A return to form

Ngaio Marsh was a far better writer than Christie, but she did not seem to realise that the vital relationship in the genre is between the detective and his sidekick. In this novel, thank goodness, Alleyn is back working alongside Fox, and the chapters are animated by their mutual respect and gentle teasing. Also, the pair are introduced to the action fairly swiftly, whereas in certain of this series we are made to wait with the cast of suspects interminably until their appearance. Troy, the precocious brat Ricky and the ghastly Nigel are not good substitutes for Fox, who provides the contrast Alleyn needs, the aspirational working class man providing the foil to his intelligent silver-spoon chief. As always, Marsh's sharp eye for the class system gives us a highly enjoyable parody of English village life in the 1950s.

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Enjoyable

This is my second Ngaio Marsh book. An enjoyable listen. Philip Franks was an excellent Narrator. I will certainly seek out more by the author and the same narrator. Well worth a listen.

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Very good book by the absolute best writer!

Philip Franks is a good reader, but James Saxon, who read the entire Marsh canon in the good old Ninetees remains the absolute best!

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Wonderful writing, magnificent narration.

I read both Dame Agatha and Dame Ngaio when l was younger. l loved birth writers for different reasons: Christie for the crisp sparseness of her writing and the magnificent puzzles she never ceased to produce, and Marsh for the beauty and wit of her use of language, and the almost equal ingenuity of her "whodunnitery". Christie ages better but listening to the magnificent narration of Philip Franks brought to life, in a manner l never contemplated, the unequalled eloquence of Ngaio Marsh's writing in this genre. Marsh was a writer who matches the greatest writers, not just female writers, of the 19th century, whose writing was in genres other than detective fiction which l find invariably and inexcusably boring. Not with the great Ngaio Marsh though. A superb whodunnit, immaculately written, wonderfully funny and inventive, incomparably read by a great actor with language that reminds you of the excesses of snobbery which is a commentary on how times have changed - largely - for the better. As with the Great Christie, there's only one Great Ngaio.

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The best Ngaio Marsh story.

I do enjoy all that Marsh has written and this is by far the best.

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Another Enjoyable Alleyn Novel

Murder takes place in a cosy village setting with a complex murder investigation where class distinctions and loyalties are themes running through the entire story. Excellent, clear narration and production, this audio book is another very enjoyable listen.

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scales of justice.

Read perfectly by the actor, clear speech. Have previously read the book and have the dvd of tv version.

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Good story

This is one of my favourite Ngaio marsh stories, and I have a version read by the late James Saxon which is excellent, but on audio cassette. Glad to see this full length version although benedict cumberbatch is adequate in the abridged story the story suffers from the shortening. This is a fair version but Phillip franks voice is too light for Roderick Alleyn and this Mars the telling , although his version of inspector fox is good. I would really like to see the James Saxon version re-released., but this is worth a listen. Phillip franks does make a good fist of it as Margery allingham's hero Albert campion, just the right tone and degree of hesitation.

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