See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

7 used & new from £21.34

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Franchise Affair
 
See larger image
 

The Franchise Affair (Paperback)

by Josephine Tey (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


2 new from £105.38 5 used from £21.34
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover Order it used
Paperback (1st Scribner Paperback Fiction Ed) 15 used & new from £1.74
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) 6 used & new from £50.00

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Daughter of Time

The Daughter of Time

by Josephine Tey
4.2 out of 5 stars (48)  £5.49
Brat Farrar

Brat Farrar

by Josephine Tey
4.6 out of 5 stars (8)  £5.99
The Singing Sands

The Singing Sands

by Josephine Tey
5.0 out of 5 stars (6)  £7.19
A Shilling for Candles

A Shilling for Candles

by Josephine Tey
3.0 out of 5 stars (4)  £8.99
An Expert in Murder

An Expert in Murder

by Nicola Upson
3.9 out of 5 stars (14)  £4.79
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New edition edition (3 Jul 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099452022
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099452027
  • Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 10.4 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 245,427 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #20 in  Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > T > Tey, Josephine

Product Description

Product Description
Marion Sharpe and her mother seem an unlikely duo to be found on the wrong side of the law. Quiet and ordinary, they have led a peaceful and unremarkable life at their country home, The Franchise. Unremarkable that is, until the police turn up with a demure young woman on their doorstep. Not only does Betty Kane accuse them of kidnap and abuse, she can back up her claim with a detailed description of the attic room in which she was kept, right down to the crack in its round window. But there's something about Betty Kane's story that doesn't quite add up. Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard is stumped. It takes Robert Blair, solicitor turned amateur detective, to solve the mystery that lies at the heart of The Franchise Affair.

About the Author
Josephine Tey is one of the best-known and best-loved of all crime writers. She began to write full-time after the successful publication of her first novel, The Man in the Queue (1929), which introduced Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard. In 1937 she returned to crime writing with A Shilling for Candles, but it wasn't until after the Second World War that the majority of her crime novels were published. Josephine Tey died in 1952, leaving her entire estate to the National Trust.

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Franchise Affair
56% buy the item featured on this page:
The Franchise Affair 3.9 out of 5 stars (7)
The Daughter of Time
17% buy
The Daughter of Time 4.2 out of 5 stars (48)
£5.49
The Franchise Affair (Classic Crime)
13% buy
The Franchise Affair (Classic Crime) 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
The Singing Sands
8% buy
The Singing Sands 5.0 out of 5 stars (6)
£7.19

 

Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging, compelling, very English mystery. One of the best, 7 May 2006
By Rivercassini "Rivercassini" (London) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This is about as perfect an English mystery story that you can imagine. Elegantly written, intriguingly plotted and an immensely satisfying denouement. Robert Blair is a quiet, professional, country solicitor in a quiet, sleepy, English country town until a phone call from a lady in trouble turns his live upside down. The beauty is that it doesn't turn him upside down. He remains Robert the dependable solicitor throughout, just caught up with a serious crime and new passion which makes him take stock of his way of life. Each character is fully drawn, utterly believable and for the most part warm and engaging, with the exception of the criminals of course, who you don't want to like anyway.

Tey's skill shines through in her reflection of English society, in her passion for the study of faces and ultimately in her force of will which means that the mystery, rather than sub-plots or socially commentary, remains paramount at all times. Yet she doesn't need multiple murders or gratuitous volience or complicated plot swings to keep the reader's interest or to keep the plot moving. Scraps of evidence emerge not by chance but as the result of hard detective work and acute observation. An easy and engaging read, this is the perfect way to spend an enjoyable lazy afternoon.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read, 7 Jan 2005
I saw the film of The Franchise Affair years ago, but have only just tracked down the book. It is, as others have pointed out, an unusual detective story, not having to resort to multiple murders to grab the reader's attention. The pace is deceptively leisurely, very much reflecting the characterisation of the solicitor turned amateur sleuth at the centre of the novel, but I still found it highly compelling. I liked the way the little snatches of evidence appeared, sometimes in favour of the victim and sometimes in favour of the accused, which kept the whole thing very finely balanced. I also very much appreciated the fact that we, as readers, were kept utterly in the dark about the existence and testimony of the last witness; when the final revelations were made, it was as much of a surprise to me as to the assembled court-room. Tey writes extremely well, and I am now on the look-out for other books by her.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars An unusual crime novel., 31 Oct 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: The Franchise Affair (Paperback)
This book stands out among other British crime novels of its time due to the quality of its writing (strikingly apparent within the first two pages) and the unusualness of its subject matter (not a murder). Some British readers may find the stiff-upper-lip-ness irritating (this was even worse in the film version with Michael Dennison and Dulcie Gray). Still, well worth a read.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of Josephine Tey
All of Josephine Tey's books are worth a read, but I consider The Franchise Affair to be the best, closely followed by Brat Farrar. Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. D. Beckett

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful writing
First Sentence: It was four o'clock of a spring evening; and Robert Blair was thinking of going home. Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. J. Roberts

3.0 out of 5 stars A Curious Mystery
This is the sort of book that is set for school English Literature classes. It is well written in a fairly old English style and if there is a teacher/lecturer around to analyse... Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2006 by A. Rose

3.0 out of 5 stars A detective novel without murder!
Can you imagine a detective novel without murder and blood ,but still interesting? This is such a book-marvelous! Read more
Published on 29 Oct 2000 by panchingwen@hotmail.com

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

Shop the Powerball store

 

More From Josephine Tey

The Daughter of...

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

At Scotland Yard, Inspector Grant has a reputation for being able to... Read more
£6.99 £5.49

 

Up to 50% off Dental Care

Braun Oral-B Professional Care 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush - Pack of 2
Put a sparkle in your smile with up to 50% off selected Oral-B and Philips rechargeable toothbrushes.

Up to 50% off power toothbrushes

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates