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verityw's review against another edition
4.0
The first theatrical Alleyn - and it's a good one. Twisty murder to solve and an attractive leading lady to try and deal professionally with.
jcbmathcat's review against another edition
4.0
Our mystery book club is reading books by Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and a few other authors for March. I have several of Ngaio Marsh's books in the Roderick Alleyn series and decided to revisit them.
The word that popped into my mind was "clean." I like Marsh's writing and it seems clean to me.
In this particular entry, Alleyn is invited to the theater by one of his friends, a journalist. Prior to the opening of the curtain, Alleyn is treated to introductions backstage of some of the actors and also witnesses tension between them. The reader has been privy to interactions of which Alleyn knows nothing, so we are not surprise, nor is he, when a death occurs at the end of the play. The character is supposed to die; the actor portraying the character is shot, as scripted, but the bullet is real.
I will be re-reading more of this series. In some ways, I prefer Alleyn to Lord Peter Wimsey (Sayers' sleuth), but they are both enjoyable to travel with when you're looking for a mystery.
The word that popped into my mind was "clean." I like Marsh's writing and it seems clean to me.
In this particular entry, Alleyn is invited to the theater by one of his friends, a journalist. Prior to the opening of the curtain, Alleyn is treated to introductions backstage of some of the actors and also witnesses tension between them. The reader has been privy to interactions of which Alleyn knows nothing, so we are not surprise, nor is he, when a death occurs at the end of the play. The character is supposed to die; the actor portraying the character is shot, as scripted, but the bullet is real.
I will be re-reading more of this series. In some ways, I prefer Alleyn to Lord Peter Wimsey (Sayers' sleuth), but they are both enjoyable to travel with when you're looking for a mystery.
michelleful's review against another edition
3.0
I found it rather hard to get fully into this mystery. The murder victim was entirely unsympathetic and the policeman/gentleman sleuth, Alleyn, acts so theatrical that it felt rather artificial. One character describes it as his "comedy routine" which is quite accurate, but it's also so intermittent that you have trouble figuring him out. Moving on to the third book which is my book club read.
dan78's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book! I'm really enjoying Ngaio Marsh Books.
Her stories are witty with the perfect amount of menace and drama.
A great classic crime writer who is now up there with Agatha Christie on my MUST read list.
Her stories are witty with the perfect amount of menace and drama.
A great classic crime writer who is now up there with Agatha Christie on my MUST read list.
ssejig's review against another edition
4.0
The early Roderick Alleyn books are so wonderful. This one is set in a play. A man is murdered onstage while the Inspector sits in the front row. Felix Gardiner shoots his rival in love Arthur Surbonardier onstage. Was it an error? Who wanted Arthur to die (hint: just about everyone onstage). Fast read, loved the characters. Will probably read again in a few years.
notthatbuffy's review against another edition
3.0
Eventually one of the great mystery writers, one of the other reviewers said. I’m still waiting for her to get there. A great murder but still lacking in the rest plot.
msanderson2's review against another edition
3.0
The plot was fine and for the most part interesting. I like how most of the suspects were actors as this added more intrigue to the deception of the killer. However, the main character, journalist Nigel Bathgate, was not the best person to follow along with on this case. Even when he makes connections, he never fully acts on them and he is flabbergasted by every new piece of information he encounters. I won't mind reading another story by this author just to get a better idea of the detective.
cantwelljr's review against another edition
3.0
A very nice classic Golden Age mystery. You can really see Marsh's improvement as a writer over her first book. Still a few too many characters and not enough development, but all the same an enjoyable mystery.
jessica_sim's review against another edition
2.0
I love reading Golden Age Detectives and as such, it was a pleasant experience, yet, I cannot really say I am convinced by it. I am looking forward to getting to know the writer and her detective more as the "Reading the Detectives" group here on Goodreads has embarked on a yearlong challenge reading her Alleyn series.
The atmosphere throughout is decidedly cosy. You can smell the theatre and get jut a riled up about their dramatic behaviour as the detective does. It just feels too much like an episode of Murder She Wrote to me. In fact, I have been raking my brains to remember in which show an episode identical to this was one was featured. I think Murder She Wrote a likely suspect, though in various adaptions this plot has been featured all over.
I just cannot get over the very basic question: why did the murder happen on this very night? Why not delay for a day or two when you have just been entertaining a detective as your VIP quest?
And, of course, you must take the time period into account but really all the flirtations and plain groping are not my taste.
So fun? Yes. A Ngaio Marsh superfan now? No.
The atmosphere throughout is decidedly cosy. You can smell the theatre and get jut a riled up about their dramatic behaviour as the detective does. It just feels too much like an episode of Murder She Wrote to me. In fact, I have been raking my brains to remember in which show an episode identical to this was one was featured. I think Murder She Wrote a likely suspect, though in various adaptions this plot has been featured all over.
I just cannot get over the very basic question: why did the murder happen on this very night? Why not delay for a day or two when you have just been entertaining a detective as your VIP quest?
And, of course, you must take the time period into account but really all the flirtations and plain groping are not my taste.
So fun? Yes. A Ngaio Marsh superfan now? No.
nichola's review against another edition
3.0
Will I ever give a detective fiction 5 stars? Other than James.... who knows.
But this was fun.
I love how self aware the characters are. I love clueless Nigel is and how sassy Alleyn is.
Overall I'm a bit fan of Marsh. She's not quite Christie but she is still rather good.
But this was fun.
I love how self aware the characters are. I love clueless Nigel is and how sassy Alleyn is.
Overall I'm a bit fan of Marsh. She's not quite Christie but she is still rather good.