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A review by cleheny
Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh
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.
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.