Rating: 
Summary: for mystery lovers and those new to the genre
Review: First - I should say that I rarely give even the books I enjoy five stars. Of mysteries, this novel, Murder on the Orient Express, and the Westing Game (as a kids book) are the only ones which would rate five stars in my book.The thing that distinguishes Tey from other mystery writers is that each book is original in format and theme. She does not write books such as most of Christie's Hercule Poirot series where the same thing always happens (you read confusing elements and become more and more flummoxed, until the end when Poirot pulls the answer to the riddle out of thin air.) Each of Tey's novels builds and reveals itself differently. I want to put a plug in here for Tey as an excellent classic mystery author. That being said, Daughter of Time is her best work. She brillinantly captures the aura of mystery that surrounds a historian when she is researching a topic for the first time. I first read this book after I had been researching the development of cultural mythology, so the book resonated with me personally, but I think that anyone should appreciate the originality of using this theme for a mystery. As the book progresses the tension level rises and new twists keep you glued to the pages. Her side characters are also an interesting commentary on the meaning, impact, and value of truth. I could say more, but I don't want to reveal the plot. This book is original, insightful and well-written. I recommend it for mystery lovers bored with formulaic novels and for non-mystery readers who will simply appreciate the book on its own merits.
Rating: 
Summary: Richard the Third was guilty
Review: This book is very clever and well-written, and when I first read it at the age of about sixteen I found it totally convincing. Yes, yes, of course Richard was a nice man, of course he was innocent. It wasn't until year later when I read some real history books on the subject that I realised that the book is not sound history. A bedridden police inspector decides Richard must be innocent because he likes his face? That seems to me an extremely dangerous supposition to start from. If it was possible to tell if a person was guilty or innocent merely by looking at their face,then we could do away with trial by jury altogethere "yes, m'lud, he's innocent, just look at his face". Richard III usurped the throne from his nephews, imprisoned them in the tower, then they just happened to dissapear, whoops, he mislaid them? Just coincidence/ I don't think so. Read 'The Princes in the Tower' by Alison Weir if you're interested in learning what (probably) really happened.
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: I read this in two evenings. That means I found it interesting, even though the setting of the book is quite different from most mysteries that I enjoy -- although, as an historian, I found the "detective's method" was portrayed quite accurately. It was interesting to see that Ms. Tey has developed a theory as to why, after theories have been proven historically inaccurate, the theory continues to be held to as Gospel Truth. Tandypony. I think I will remember that phrase -- especially as many items in American history seem to fall into that category. Not exciting, nor thrilling, The Daughter of Time is well worth the time it takes to read.
Rating:
Summary: Richard the Third was INNNOCENT!
Review: In one of the finest examples of historical research and logical thinking I have ever read; Josephine Tey proves beyond any doubt that history tells lies. In reexamining the reign of King Richard the Third through the mind of a Scotland Yard Detective,
we get an entirely clear and logical look at the historical facts, and solve one of History's greatest mysteries. If you love
historical mystery novels, get this one ASAP!
Rating:
Summary: Wow, and I waited almost 20 years to read it!
Review: Oddly enough I've had Ms Tey's The Daughter of Time in my own library off and on for years, but just never got around to reading it. Usually it got given away whenever I moved. This time I actually took a moment to read the cover introduction and decided to buy it once more, fully resolved to reading it immediately. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. The lady justly deserves her reputation as a gifted writer. As the commentator Robert Barnard opines at the beginning of the book, Tey's style is difficult to pigeon hole. I'd read one other book by her (Miss Pym Disposes) and this story was not remotely what I expected. The Daughter of Time (a title taken from an old proverb, "Truth is the daughter of time") is a wonderful medley of history, mystery, and theatrical. One can easily see the author's grounding in the world of the stage. The entire story takes place in a hospital room and in the imagination of its occupant. The action, if you can call it that, comes through the introduction of information by various other characters who aid the invalid, an injured detective from Scotland Yard, in his attempt to discover the true story of Richard the Third-yes that nasty fellow who murdered his nephews in the Tower of London.....or did he? He pursues the evidence as he would a modern day crime, believing nothing until he can validate it by a primary source. Slowly but surely he builds his case. From the beginning the author has complete control of her reader's attention-I read the entire book in about 2 hours. After creating the image of the hospital room and the ennui of its occupant, she wastes very little verbage on descriptions beyond creating the personalities of the walk on characters. Most of the focus is on solving the puzzle of the murders and the reality of the time in which all the historical figures lived. One almost has the sense of a stage with the main character addressing his audience with his thoughts when alone or his guests when they make appearances. A spotlight may fall on the actions of the past and their participants briefly, then dissolve as the story progresses to the next fact and how it fits into the tale of the young princes and their uncle. This makes it a rapid and enjoyable read. I'd love to see it done as a play. It's set might be very nearly as economical as that for Our Town. A tightly written, well researched work of art. For anyone with an interest in history, mystery and/or the stage, this is the book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A Well-Deserved Cherished Classic
Review: It took me too long to finally get to Josephine Tey's The Daughter of Time. I gulp down mystery novels whole and I devour unreservedly every scrap of British royal history so what could be more appropriate than this classic. Perhaps I have read too many actual works of history, albeit of the wonderful pop variety kind of Alison Weir, that have refuted Tey's conclusions. I was delighted from the moment I began the book. It was more clever and far more humourous than I had anticipated and I could not recommend it more highly (although I still have doubts about the verdict reached). I have no doubts, though, about the journey. It was pure, unfettered joy.
Rating:
Summary: A Truly Fascinating Book!
Review: I am not surprised that The Daughter of Time is one of Josephine Tey's most loved and revered books. This is a mystery book, but it is also a quite absorbing historical tale. In this book we examine, along with Chief Inspector Alan Grant, the age-old question about Richard III of England. Was he indeed the monster that we all have assumed he was from history books and from Shakespeare, or was he a very unfortunate political pawn? Inspector Grant is lying in a hospital bed and in order to reliev his boredom, he embarks on a journey to solve this mystery. With the help of a young American reserch assistant, they actually determine that the whole story of Richard III's infamy is suspect. It is truly sad that Ms. Tey's life was cut short so soon after the publication of this book. She was a truly great novelist, and we are blessed for having her works in our libraries.
Rating:
Summary: lovely historical armchair mystery
Review: Inspector Grant of Scotland Yard is injured and laid up .... and bored out of his mind. A friend knows he is interested in faces and brings him a pile of portraits, one of which triggers his interest in the reputed murder of the Little Princes by their uncle Richard, the last Plantagenet to sit on the throne of England. Faced with a disparity between his perception of the man and his reported actions, Grant finds himself compelled to investigate the murders, albeit from a hospital bed four hundred years away. I had heard about this book for years and finally got round to reading it. I am so glad I did. It is a fun armchair mystery about a fascinating subject, Tey introduces enough refutory information to make you want to learn more about Richard III, and all of the characters -- from protagonist Grant to affable walk-ons -- are vivid and memorable. A real pleasure to read.
Rating:
Summary: Great Mystery and Great History....
Review: A seminal work in British mystery writing -- and an eye-opening look at the murders of the Princes in the Tower. Tey takes almost nothing -- a bored detective and medieval history -- and creates a much more compelling novel than many contemporary mystery/thriller writers do with serial killers, terrorists and unbelievable plots. You haven't read deeply into the British mystery genre until you've read this one. EXCELLENT!
Rating:
Summary: I had a lot of fun with it!
Review: Having read both Sharon Kay Penman's excellent "The Sunne in Splendour" and Alison Weir's abysmal "The Princes in the Tower", I decided to try something a little different and go for this book. While I agree with some other reviewers that the plot may be a little thin, and in places it seems almost like Ms. Tey is just giving evidence instead of telling an actual story, I didn't mind so much. It was a quick read, but a very good one, and I particularly enjoy her writing style.
Since I flatter myself that I am pretty familiar with most of the Richard evidence, I was pleased to find that there were a few things in this book I hadn't read/heard before. All in all, I thought this was a fun book, not at all boring. Of course, since I agree with her conclusion (and found myself believing in Richard's innocence even more after reading Ms. Weir's poorly researched book of supposition) it was bound to be a lot of fun for me.
If you are interested in the Richard mystery, give this one a try!
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