This is due to the shape and size of the sand granules (round and between 0.1 and .5 in diameter), level of humidity and the fact that the sand contains silica. This is the one Tey I’ve not read and have no interest in reading, but I can’t deny the quality of her prose. For all her faults as a plotter and unraveller, she had an astonishing gift for description. Now if only she could have matched it with an infernally ingenious crime writer’s mind…!

The beach looked great! Long and wide and very shallow, great for kids, not so great if you actually wanted to swim. There are change rooms and you can barbecue on the beach, we gathered, because there was a disposal receptacle for hot briquettes. Ironically a rival expedition finds Wabar, rendering Bill’s death irrelevant. Lloyd, having he feels committed the perfect murder, wrongly as it happens as he had overlooked some incriminating fingerprints, writes a lengthy confession setting out how he did it and why (a clunky weakness in the structure to wrap everything up) and flies his plane into Mont Blanc. Grant likens him to Wee Archie in his vanity, a significant character flaw in Grant’s estimation. Lloyd’s contempt for Bill, finding him ordinary and of no account, reveals more about Lloyd than it does Bill; in his composition of the poem Bill not only provides the stimulus for the solving of the mystery but indicates that someone considered bland can have unseen depths. Mary Miley's The Impersonator (2013) has a plot very similar to that of Brat Farrar, with the story transferred to 1920s America. also of course get to see deeper layers to Inspector Grant, different to those revealed in The Singing Sands. In this tale much is shown about Grant in his friendship with Marta. His thoughts frequently show […] The beach and surrounding area was used for commando training during the Second World War and may contain unexploded munitions, so please take care. A battle associated with the 1745 uprising is also believed to have been fought here.I first read this book MANY MANY years ago, while on a loosely-planned visit to the UK. I remember being sufficiently taken by the notion of “singing sands” to get myself onto a MacBrayne Steamer ferry to the island of Eigg in the Hebrides, where there were said to be such sands – I seem to remember a distinct humming, despite a nasty rainstorm. Later re-reads of the book have been less enchanting, mostly because, as you say, the puzzle element really wasn’t very satisfactory, and the ending appeared rushed at best. I do like Tey, however, and think of her as a very elegant writer indeed. Recipes for Murder: 66 Dishes that Celebrate the Mysteries of Agatha Christie (2023) by Karen Pierce She wrote about a dozen one-act plays and another dozen full-length plays, many with biblical or historical themes, under the name of Gordon Daviot but none of these received notable success. [1] How she chose the name of Gordon is unknown, but Daviot was the name of a scenic locale near Inverness where she had spent many happy holidays with her family. [4] Only four of her plays were produced during her lifetime. Just as our own voices are made by air moving through vibrating vocal chords, a humming sound is made at Great Sand Dunes as air is pushed through millions of tumbling sand grains during an avalanche. Avalanches occur naturally during storms, but can also be created by people pushing sand down a dune face. The Expensive Halo: A Fable without Moral (1931) - about two pairs of brothers and sisters, one aristocratic, the other working class.

Proceeds from Tey's estate, including royalties from her books, were assigned to the National Trust. [9] Appearances and adaptations in other works [ edit ]In the 1940s, one of Bing Crosby's musical hits was "The Singing Sands of Alamosa" - a love song based on the sounds of Great Sand Dunes. This humming sound continues to inspire people today! I wasn’t aware of those details surrounding the publication of the book so thanks for sharing! It definitely does shed a different light on the state of the book and why there is quite a focus on Inspector Grant recovering from his not easily visible illness. Singing Sands beach is located on the Oa peninsula, behind the Carraig Fhada Lighthouse. It’s a popular place for birdwatching, sunbathing or having a picnic while watching the boats sail into Port Ellen.

I agree the central crime is probably not as strong as it should be, the focus in this story is not on the puzzle but Inspector Grant. But Tey’s writing style does make up for some of this. I have often wondered whether improved technology e.g. faster and easier ways of travelling have taken some of the romance or mystery out of travelling, which is present in GAD holiday novels. I have been on one sleeper train though in Ukraine, which was definitely an experience. This short walk to the lovely singing sands of Eigg with great views over to Rum, starts from Cleadale in the north of the island. To reach here from the pier you can either walk along the road (following the directions for Laig Bay) or hire bikes at the pier and cycle. Terrain The grains of sand actually squeak or “sing” when you drag your feet or rustle the sand with your hands. It’s actually the high content of silica and quartz in the dry sand particles that rub together and create the “music”, if you can call it that. This example highlights Inspector Grant’s perceived fear of the way people can prejudice against illnesses which are not physically apparent. Eventually though Laura does find out about Inspector Grant’s claustrophobia and her response to it is interesting. On the one hand she does normalise the problem, rather than making Inspector Grant feel alienated. Yet on the other hand she does the classic thing of firstly telling him essentially to just get on with things and then underpinning this advice with an account of a minor claustrophobia experience she had whilst down a mine shaft, which does not really compare with Inspector Grant’s condition where he struggles to sit in a car. Additionally I also noted a moment where Inspector Grant’s condition leads him to becoming irrationally irritated with those around him: Brat Farrar (or Come and Kill Me) (1949) (the basis, without on-screen credit, for the 1963 Hammer production Paranoiac)Located on the eastern coast of Prince Edward Island, Singing Sands Beach is part of the larger Basin Head Provincial Park, just east of Souris. There’s a convenient parking lot and boardwalk leading to two beautiful sandy beaches divided by a water channel flowing from an inland pond. At times, the water can be fast-moving so children should be supervised. How to get there: From Port Ellen drive west to the Oa Peninsula. There is a car park located 50 yards before the Carraig Fhada Lighthouse, and from there it’s a five-minute walk to the beach. Where to find the Singing Sands Murder on the Orient Express (1934) and The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928), to Josephine Tey’s The Singing Sands (1952), Miles Burton’s Death in a Tunnel (1936), M. M. Kaye’s Death in Berlin (1955) and Todd […] well (as historically my re-reading of Tey’s work has not yielded positive results, except with The Singing Sands (1952)). I will also of course be trying to read the next issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine […] my time blogging I have re-read several of Tey’s novels. But only one of them, The Singing Sands (1952), came out of the experience victorious. The others unfortunately were less enjoyable […]