ianbanks 's review for:

The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey

4.0

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Mysteries and thrillers have always struck me as inherently conservative in their nature, which is why I’m baffled by the sheer number of 1-star reviews for this here on Goodreads. The story of a pair of women charged with the kidnapping and battery of a girl who has had statutory rape committed upon her would end very differently today, I know, but even for the time it was written, this was grossly unfair treatment for the antagonist, regardless of the fact that it was based on a case that was two hundred years old at the time of publication. I read all this in one sitting but it did not leave a pleasant taste in my mouth despite the very obvious skill of the author. Brilliantly put together but quite mean-spirited in its execution.