Reading the Detectives discussion

Our February challenge book is: Enter a Murderer (1935)

This mystery sees Ngaio Marsh combining her new found success as a writer of detective novels, with her lifelong love of the theatre.

Please refrain from posting spoilers in this thread - thank you.

Was an interesting murder mystery, however not far into the book I had worked out who had committed the deed. I liked the detective Alleyn, and found it unusual to find a detective with a bit of a sense of humour. I'm not really a fan of Nigel Bathgate , the detective's newspaper reporter companion, who occupied a lot of the book's activity. I think probably the officers Fox and Bailey would appeal to me more in this roll, but could see that as a friend of the actors in question, he was useful.

I liked Nigel, Jill. I enjoyed his character in the previous book and was glad to see him back.

I enjoyed all the theatrical background in this one - Ngaio Marsh knew the theatre well and it certainly shows! I rather like Nigel, though I agree Fox is a better sidekick overall, Jill... and I enjoyed the references to 'Angela, who does not appear in this book'!

I don't mind Nigel, but I think that for an Inspector of the police to bring a civilian along into various murder scenes and interviews is a bit much-I expect they will have to ease Nigel out of the sidekick role sometime soon. This was a great set-up-to have the detective 'witness" the murder and I suppose that gave him a bit of leeway to allow Nigel to come along.

Frances wrote: "I don't mind Nigel, but I think that for an Inspector of the police to bring a civilian along into various murder scenes and interviews is a bit much-I expect they will have to ease Nigel out of th..."

I agree, not only is Nigel a civilian he is also a journalist, and usually the police like to keep well away from those, even though what was written was vetted.
I just didn't like Nigel's dithering after being put in this elevated position by Alleyn .

I enjoyed this book so much more than the first. The theatre setting is excellent. And, not a Russian in sight.

I thought she had the theatre setting wonderfully, Sandy. Also, the London she wrote was excellent, considering she had only visited it as an adult. She obviously had the ability to recreate a place really well and get the feel for it.

I also loved the theatre setting - I've read a few mysteries recently set in this world, but Marsh's version feels very authentic - clearly making great use of her background.

The first Ellery Queen title, The Roman Hat Mystery, has a theatrical setting and is great fun.

There was also a play in the last Appleby book we read as a buddy read. Amateur theatricals were also, of course, very popular in many novels.

I never seem to figure out the murderer, despite all of the crime stories I absorb (both fiction and non), so I guess its a good thing I never became a detective in real life.
I thought Alleyn's character was much better than in the first outing, almost as if he was more comfortable in his own skin. He is quite unlike either a Holmes or Poirot character in that he is very self-deprecating. He comes across more as a person with some great skills, rather an untouchable genius that no one else can match (besides their evil mirror images). Its an interesting character that I am looking forward to getting to know better as we read more about him.

Good to hear you are enjoying Alleyn, Tara. Me too.

I've just started this, and enjoying it so far. I was quite surprised to see Alleyn refer to himself as being a 'bit Hitlerish' when he is ordering people around in the aftermath of the murder. The book is from 1935, so pre-WW2, although Hitler was in power. Does anyone know if the term Hitlerish was common place at this time?

Tracey wrote: "I've just started this, and enjoying it so far. I was quite surprised to see Alleyn refer to himself as being a 'bit Hitlerish' when he is ordering people around in the aftermath of the murder. The..."
I wondered that too Tracey, although I had totally forgotten about it by the time I finished the book. Perhaps its meant as a euphemism for acting like a dictator, since Hitler had recently seized power?

I was offered Money in the Morgue: An Inspector Alleyn Mystery the new Ngaio Marsh book for review yesterday and couldn't resist. Probably not a great idea to tackle this after only reading the first couple, but I like these enough to take a chance. I will report back and let you know what I think once it arrives...

I've reviewed this and found it different in lots of ways from the first two Marsh books which are all I've read - but it's such a long series that maybe she took it in that direction herself? Alleyn is more mature and it's set in NZ during WW2 - definitely worth reading, I thought.

Well, I couldn't resist it, so will let you know what I think when I read it, RC.

I’ll be interested to hear what you both think, but will resist for now. I wonder where it slots in going in chronological order?

Ooh, reading out of order, Susan?! 😉 I'll be very interested in hearing what you think.

I've just noticed that the first episode in the Inspector Alleyn Mysteries series is being shown on TV station Alibi at midnight on Saturday/Sunday and repeated at 11pm on Sunday. I have set it to record, and am hoping this means the whole series will be shown.

Sadly only 9 episodes were made and not in order - the first episode is Artists in Crime, while the second one is A Man Lay Dead. Anyway I will hope to record them and keep them until I get to the relevant book!

Thanks for posting, Judy. Wonder why they were not even made in order? I will record them and have a look, to see whether Alleyn looks how I imagine :)

For some reason I mentally picture Alleyn looking like David Tennant, although I think he is written to be more polished and well groomed than that.

I've now found a list of when the episodes are coming up on Alibi in the UK, and seems they are being shown out of order, for some confusing reason!

Although as I said earlier they weren't even made in order in the first place...
https://alibi.uktv.co.uk/shows/inspec...

Also, one episode, Hand in Glove, isn't listed, but maybe it will be shown at a later date? (Or possibly it has just been shown!)

The actor who plays Alleyn in the series is Patrick Malahide. I really like the idea of David Tennant playing the part, though, Tara.

I have put the Alleyn mysteries on record, so I will have a look and see whether the actor looks the part. The problem is, we all probably have different ideas of what he looks like...

Absolutely! Marsh says he is dark haired, and with all the 'oodle-boodles' and 'silly sausage' remarks, I keep picturing him as a dark haired Boris Johnson. Not sure who could play that!

Haha Pamela, isn't Alleyn supposed to be slim?! I think Patrick Malahide looks right for the part and is a very good actor, though unfortunately I often find myself remembering him as 'Cheerful Charlie' Chisholm in Minder.

Have just started - has such a 30s feel!

Hope you enjoy it, Carol. I liked the theatrical flavour, and am now looking forward to going on to the third book.

I am currently reading the third book and enjoying it. I think it is a step up in writing style actually, although I have enjoyed all three so far.

Judy wrote: "Hope you enjoy it, Carol. I liked the theatrical flavour, and am now looking forward to going on to the third book."

I did enjoy this one - I think more than I have ever enjoyed a Marsh. It was a first time read here but message #5 was a mild spoiler for me so I had to keep out of this thread till I had finished the book.

I started this one last night and am about half way through it. It seems a real step up in quality from A Man Lay Dead. It's much more believable. Her knowledge of the theatre comes across clearly and the early scene when Alleyn enters through the stage door entrance seemed really authentic - I could smell the grease paint!

I agree that it felt really authentic, Sue. Always a good idea to write about what you know.

My copy came in, and I dove right in - I am very comfortable with Alleyn, and the introduction in the book was pretty funny. (I am reading this version: Enter a Murderer)

The play is just beginning, so I will check back later after some more action.

Correction, I meant the Foreword, not the Introduction.

Hope you enjoy it, Critterbee. Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Well 'oobles boobles' (in the beginning of chapter 3) made my day.

Have not heard that one before, might be Marsh's own creation? Certainly easy to grasp the meaning of that one!

Has anyone heard that phrase before?

No, but I think it should come back into usage. Can we find a modern sentence in which we can casually drop it into conversation?!

Susan wrote: "No, but I think it should come back into usage. Can we find a modern sentence in which we can casually drop it into conversation?!"

I was watching the latest Brexit news yesterday Susan - plenty of oobles boobles there!

Good point, Sue. I am Brexited out...

So yet again I am 6 weeks behind the world in reading this, but having read the first 2 books in less than a week I am catching up.

But this is not about speed, its about enjoying the books one reads and yet again I have thoroughly enjoyed a book, another 4 stars in my view. I am going to take a break before starting number 3 as I feel one could be clue-ed out.
As other people have commented prior to me, the theatre came across very realistically and I am thoroughly enjoying DCI Alleyn's interesting choice of language sometimes as well as his gang of cohorts (Fox, Nigel and Bailey).

Oh don't get me started on Brexit, a complete bunch of ooble boobles to be honest

I finished it ! (very late indeed ^^)
I enjoyed it more than the first one, more realistic indeed, and I find that Alleyn is become a more fleshed out character too,
I really enjoy the context of the theatre and I always find that interesting when the detective witness the murder...
A great one !

You should enjoy Vintage Murder when you get there.

I’m still early into the book, right after the murder and am enjoying it. I agree. It’s a better novel than the first. I had thought it said in the preface that the killer is revealed early on, but luckily I dont see it, although I have an idea.

There actually have been other adaptations of Alleyn stories apart from the 90’s series, although most of them were individual episodes on different 50’s and 60’s anthology series, i.e. different stories by a different writer every week. The first actual series was in the 70’s with George Baker, who I’ve enjoyed in other films and television. He seems mostly right for the role, although he was a bit bulky by that point. I haven’t seen any of the adaptations apart from the Alleyn Mysteries first episode, Artists in Crime with Simon Williams, which I saw many years ago.He visually seems more like the part and played him well. I definitely don’t think Tennant seems right for the part, although I can’t think of many actors who could. Tom Hiddleston might be ok, and is probably more suitable for Alleyn than he is for Bond. Cumberbatch might be good, although he would probably never do it after playing Sherlock (typecast). Of Doctor Whos, Matt Smith would probably be good.