Product DescriptionOne 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...
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - 3.5 stars - A classic Golden-age mystery
First Sentence: Alleyn leant over the deck-rail, looking at the wet brown wharf and the upturned faces of the people.
Inspector Roderick Alleyn, while traveling aboard ship from Australia meets well-known artist Agatha Troy. Back in England and visiting his mother, he is called back to duty early to investigate the murder of an artist. It's an investigation about which he has mixed feelings as the murder happened at the art school of Ms. Troy, a short distance from his mother's home. ... Read More
Rating: - Warning! For the elderly english upperclass only
I bought two Alleyn books, for the very first time, because they were being compared favorably to Christie. Scales of justice and this book. I was very dissapointed. These books are very difficult to read because of a) use of old and pretenious language; who of you know what a tarradiddle is or doggo? Who is comfortable when a man of forty and his mother call each other darlings and the son grips the arm of his co-worker and calls him a courtier because he praises the mother for being a good host? ... Read More
Rating: - 1930s Style at Its Best
This novel, which relates the first meeting between Scotland Yard Inspector Roderick Alleyn and the artist Agatha Troy, is both a good mystery and a good picture of what kind of book was popular in the 1930s. After Alleyn and Troy meet on a ship sailing back to England from the South Pacific (and they do not meet well, although he is interested in her), Alleyn is called to investigate a murder at Troy's home conveniently down the road from his mother's. An artist's model has been murdered, and there ... Read More
Rating: - Not good enough
Having never read any of Ngaio Marsh's books before I thought I'd try the chronological approach. Apparently this wasn't such a good idea as according to other reviewers her better work was later. The book was well plotted and intelligent but ultimately I found the social scenery a bit dated and finally got on my nerves. It did keep me interested and I was surprised at the end. All in all not great but worth pursuing further
Rating: - A bit disappointed
I guess that on my quest to read as many Marsh novels as possible, my expectations have grown. While it was fun watching Alleyn falling head over heels in love, neither the plot nor the characters particularly grabbed me. I think the artists all came off a bit as stereotypes, at times downright annoying. Not a bad read, but far from Marsh's best.
- 3.5 stars - A classic Golden-age mystery
- Warning! For the elderly english upperclass only
- 1930s Style at Its Best
