Reviews

I'd forgotten more or less everything that happened in Enter a Murderer, even though this was technically a reread. Without spoiling it, the choice of murderer is interesting here.

I didn't love it, though. Alleyn's more obviously the lead here, and the way he toys with one of the characters -- indeed, in his reconstruction, with the lives of all of them -- didn't endear him to me.

me2brett's review against another edition

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3.0

This is a particularly fun book to read when you know that Marsh was a theatre director as well as a novelist. She manages to keep the theatre language to a minimum, but her familiarity with the stage and its characters (front of house and back, on and off the stage) is a delight.

hpuphd's review against another edition

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3.0

I keep thinking that I will develop a taste for Marsh, so every few years I read another novel by her. This one (her second) has many enjoyable touches, especially with the theater setting, but for some reason it didn’t make me a die-hard fan (yet).

affiknittyreads's review against another edition

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3.0

I'm currently attempting to neutralize stress by compulsively reading British golden age mysteries. This was a fun one! I like Inspector Alleyn -- I'll definitely stick with this series.

lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition

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2.5

I am sure I had not read this one before, and it was diverting enough, but not particularly distinctive in any way. The inspector getting, uh, up close and personal with a suspect was a bit weird.

cleheny's review against another edition

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4.0

This is the first Inspector Alleyn mystery that I've read, and I enjoyed it. Alleyn has a distinct presence; I enjoyed the relationship he has with his investigative team--friendly and respectful. The superior/subordinate relationship is maintained, but he treats his team with respect and some humor, and they reciprocate. I'm not sure how I feel about his his Boswell/Watson, Nigel Bathgate, however. The character is generally fine, and his role as a journalist, which allows him to invite Alleyn to see a popular play, allows Alleyn to witness the murder. But Alleyn's willingness to let Bathgate sit in on witness interviews (actually record them for official purposes) and then discuss theories is not credible, even within the confines of a Golden Age mystery involving a gentleman detective.

The mystery is well-constructed. An unpopular actor, Arthur Surbonadier, plays a character who is shot by the play's hero; the night Alleyn attends the show, however, the bullets are real. The questions are who switched the blanks for real bullets, how did they do it, and why. There is plenty of motive--apparently to know Surbonadier was to dislike him. Bathgate's impressions of the murder are complicated by his friendship with the lead actor, who fired the fatal shot; although Bathgate understands that his friend is a suspect, he struggles against his bias. Fortunately for Bathgate and his friend, the play's heroine, secondary female lead, producer, backstage staff, props manager, and the stage manager also have motives, means, and/or opportunity.

It's a fast-paced mystery, and the solution is generally satisfying. There are a couple of moments that I found less-than-credible, but the story hung together well, and I look forward to reading more Alleyn mysteries.

poirot's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-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

3.5

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