with the help of some friends decided to investigate the disappearance of The Princes in the Tower like it was a modern police case. In recognition of this fact, we ask all participants refer to characters by their proper names during the breakout discussions. Richard III reigned for only two years, and for centuries he was villified as the hunch-backed wicked uncle, murderer of the princes in the Tower.

It’s a unique way to present this centuries-old mystery, but unfortunately it often comes off as contrived. But, with “The Daughter of Time,” Tey found an approach to the story that would make more sense to the uninitiated: she gave the mystery of Richard to a detective. When Richard III’s remains were unearthed in 2013 and reinterred in Leicester Cathedral, there was a sense of something being put right for me. The Rear Window inspiration is quite clear - Inspector Grant is laid up with a broken leg, and is tired of looking at the ceiling. Though there are elements of her arguments with which I agree, even the main hook of her novel--that the most famous surviving portrait of Richard III shows the face of a man who could not possibly commit such a murder--is flawed.At least I had seen the TV series about Henry Tudor (Henry VII) which at least allowed me to think of the actors' faces for certain characters like Elizabeth Woodville. The prime suspect has long been Richard III, portrayed as a monster by everyone from early propagandists writing immediately after Richard’s death to Shakespeare himself. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers.

Highbrow sleuthing, perhaps, but fascinating to those nearer to history than the average mystery hound.

Grant sets Brent Carradine back to the British Museum to dig up journals, letters, sermons, Parliamentary proceedings and more from the reigns of kings Edward IV, Richard III, and Henry VII. Luckily another character who knows him well introduces the idea of solving a mystery from the past. History, lest we forget, is written by the victors, and boy, can they do damage to a guy's reputation if they have a talented playwright on their side. Entertaining, thought-provoking, readable and above all, delightfully fun, I have definitely enjoyed The Daughter of Time as much this time around as in 1984, and yes, I do recommned it warmly and highly to anyone with an interst in historical mysteries, and especially the life and times of Richard III (who might indeed have well been shown a bit too glowingly and positively by Josephine Tey, but who in my mind was most definitely also not the vile and horrid monster as envisioned by Shakespeare). Sigue las convenciones del género, pero para investigar un enigma real: ¿qué sucedió con los "príncipes de la torre"?