The Expensive Halo by Josephine Tey

Name: The Expensive Halo
Author: Josephine Tey

The novel follows the story of a young woman, Mary, who is struggling to make ends meet in post-war London. She is desperate to find a job, but her lack of experience and qualifications make it difficult. When she is offered a job as a companion to an elderly woman, she jumps at the chance. However, Mary soon discovers that her employer is not what she seems. She is a mysterious figure who is obsessed with the idea of buying a halo for her dead son. Mary is drawn into her employer's strange world and soon finds herself embroiled in a dangerous game of secrets and lies. The Expensive Halo is a gripping and suspenseful novel that explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the power of money. It is a captivating story of a young woman's journey to find her place in the world.

By Josephine Tey · First published 1931 · Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller · 19 chapters · 58,560 words

First lines

It had been raining all day, but now a wild red sunset flooded the town with uncanny light, so that the dripping black buildings stood glorified and the hurrying crowds turned their heads, half-consciously, in uneasy wonder at the magnificent west.

What this Textopian page supports

The Expensive Halo is listed on Textopian as a novel by Josephine Tey, dated 1931 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Josephine Tey
Date: 1931 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Literary Fiction
Length: 58,560 words
Structure: 19 chapters, 1,679 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The Expensive Halo is a mystery novel by Josephine Tey, which follows the investigation of a murder in a small English village.
Crime Fiction — The Expensive Halo is a crime fiction novel by Josephine Tey, which follows the investigation of a murder in a small English village.
Thriller — The Expensive Halo is a thriller novel by Josephine Tey, which follows the investigation of a murder in a small English village and the suspenseful events that follow.
Literary Fiction — The Expensive Halo is a literary fiction novel by Josephine Tey, which follows the investigation of a murder in a small English village and the exploration of themes such as justice and morality.