Point of View

Josephine Tey, although giving us a history lesson through her characters, writes from a third person, omniscient point of view, allowing us to see inside her characters and understand them. Although several of the peripheral characters are only seen through Grant's eyes, he is not the only narrator of the story. Tey has a unique way of telling historical fact through dialogue and banter, using humor and fascinating subject matter to keep her readers glued to her story.

This story turns out not to be just a detective story, or just a piece of historical fiction, but is an historical investigation performed by fictional characters in a riveting and enjoyable way. Having written the story from an omniscient point of view, Tey is able to allow her readers to notice Alan Grant's progressive recovery as he busies himself with research. Much of the revelation about the...