a life by Jennifer Morag Henderson?

Judy wrote: "It's a little while now since I read this, but I don't think it is ever fully explained why Grant fears allowing himself to fall in love and get married - whether it is a fear of women or just a reluctance to allow himself to get too intimate with anyone?..."

The latter, I think. He likes and gets on well with women, and I think one of the reasons he and Marta gel well is that she isn't interested in a romantic relationship either.

I wonder if his reluctance is partly because he has a job with strange hours and some danger and he thinks that inflicting that on a partner isn't fair?

I think all of you being concerned about his marital state is exactly what he was concerned about going to stay with Laura, that she would - again - try to fix him up with someone. I think he was perfectly happy with the freedom to come and go as he pleased. He was in love with his job.

What did you think of the Gaelic gathering on the island?

If anyone who is wondering what the "Singing Sands" sound like, I found a couple of videos on YouTube - more like the squeaking sands!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s3LE...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Fqc...

Did anyone think Tey was putting us on when Zoe exclaimed there are no classes in Britain?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone think Tey was putting us on when Zoe exclaimed there are no classes in Britain?"

Interesting question! Probably an opinion that could only come from a member of the upper class.

I agree with your take on the marriage thing, Elizabeth! And the ceilidh (aka Gaelic gathering) sounded super-dull--not my romanticized idea of a ceilidh at all! I always picture the one in the movie Local Hero, charming and nostalgic and moving.

Haven't yet reached Zoe's exclamation: my copy of this book has crumbled to pieces, each page loose and brown and brittle, so it's tiresome to hold and struggling to distinguish the faded type from the acid-darkened pages keeps putting me to sleep.

Just finished, and enjoyed it enormously. I like mysteries that keep a balance between the detecting and the personalities, and this one really succeeded in that regard. Inspector Grant felt like a distant figure or even a cipher in the early books, but we were really inside his head this time.

I didn't find a spot where Zoe said anything about class, only Grant's comments on the subject as she was walking toward him and Cullen. Overstated for sure, but in fact the British upper crust has long been more porous than the aristocracies of other nations.

I would say Tey is pretty accurate on the class issue. It tends to be the middle-class who are more likely to look down on people, and judge. In my experience.

Abigail wrote: "I didn't find a spot where Zoe said anything about class, only Grant's comments on the subject as she was walking toward him and Cullen."

You are correct, it was meeting Zoe immediately after the comments that had me putting words in her mouth.

I think every society has classes. In the US we don't have royalty, but there are definitely classes, as I can easily read in English literature there are classes in the UK.

I was a little disappointed by the ending, when the perp decides to sit down and write a long, gratuitous confession. Reminded me of 007 movies when the villain has to lay out all the details of his nefarious plan to James Bond! But at least James Bond is usually in imminent peril and we can't imagine how he will survive, which lends a little suspense to the affair. I found it hard to believe that an egotist such as is described here would sit down and write a long letter to a near-stranger and then go crash his airplane into an alp. Perhaps had she lived Tey would have reworked that ending!

I think the letter bragging about his perfect crime was in keeping with his egotism. After all (in his opinion) the poor dumb detective had no hope of solving the case and there is no sense in dying without people knowing how completely he fooled them.

I agree that long confessions at the end are a too easy solution and rather boring to read. Tey may have found a better ending given more time.

I have just finished this and agree that the ending was rather unsatisfactory, but as Sandy says, it did fit in with the characters vaity, (I felt).

This is probably going to end up at 3.5⋆ for me.

I liked Tey writing about Grant's illness. Seemed like PTSD & the writing seemed ahead of it's time in the sympathetic way Tey handled this. & there was some beautifulnarrative.But a fair bit of the book seemed poorly structured - almost like Tey herself didn't know where she was going with the story.I wasn't a fan of the confession at the end - seemed almost like undermining Grant's good work.

Possibly Tey herself wasn't altogether happy with this one & would have restructured if she had lived?

I liked her writing about his illness too, Carol - hadn't struck me about it being like PTSD, but that sounds convincing. I'm never a big fan of confessions at the end, to be honest.

Confession or no confession, I just like to know the solution. Who figures it out doesn't matter to me.

Judy wrote: "I liked her writing about his illness too, Carol - hadn't struck me about it being like PTSD, but that sounds convincing. I'm never a big fan of confessions at the end, to be honest."

Tey's writing was beautiful. If she was unwell at the time of writing it is a remarkable book.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone think Tey was putting us on when Zoe exclaimed there are no classes in Britain?"

Although (as someone said earlier) it was Grant that said this, it did seem to stretch things incredibly-I can't imagine a more class-structured society than Britain at the time. I was quite surprised that Grant would have a full-time housekeeper/cook-would that have been affordable on an Inspector's salary, or does he have private means? There is also a comment near the end that Pat needs to be sent off to his English school pretty soon to have the Scottish rubbed out of him (or something along those lines) so clearly his family runs to boarding schools and friendships with Viscountesses (impoverished or not).

Further to the discussion on sexual orientation, I wondered at the intensity of Tad's emotional responses when speaking of Bill, particularly in Ch 13 when he is talking about going back to their shared bungalow.

Finally, I loved how Grant compares the colours in London-the grey with the red double-decker bus (and post boxes?) to the colours worn by hospital nurses:

London was a misty grey with scarlet trimmings, and Grant looked at it with affection. Army nurses used to have that rig-out; that grey and scarlet. And in some ways London gave one the same sense of grace and power that went with that Sister's uniform. The dignity, the underlying kindness beneath the surface indifference, the respect-worthiness that compensated for the lack of pretty frills. What a happy thing it was that London buses should be scarlet. In Scotland, the buses were painted that most miserable of all colours: blue. A colour so miserable that it was a synonym for depression. But the English, god bless them, had had gayer ideas. Ch. 11

Frances, agree with all your opinions (with a disclaimer about the housekeeper having no thoughts on the two salaries). I loved that comparison of colors, London to nurses. Tey has a wonderful way with words.

I think Grant does have private means - I have a feeling there is a mention of this in an earlier book, though I wouldn't swear to it.

Judy wrote: "I think Grant does have private means - I have a feeling there is a mention of this in an earlier book, though I wouldn't swear to it."

Yes, I had that feeling as well. But I read so many books that things become muddled after a while.

I was late to this book as my hold was...well held up. Since I've missed the chat I will just insert my own review by way of giving my opinion. I really enjoyed reading the comments above. The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The manuscript for this final Alan Grant mystery was found with Josephine Tey’s papers after her early death, age 55.

The story is evocative and beautiful, treating the character of Alan Grant with sensitivity and understanding as he struggles to overcome the psychological effects of some type of mental breakdown in health. In some ways it reads like a compelling travel log of Northern Scotland and the Outer Islands of the Hebrides. Inspector Grant goes on a whimsical tour of discovery, both to find himself and the true identity of a young man, about whom he senses a mystery.

The prose is beautiful. It is balm on a soul that has read too much commonplace recently. Here is an excerpt from early in chapter four:

“He spent his days by the Turlie; happy and relaxed above the brown swirling water. The water was clear as beer and its foam froth-white; it filled his ears with music and his days with delight. The damp soft air smurred his tweed with fine dew and the hazel twigs dripped down the back of his neck.

For nearly a week he thought fish, talked fish, and ate fish.

And then, one evening, on his pet pool below the swing bridge, he was startled out of his complacence.

He saw a man’s face in the water.

There was time for his heart to come up into his mouth before he realised that the face was not under the surface of the water but at the back of his eyes. It was the dead white face with the reckless eyebrows.

He swore, and sent his Jack Scott singing viciously to the far side of the pool.”

Who knew that detective fiction could be written in such lyrical fashion? I adored the passages that transported me to another world, a world I have never visited. Even the descriptions of London on a wet, grey day made me want to start saving for my airfare.

I was forced by the last few chapters and my dissatisfaction with their slightly abrupt, conclusive methods, to bring my raving 5 stars down to a more circumspect 4. I strongly feel that had Josephine Tey lived, she would have edited this story a little more, and also benefited from advice from a professional editor, before submitting it for publication. Despite this criticism, this last work is an amazingly complete work of beauty and substance. The plot development is compelling and the mystery well woven.

“The beasts that walk, the streams that stand, the stones that walk, the singing sand....”



View all my reviews

I agree totally, Jemima! Well said!

Lovely review, Jemima - I do agree she would probably have made changes if she had lived, but it is so good that we do have this novel with its beautiful prose.