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lelia_t's review against another edition
3.0
This is only the third Ngaio Marsh book I've read and it was my least favorite so far, primarily because I'm not such a theater buff that I need to linger on the ins and outs of putting on a production of MacBeth. That being said, Marsh does create suspense - we know as readers that she's building toward a murder and with every rehearsal we think, is this it, is this when the murder takes place?? I am guessing, also, that if I had been reading Marsh's books in order I might have enjoyed this one more since this is apparently the second book featuring Peregrine Jay and his wife Emily - both very likeable and engaging characters. So if you're just randomly selecting Marsh books, you might want to pick up Death at the Dolphin before this one.
Even though this wasn't my favorite book, I'm still thrilled to have found Ngaio Marsh. I like to have a mystery as my bedtime reading and having just finished the Patricia Wentworth Miss Silver mysteries (which I loved), this Roderick Alleyn series fills the void perfectly.
Even though this wasn't my favorite book, I'm still thrilled to have found Ngaio Marsh. I like to have a mystery as my bedtime reading and having just finished the Patricia Wentworth Miss Silver mysteries (which I loved), this Roderick Alleyn series fills the void perfectly.
eshalliday's review against another edition
5.0
And with that, I round out what has been an absolute joy of a year working my way through the Inspector Alleyns in order on audiobook.
Philip Franks and James Saxon are now my narrator heroes.
Long live Br'er Fox! Long live Agatha Troy and the (lavish) adorable Ricky! Long live loveable Nigel Bathgate, Peregrine Jay and wee Michael Lamprey (Bunchy, we'll mourn you always)! And long live Ngaio Marsh's exquisite power of description, her Kiwi patriotism, and her ceaseless Macbeth references!!!
Now, back to the start again, methinks.
Philip Franks and James Saxon are now my narrator heroes.
Long live Br'er Fox! Long live Agatha Troy and the (lavish) adorable Ricky! Long live loveable Nigel Bathgate, Peregrine Jay and wee Michael Lamprey (Bunchy, we'll mourn you always)! And long live Ngaio Marsh's exquisite power of description, her Kiwi patriotism, and her ceaseless Macbeth references!!!
Now, back to the start again, methinks.
tarshka's review against another edition
3.0
The last of Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn novels and another theater one. She liked theater more than writing, I think really. This one features Macbeth.
david_megginson's review against another edition
4.0
A fond farewell to Alleyn and Co., in a nostalgic return to the Dolphin Theatre.
anael21's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
catherine_t's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A production of Macbeth ends in tragedy when the lead actor, Sir Dougal MacDougal, is beheaded in the last act. DCI Roderick Alleyn is in the audience and quickly takes charge.
I fear this final Alleyn novel is not one of Marsh's best. The murder didn't occur until more than halfway through the book, and the motive for the murder is thin at best (and utterly unconvincing at worst). On the other hand, the characters are well drawn, and I enjoyed all of the theatre business. If you're a completist, you'll read this, but if this is your introduction to Marsh's work, I'd find another and read it instead.
I fear this final Alleyn novel is not one of Marsh's best. The murder didn't occur until more than halfway through the book, and the motive for the murder is thin at best (and utterly unconvincing at worst). On the other hand, the characters are well drawn, and I enjoyed all of the theatre business. If you're a completist, you'll read this, but if this is your introduction to Marsh's work, I'd find another and read it instead.
avrilhj's review against another edition
3.0
There's a death, and in the end Alleyn arrests the perpetrator, but this isn't really a mystery. It's a story about putting on a production of Macbeth, and the director is a much more important character than the putative sleuth. As a mystery I'd rate this very poorly; as a story about the theatre written by someone with a lifetime's experience in it I'd rate it very highly. So whether or not a reader enjoys it will depend on how they feel about mysteries that aren't really.
cheryl6of8's review against another edition
3.0
This mystery was as much about the psychological aspects of the theater and MacBeth as it was a mystery. It was a more intense and intellectual read for that reason, and I would have found it easier to follow if I were more familiar with the theater from the inside. The mystery was sell done with a few good red herrings. Not my favorite outing with Inspector Alleyn and Br'er Fox, but good.
missn80's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0