''The Man in the Queue'' is a 1929

detective novel Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...

by the British writer

Josephine Tey Josephine Tey was a pseudonym used by Elizabeth MacKintosh (25 July 1896 – 13 February 1952), a Scottish author. Her novel ''The Daughter of Time'' was a detective work investigating the role of Richard III of England in the death of the Princ ...

. It was the first in her series of six novels featuring the

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...

detective

Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

Grant. It was followed by '' A Shilling for Candles'' in 1936. It was released during the

Golden Age of Detective Fiction The Golden Age of Detective Fiction was an era of classic murder mystery novels of similar patterns and styles, predominantly in the 1920s and 1930s. The Golden Age proper is, in practice, usually taken to refer to a type of fiction which was pre ...

. It was initially published under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Gordon Daviot, and published by Methuen in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and Dutton in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

.Reilly p.278

Synopsis

A young man is stabbed in the back with a stiletto dagger while waiting in the queue for one of the final West End performances of a hit

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

. None of those near to him in the queue appear to have any motive for killing him. Inspector Grant is brought onto the case and he follows several painstaking leads, including one that takes him to

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

, without any serious evidence. Eventually he traces a potential suspect to the boarding house of the dead man and tracks his

landlady A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, the t ...

to a remote hideaway in the west coast of Scotland. After some effort tracking and arresting his man, Grant begins to have doubts as he brings him back to London on a murder charge. As the young man is brought before an

inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...

, Grant expresses his misgivings to his superior but his doubts are brushed aside. Grant's attempts to pursue another possible suspect lead to nothing, and he is almost forced to concede defeat. Just then a most unexpected figure comes forth to reveal the truth of the stabbing in the queue.

References

Bibliography

* Reilly, John M. ''Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers''. Springer, 2015. 1929 British novels Novels by Josephine Tey British mystery novels British crime novels British detective novels Methuen Publishing books Novels set in London Novels set in Nottinghamshire Films set in Scotland E. P. Dutton books {{1920s-mystery-novel-stub