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scorpionturtle's review against another edition
3.0
Written in 1935 this has all the things we think are "classic" plots, femme fatale, overdramatic actors and lots of drugs. At the time the twist would have seemed quite unique but without going to into spoilers the conceit is so common. The second book starring Alleyn we see more of him and his personality but since we are still getting to know him it's harder to know to what he will do and what is an the actions of professional we know he is as the series goes on. Here he seems a bit of a prat but it becomes clear by the end that he cares about his coworkers, his friends and the innocent in the case.
smessmores's review against another edition
4.0
This is my favorite Marsh that I've read so far. I could follow the clues and the multiple suspects and appreciated the development. Given that it's only the second book, some of the out of character moments between Alleyn and Nigel can be laid down to still finding her footing with the characters and get a pass.
shomarq's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
beckyene's review against another edition
3.0
I like Ngaio Marsh but Alleyn is not my favourite detective. Not even close.
jlmb's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a sucker for old mysteries - this one is from 1935. I love reading about advanced police methods like fingerprinting haha. The setting is a mix of modern and old fashioned - the twenties & thirties really straddled 2 eras and I think that makes them fascinating. One insult in the book was calling someone Edwardian. Oooh, snap! My favorite bit of the story was the plot line concerning "heroin parties" at Oxford. I imagined them like the marijuana party in Reefer Madness. One would think at a heroin party the guests are all just slumped over, nodding out, and it wouldn't lend itself much to further the storyline but hey, maybe kids were different back then! I joke about this book but really, it was a fine mystery and enjoyable to read.
raelovestoread's review against another edition
3.0
I knew who did this one pretty much straight away.
frances_ab's review against another edition
3.0
I'm reading this series from the beginning and not sure it's one I'll stick with-I'll try a couple more books to see if it becomes more engaging as the series progresses.
kimmerp's review against another edition
4.0
If you like peppy, quirky, old fashioned dialogue this book is a fun read.
nathuffman97's review against another edition
3.0
Not bad, but not fantastic. Now that I've read two Marsh books I think I'll go for her most famous ones next instead of reading in order, as this was a little underwhelming. Nothing in particular was wrong with it, just it felt rote and trite. None of the characters were particularly interesting and Alleyn felt a little all over the place as a character. Alright but not great.
missn80's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0