Product Description

One of Ngaio Marsh's most famous murder mysteries, which introduces Inspector Alleyn to his future wife, the irrepressible Agatha Troy. It started as a student exercise, the knife under the drape, the model's pose chalked in place. But before Agatha Troy, artist and instructor, returns to the class, the pose has been re-enacted in earnest: the model is dead, fixed for ever in one of the most dramatic poses Troy has ever seen. It's a difficult case for Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn. How can he believe that the woman he loves is a murderess? And yet no one can be above suspicion...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #345956 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
'Marsh moves into top gear.' Susan Howatch 'The queen of the straight crime novel -- long may she reign!' Sunday Times 'I rate Ngaio Marsh's novels among the best in this genre, having read and re-read them many times over the years.' Joan Hickson 'The finest writer in the English language of the pure, classical puzzle whodunit. Among the crime queens, Ngaio Marsh stands out as an Empress.' The Sun

About the Author
Dame Ngaio Marsh was born in New Zealand in 1895 and died in February 1982. She wrote over 30 detective novels and many of her stories have theatrical settings, for Ngaio Marsh's real passion was the theatre. She was both actress and producer and almost single-handedly revived the New Zealand public's interest in the theatre. It was for this work that the received what she called her 'damery' in 1966.

Customer Reviews

gruesome murder, great book
With drugs, mistresses and promiscuity this novel could be set in any era. It was, in fact, first published in 1938 and was probably regarded as a racy little number at that time. I feel it has stood the test of time. There is a small amount of romantic interest for 'our' hero, (which continues in later novels) All characters are well introduced and there are an abundance of suspects some you will hope have not commited the murder and some you think certainly did.

In addition to the murder for which Alleyn is called in to investigate, there is a particularly horrific second murder which is graphically described.

It is possible to solve the mystery, all the clues are there. I didn't, but I am a bit lazy and sometimes don't even try, just enjoy the book.

Very dated
I found the characters and plot difficult to take seriously because the book has dated so badly. It was written in the 30s (in contrast, I have recently reread some Agatha Christie, and found that she has aged superbly well). Everyone says things like "what a bloody stink", there is a "sex-mad student", and well, darn it all, it just gets on your nerves after a while. I gave up caring. Loosen up, man. Thank God for the 60s. Having said all that, it's a pleasant enough, easy read, and it all makes perfect sense.

from inside cover....
There is sometimes a macabre pleasure in planning a murder, in going into every detail as to how the victim can be killed beyond any possible doubt. It can even be rather amusing to try to prove - theoretically at least - that such a violent deed can be perpetrated without the criminal being found out.
The group of art students gathered in Agatha Troy's studio spent just such a morning discussing how a model could be killed by the simple expedient of placing her in a certain pose in which she would certainly be stabbed, quickly, and one might almost say unobtrusively. The rub that detracts from such ghoulish enjoyment is of course the fact that unless you are prepared to run grave risks, the foolproof murder remains simply an idea. In this case, however, it gave someone the very idea that was wanted, for this person decided that it would be the best way of eliminating little Sonia Gluck - the model herself - who, although exceedingly good to behold, was vastly provoking to live with. Whoever planned the murder would, with a little judicious manipulation, not actively have to carry it out. The `props' and an unfortunate third party would do the rest.
Such is the situation that in fact develops; such is the problem, at once neat and complex, that confronts Inspector Alleyn. The mystery is further complicated by the students themselves, who exploit this dramatic situation to indulge in histrionics that are as baffling as they are amusing.