The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (1948)

An elderly mother and her daughter accused of kidnapping and beating a young woman turn to their solicitor for a defense.

Book Review: The Franchise Affair is unlike most mysteries, but charming and enjoyable nonetheless. The mystery is not a murder or even much in the way of violence. The "detective" is a rather staid solicitor and our ostensible hero, Inspector Grant, is a minor character at best. The story is both compelling and predictable, but all the more enjoyable for that. There's also a pleasant hint of romance. Smoothly written, The Franchise Affair is a step forward from the first two Inspector Grant books, even if he makes only a minimal appearance here. The setting is very British, a cozy mystery, even with what I suspect is the unusual addition of mob violence. The Franchise Affair contains the prides and prejudices of its time and place (and its author), but I found that not too difficult to ignore, even as a potential target myself. This was a good addition to my effort to read all the Inspector Grant mysteries, and after The Franchise Affair I'm looking forward even more to the next, To Love and Be Wise (1950).  [4★]