London, 1903. Two women are hanged in Holloway Prison for killing babies. More than thirty years later, their crimes resurface with shocking consequences. When Josephine Tey sets out to write a novel about Amelia Sach and Annie Walters, the notorious Finchley baby farmers sentenced to death for a string of newborn murders, she has no idea that the research for her book will be used in the investigation of a modern-day killing-the sadistic murder of a young seamstress, found dead in the studio of Tey's friends, the Motley sisters, amid preparations for a star-studded charity gala.
While initially the death of the young girl, an ex-con trying to go straight, seems to be the result of a long-standing domestic feud, Josephine's friend, Inspector Archie Penrose, is not convinced. And when a second young woman is involved in a horrific accident soon afterwards, the search begins for a vicious killer who will stop at nothing to keep the past where it belongs. Moving between the decadence and glamour of a private women's club, the bleak surroundings of Holloway prison, and the deprivation of London's slums, Two for Sorrow is a dark and unsettling exploration of the way in which the crimes of the past destroy those left behind-long after justice is served.
"Upson upsets readers' expectations with a surprise that keeps the suspense high to the satisfying conclusion. Puzzle fans as well as admirers of psychologically-rich crime authors such as Ruth Rendell will find a lot to savor."
"This excellent entry in this highly recommended series provides all the classic detective components with a contemporary kick. The case is intricate and surprisingly intimate, weaving in and out of two historical periods."
"Curiously touching and psychologically compelling."
"Upson's style is compelling, meticulously researched, and immaculately written. She creates a world you enter through her pages and
are reluctant to leave at the end."
"Any crime aficionado…should make room for
Nicola Upson's novels in which the real-life author Josephine Tey, one of the grandest
dames of the Golden Age of detective fiction, investigates murders in the
thirties."
