Miss Pym Disposes

"People are always more than they seem, even to themselves."

Former French teacher Miss Lucy Pym has become something of a celebrity following the publication of her book on psychology, and eagerly accepts an invitation to lecture at Leys College for young women college from an old friend who is now headmistress there.

She only expected to be there for one night, but when one of the students dies under mysterious circumstances, Lucy must use her psychological expertise to uncover the truth about what happened—and soon discovers hidden tensions and rivalries among the students and staff that reveal the web of intrigue and secrets that lie beneath the college’s façade of calm efficiency.

In Miss Pym Disposes, Josephine Tey weaves together themes of academic life, ethical dilemmas and human psychology to create a captivating blend of psychological insight and thrilling mystery that raises questions about how far a person might be willing to go to achieve their goals.

Josephine Tey (1896-1952) was a renowned author and one of the most celebrated figures in detective fiction. Tey initially pursued a career in theatre, writing plays before shifting her focus to novels, and her writing is characterised by psychological depth, strong character development, and a subversion of traditional crime fiction norms. Her most notable works include The Daughter of Time, Brat Farrar, and The Franchise Affair, and despite her relatively small output, her influence is significant, inspiring future generations of mystery writers.

In 2015, Val McDermid argued that Tey "cracked open the door" for later writers such as Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Rendell to explore the darker side of humanity, creating a bridge between the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and contemporary crime novels.