Brat Farrar

A young man, Brat Farrar, is inveigled into impersonating someone believed to be long dead, supposedly drowned. This plot is hatched by someone who knows the family and spots Brat’s uncanny resemblance to Simon Ashby, the twin brother of the supposed deceased, Patrick Ashby. The plotter then coaches Brat in all the information he needs on the Ashby family and their estate in order for him to successfully impersonate a resurrected Patrick. Needless to say, a sizable inheritance is at stake, one from which Brat will benefit, as will the plotter due to his perfidy. Yet, Brat quickly discerns that all may not be as it seems. Let the games begin!This is a beautifully written book with fully fleshed, engaging characters and an intriguing plot. The discerning reader may deduce early on what may have really happened to the deceased, but will be regaled by the ensuing cat and mouse game that develops. It is one that will have high stakes, with only one winner possible. I was completely taken with the unfolding events and the characters. I simply could not stop turning the page of this book in which a classic battle between good and evil is waged. It completely held me in its thrall!

Josephine Tey is an uneven writer but this is very entertaining and she clearly has a good knowledge of horses. I think it is her best book.

"Brat Farrar" is among the best of Josephine Tey's classic mysteries, which means that it's one of the best such stories of all time. I like it even more than "The Daughter of Time," often considered the finest British mystery novel of the 20th century. No two Tey novels are alike, even when her serial detective, Inspector Adam Grant, is looking into things. The mystery of "Brat Farrar" is purely psychological, anticipating the later psychological thrillers of Ruth Rendell. Ostensibly about an attractive imposter who acquires a country estate by posing as a long-lost older brother, "Brat Farrar" is a spin on the Cain and Abel story, examining the roles that inheritance, grief, sibling rivalry and innate character play in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Tey was also a fine playwright, a master of telling dialogue, incapable of writing a scene without sparkle. Her portrait of the English gentry and its dependents is as sharp as anything by George Eliot - a pointillistic "Middlemarch." Moreover, not even Dick Francis was better at depicting the world of horses. Fifteen years ago, a film of "Brat Farrar" with Ben Affleck was announced but never made. It remains a terrific vehicle for screen adaptation, so rich are its characters, its setting, its themes and its twisty, chilling action.

Read and loved everything Tey wrote in my teens. Found her again in my 70s. What luck it is to have such pleasure twice in a lifetime.

Loved the characters, especially Brat; the English manners & setting; the unexpected crime story beneath the crime that frames the entire novel. Well-written too!

I liked this book so much I finished it in one sitting. I'd decided to read more of the female English authors, having read all of Ruth Rendells stories and novels and this book by Josephine Tey was my first. Brat Farrar arrives claiming to be a brother believed to have died 8 years before. He overcomes the doubts of most family members and works his way to a most satisfying conclusion, happily for all but one.

The ending of the book as a major turn in the plot, so you need to hang in there until then. There was some times during the story that it got slow, but the ending was very rewarding.

The best evidence of the fine writing in this novel is a back cover blurb that gives away much of the plot, yet in no way diminishes the pleasure of reading the book.Basically the story follows Brat Farrar, who successfully assumes the identity of long presumed dead Patrick Ashby to inherit a fortune. What sets the book apart is the development of Brat's character. His feeling and motivation is examined sympathetically, and in many ways that is what drives the novel.There are a number of minor shortcomings to the book. In contrast to the wonderful development of Bee and Brat, the character of Simon is drawn fairly shallowly. He seems to be a bit of a stock villain and his motivations are never examined. Also, the ending was a little to pat. It doesn't seem likely that the scenario could be wrapped up as cleanly and quickly as indicated in the book. But apart from those quibbles it was, all in, an excellent book.

What a revelation is ‘Brat Farrar’ by Josephine Tey, a thoughtful mystery of assumed identity I didn’t want to put down. It is the first Tey novel I have read and I now have that wonderful prospect ahead of me, anticipating seven more novels to enjoy. The book first came to my attention on social media – Twitter or Facebook I don’t recall – when a fellow writer, sadly I don’t remember who, said she re-reads this novel as the brilliant telling of a mistaken identity mystery.Brat Farrar, an English orphan, has returned to London after years travelling, most recently living in America working with horses. Horses are an important part of the story. Crossing the road, he is seen by Alec Loding, a fading actor who recognises Brat’s uncanny resemblance to Patrick Ashby, a thirteen year old boy who committed suicide years earlier. Patrick’s body was never found and Loding – who grew up nearby and knew the Ashby family well – sees the opportunity for Brat to appear at the Ashby family home and stud, Latchetts, as Patrick. In return for coaching, Loding will receive a regular payment for the rest of his life. Brat proves to be unexpectedly convincing during the training period and both men decide to go ahead with their scheme. The family and its lawyers are won over by Brat and the emotional return of Patrick. His younger twin brother Simon and heir to the Ashby inheritance is not convinced, however.What follows is a cat and mouse game of who-has-guessed-what in which I grew to like Brat and dislike Simon, not what I expected. Tey creates complex characters with light and shade and, though the novel was first published in 1949, it is not dated. Brat tailors his own experiences to dovetail with what may have happened to Patrick if he had run away – no body was found, the inquest passed a verdict of suicide based on a note found after Patrick’s disappearance – and he finds himself loving the Ashbys and Latchetts.An excellent read.Oh and to the writer who inspired me to read ‘Brat Farrar’, a huge thank you!

The first thing I noticed about this author is her incredible talent for rendering conversations. In fact her narrative is so dialogue-driven that her protagonist often has spirited and convincing exchanges with his inner self. Although written before 1949, the writing has a timeless quality, a very modern tightness, and I found the style very "easy on the ears" and thoroughly enjoyable. This book is unusual in that it draws the reader inside the story and invites you to unlock the mystery. The plot's plausibility is heavily dependent on a couple of unique coincidences but, once you accept the premise, everything else follows. In fact, for me the precariousness of the situation adds tension and, although the ending was not a huge surprise, the way all the loose ends are tied up is very satisfying.Josephine Tey has deftly created some very likeable but complex characters: Brat is at once tough and vulnerable, an opportunist with a conscience. Simon is charming and cast as the victim but full of contradictions. Aunt Bee is typical of a generation of war-time women who had to be strong and unselfish for the sake of others. Each of the main characters is believably human, annoying at times, but always engaging. This book is perfectly suited for all ages, there is no gore, bad language, gratuitous sex or unsettling content and the adult subjects are masterfully handled. And, finally, horse enthusiasts will be happy to find that the substantial equestrian content is accurate and realistic and Tey's undisguised love of horses comes entirely devoid of saccharine.

I had read this book years ago, and yet, I found much more than I remembered. Such a clever writer, real characters, well- constructed plot and excellently written. It compares so well with some of the current detective stories with their cardboard characters and creaky plots, not to mention the poor English.

I first read Brat Farrar in my teens and have been rereading it ever since every couple of years. In fact, I've read it so often that my copy has fallen to pieces, which is why I bought the Kindle edition. It's the story of a young man who inveigles himself into a loving family by pretending to be a long-lost child. Brat has been put up to the imposture by a ne'er-do-well connection of the family because he looks so much like the now grown-up twin of the missing boy. But instead of portraying Brat as a conniving money-grubber, Josephine Tey presents him as a boy with an unhappy and chequered past who falls in love with "his" family, most of whom share his passion for horses. The family has also known tragedy - as well as losing the child, Patrick, the children's parents are dead; Simon, Patrick's twin, Eleanor, and another, much younger set of twins, Jane and Ruth, live in their parents' house with Aunt Bea and try to make enough money from horses to keep the family and the estate together. At first, Brat must convince everyone who ever knew the child that he is Patrick. But soon, he senses something sinister about the disappearance, and becomes Patrick's champion. The characters are drawn with depth and truth and the reader comes to care passionately about what's going to happen to them all. Although it was written in 1950, the book has worn well and does not read like a period piece.

Before picking up this novel I never expected that I would read it in one sitting. It is tremendous. Already worthy of a re-read, worthy of extensive study that made me realise it should be used as a school set text on a par with novels such as 'A Kestrel for a Knave'.The main premise is similar to 'The Return of Martin Guerre' or 'Sommersby' except the returning soul is the teenager Brat coming home to a farm in the idyllic Sussex Downs. His twin knows from the start that Brat is fake but they agree an unholy 'spiritual twinship' of silence for mutual protection as everyone else accepts Brat to their bosom.The writing is sublime evoking dreamy, idyllic post-War rural England compared to the 'forest of chimney pots' in London. Ms Tey writes succinctly and with wit. She displays topicality and constructs convincing relationships. There are some underlying adult themes which would have been risque in the late 1940's and do make it a novel for teenagers and adults.This book was the classic case of expecting so little and being unexpectedly overwhelmed by its sheer quality.