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smessmores's review against another edition
3.0
***1/2
The characters in this book were utterly ridiculous but in such a believable way. However, what kept this from being 4 stars was feeling like the murderer wasn't properly pointed to. Keeping a close eye on the clues and story I really had landed on the last herring fairly early on, and most of the things said at the end to make it not be that person were action we as readers weren't really privy to, but rather what had happened in the absence of a narrative. I found that a little disappointing.
Still, I enjoy the books with Troy!
The characters in this book were utterly ridiculous but in such a believable way. However, what kept this from being 4 stars was feeling like the murderer wasn't properly pointed to. Keeping a close eye on the clues and story I really had landed on the last herring fairly early on, and most of the things said at the end to make it not be that person were action we as readers weren't really privy to, but rather what had happened in the absence of a narrative. I found that a little disappointing.
Still, I enjoy the books with Troy!
joreads7's review
1.0
When a book is written in the 1940's it can be expected to have the prejudices of the day, but this one had the trifecta of comments about Jews, black people and a character who embodied all of the most offensive gay stereotypes. All this stood out in sharp relief because the plot was not that interesting, and all the characters were horrible. The murder was not even convincing.
kpeninger's review against another edition
5.0
Oooo, this was a good one! The return of Alleyn to England! Troy and Fox and Alleyn finally reunited!
Also, Panty is an amazing child and I would be honored to know her.
Also, Panty is an amazing child and I would be honored to know her.
robinwalter's review
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
barbarahowe's review
3.0
Classic British country-house mystery with a large cast of eccentrics, set just after WWII. I enjoyed the atmosphere and period detail, although some of the dated slang and cultural references were a bit hard to follow, and the unfiltered racism and gay stereotypes were offputting. I also like both the Roderick Alleyn/Agatha Troy romantic relationship and the Alleyn/Fox professional relationship, plus the several of the characters were at least entertaining. Unfortunately, most of the Ancred family were neither particularly likeable nor distinguishable, and the actual murderer seemed a rather arbitrary choice.
smcleish's review
3.0
Originally published on my blog here in August 1998.
The war is finally over, and Alleyn is returning from New Zealand - where the previous two books in the series, [b:Colour Scheme|280989|Colour Scheme|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173384453s/280989.jpg|2186272] and [b:Died In The Wool|660252|Died In The Wool|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176851735s/660252.jpg|1494937], are set - to join his wife in London. Just as Troy is expecting him back any day, she receives an extremely pressing invitation: distinguished actor Sir Henry Ancred wishes to commission her to paint his portrait at his family seat, Ancreton. This invitation is occasioned by Sir Henry receiving the (inaccurate) news that the nation commissioned Troy to paint a portrait of one of his friends and rivals.
Truth to tell, though he may have been a magnificent actor, Sir Henry's talent could never have matched his conceit. As far as he was concerned, the nation has never been as quick to recognise his status as great man of the stage as it should have been; even his knighthood is not a grateful acknowledgment of his stature but was obtained by the somewhat unexpected inheritance of a baronetcy from a distant cousin.
In the end, Troy accepts and travels to Ancreton, where she is plunged into the midst of a bizarre family gathering; theatrical eccentricity is part and parcel of being an Ancred. The family (other than Sir Henry) is united only in their dislike of Sonia Orrincourt, a beautiful blonde plucked from the chorus by Sir Henry, virtually in his dotage but likely to step into a second marriage at any moment - particularly when his family enrage him.
A series of unpleasant practical jokes is followed by the death of Sir Henry; Troy suspects it is something more serious than eating crayfish when suffering from a stomach disorder. Luckily, Alleyn has just now returned, and he is able to disentangle the whole complex plot.
Final Curtain is one of the better known Ngaio Marsh novels, and it is the first I ever read by her. It is not one of her best, though; it shows distinct signs of a return to the formulaic house party crime novel she was writing before the two set in New Zealand. It has an upper class family only rivalled in grotesque eccentricity by the Lampreys (in [b:A Surfeit Of Lampreys|281413|A Surfeit Of Lampreys|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173388185s/281413.jpg|1218987]) and the sort of implausible puzzle gently mocked by Michael Innes in [b:There Came Both Mist And Snow|1360741|There Came Both Mist And Snow|Michael Innes|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182988424s/1360741.jpg|1350522]. As an example of the classic detection genre, you could hardly chose a novel more typical, but Marsh can offer far better.
The war is finally over, and Alleyn is returning from New Zealand - where the previous two books in the series, [b:Colour Scheme|280989|Colour Scheme|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173384453s/280989.jpg|2186272] and [b:Died In The Wool|660252|Died In The Wool|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176851735s/660252.jpg|1494937], are set - to join his wife in London. Just as Troy is expecting him back any day, she receives an extremely pressing invitation: distinguished actor Sir Henry Ancred wishes to commission her to paint his portrait at his family seat, Ancreton. This invitation is occasioned by Sir Henry receiving the (inaccurate) news that the nation commissioned Troy to paint a portrait of one of his friends and rivals.
Truth to tell, though he may have been a magnificent actor, Sir Henry's talent could never have matched his conceit. As far as he was concerned, the nation has never been as quick to recognise his status as great man of the stage as it should have been; even his knighthood is not a grateful acknowledgment of his stature but was obtained by the somewhat unexpected inheritance of a baronetcy from a distant cousin.
In the end, Troy accepts and travels to Ancreton, where she is plunged into the midst of a bizarre family gathering; theatrical eccentricity is part and parcel of being an Ancred. The family (other than Sir Henry) is united only in their dislike of Sonia Orrincourt, a beautiful blonde plucked from the chorus by Sir Henry, virtually in his dotage but likely to step into a second marriage at any moment - particularly when his family enrage him.
A series of unpleasant practical jokes is followed by the death of Sir Henry; Troy suspects it is something more serious than eating crayfish when suffering from a stomach disorder. Luckily, Alleyn has just now returned, and he is able to disentangle the whole complex plot.
Final Curtain is one of the better known Ngaio Marsh novels, and it is the first I ever read by her. It is not one of her best, though; it shows distinct signs of a return to the formulaic house party crime novel she was writing before the two set in New Zealand. It has an upper class family only rivalled in grotesque eccentricity by the Lampreys (in [b:A Surfeit Of Lampreys|281413|A Surfeit Of Lampreys|Ngaio Marsh|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173388185s/281413.jpg|1218987]) and the sort of implausible puzzle gently mocked by Michael Innes in [b:There Came Both Mist And Snow|1360741|There Came Both Mist And Snow|Michael Innes|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182988424s/1360741.jpg|1350522]. As an example of the classic detection genre, you could hardly chose a novel more typical, but Marsh can offer far better.
selfcareforcats's review
5.0
I love Ms. Marsh's golden-age mysteries, which often include incisive observations on art and theater, two of her favorite realms. The dotty family in this one is a bit over the top, and the caricature of a gay man strikes a bit of a wrong note by current standards, but I enjoy Troy Alleyn and seeing her navigate the rocky shoals of reuniting with her husband after three years of separation during the war.
scherzo's review
3.0
Some casual remarks reflect the prejudices of 1947. Less sex and violence than most current mysteries. Wax work characters of their time and place.
kpeninger's review
5.0
Oooo, this was a good one! The return of Alleyn to England! Troy and Fox and Alleyn finally reunited!
Also, Panty is an amazing child and I would be honored to know her.
Also, Panty is an amazing child and I would be honored to know her.
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