In Josephine Tey’s mystery The Daughter of Time, Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard is confined to a hospital bed after he breaks his leg falling through a trapdoor. Refusing to read any of the books his friends have sent him—disregarding them as dull and formulaic—Grant is plagued by boredom and despair.
Marta Hallard Brings Grant Pictures of Faces
His friend, actress Marta Hallard, recommends he take up studying something to improve his mind and pass the time. Grant scoffs at crosswords and chess, but Marta remembers his passion for examining faces.
A few days later, she brings him an envelope full of pictures to ponder. They entertain him sufficiently, but the only one that stands out is a captivating portrait of an unidentified man in late fifteenth-century style clothing—whom he finds is the notorious Richard the Third
Grants Researches Richard the Third in History Books
Grant doesn’t think the man looks like the cruel, violent murderer that history says he is, yet he can’t remember learning much about him. He obtains two history books from one of his nurses, but the books serve only to stimulate his curiosity.
Both portray Richard as an infamous, murderous man—shockingly different than the conscientious, slightly worried, withdrawn personality Grant interprets from the portrait.
Grant Reads About Thomas More and the Death of the Princes
His coworker brings him two more volumes, and he sends Marta to fetch him a third. She sends him the book from the local library, and he reads it voraciously—at times confused and perplexed at events and seeming inconsistencies, but accepting it as true.
Then, that night, he suddenly realizes that the author, Thomas More, had actually only been five years old at the time of the dramatic murders at the Tower of London—and that everything in his history had been no more than rumor. It was not a contemporary account at all.
This revelation both disgusts and inspires Grant. He complains to Marta, and the next evening an acquaintance of hers stops by to help.
Grant and Carradine Research Myths About Richard the Third
Brent Carradine, a young American doing historical research in London, is happy to explore and investigate for Grant. Grant soon finds that Thomas More’s account of Richard was actually originally written by John Morton, Henry VII’s Archbishop of Canterbury—Richard’s worst enemy.
He and Carradine also discover that the myth of Richard’s physical deformity is false, and no contemporary accusations of the murders exist. Additionally, the confession and hanging for the murder did not occur until almost twenty years later. They continue to research and probe.
Conclusions About Henry VII and the Murder of the Princes
Through more letters, books, and other accounts, Grant and Carradine find more inconsistencies with the historic myth of Richard having the boys murdered.
They eventually know that Richard did not benefit from the crime, was not accused at the time, was on good terms afterwards with the boys’ mother, and already had an indisputable right to the crown; additionally, he had a good reputation.
Contrarily, Henry VII would benefit greatly from the crime, consigned the mother to a nunnery, and had no right to the throne; moreover, he was a subtle and mysterious character.
They conclude that Henry VII was responsible for the murders. Carradine decides to write a book about it; meanwhile, Grant makes a full recovery.
Tey, Josephine. The Daughter of Time. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1951.
Rebekah Richards - Rebekah Richards has published fiction and nonfiction in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Brandeis Law Journal, Where the Children Play, ...
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