What is this book? 1970s, murder, twins, tv adaptation

[AlpinePony]

Does anyone remember this book? It's name evades me and I'm really interested to read/watch again.

I think it was written in the 60s or 70s and I read it during primary school (aged 10 or so), it's set in England and is about a man who returns to the family to claim a stake in a rather wealthy. He was a twin who "disappeared" aged 7 - but the other twin knows it's not him, because he in fact murdered the twin and hid the body in a cave on the property - so of course can't come clean about how he knows it's an imposter.

It was adapted for British TV and I remember a scene where a woman is galloping her horse to jump a fence and on the other side of the fence, pegs have been hammered in to the ground.

(It's = its )

Yep the book will come to me in a minute, it is

Brat Farrer by Josephine Tey

My god you're quick! [heroworship]

Thank you so much!

I remember that! I was hooked!

I love that book!

Loved that book, in fact all of Josephine Tey's books are good. Have you tried The Franchise Affair and The Daughter of Time?

I started reading Josephine tey because of the brat farrer tv series. I don't know if her books are in print anymore.

They're easy to get hold of from Amazon marketplace if they're not currently in print.

If you look sideways at Brat Farrar, you can see Tey sneaking in her ideas about the murder/disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, and Brat Farrar being a bit of a Perkin Warbeck figure. Which is a further exploration of her historical investigations in The Daughter of Time.

The Franchise Affair is very good indeed (though Jilly Cooper nabbed plot and sentences and sections of it - some of it word for word - for her Prudence novel in the 70's); also The Singing Sands and Miss Pym Disposes.

I ordered a copy from Play yesterday.

DandyDan - of course! I had always thought that section in Prudence reminded me of something ...

I really rate Josephine Tey - some of her stuff is a bit uneven but I have never been bored by any of her books. I think she is one of the most original of the Golden Age crime writers.

LadyPeterWimsey - do get hold of a copy of both books and you'll see just how alike the two are. In a Q&A with the author some years ago Cooper acknowledged there was a debt but said it was not intentionally done. Hmmm - entire sentences are the same, especially when Ace (?) is cross-examining the witnesses and there are descriptions of the atmosphere in the courtroom and behaviour of the witnesses.

I own both books although they are packed away pending a move so I will do as you suggest when they emerge again.

I don't think it's Ace - Pendle perhaps? I'm thrilled you know both books as I'm not sure it's a common combination of reading taste.

Also remember reading that Sarah Waters used one of hers as inspiration for The Little Stranger - can't remember which one though...