For an unlucky member of parliament, a hospital stay is the unkindest cut of all...
When Britain's Home Secretary complained of abdominal pa... read full description
When Britain's Home Secretary complained of abdominal pa... read full description
reviews
Feb 01, 2011
Ali
rated it: 
This is a great little old fashioned murder mystery. I love Chief Inspector Alleyn his sidekick Inspector Fox. Alleyn does get all the best lines though - he is a quick witted man who I find really funny.
In this mystery the Home Secretary Sir Derek O'Callaghan is suffering from a severe pain - which he knows may be appendicitis - but he has an important controversial bill to deliver first. He has been getting threatening letters, some of which are due to a more personal matter. When Sir Der More...
In this mystery the Home Secretary Sir Derek O'Callaghan is suffering from a severe pain - which he knows may be appendicitis - but he has an important controversial bill to deliver first. He has been getting threatening letters, some of which are due to a more personal matter. When Sir Der More...
Dec 20, 2008
Gabby
rated it: 
I tried reading Ngaio Marsh years ago and just couldn't get into her style of writing. This time around I liked her characters, particularly her Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn. He's charming, smart, witty, and a little on the goofy side. But this was not the best book to showcase his talents or his personality.
Home Secretary, Sir Derek O'Callaghan is not having a very good time of it. He's introduced an anti-anarchistic bill in the House, and as a result he's gotten some death t More...
Home Secretary, Sir Derek O'Callaghan is not having a very good time of it. He's introduced an anti-anarchistic bill in the House, and as a result he's gotten some death t More...
Jul 27, 2010
Victoria
rated it: 
Ngaio Marsh, ever the professional, brought in a doctor to advise her on this one and even gave him credit as co-author.
I call that class.
The solution's a bit of a standard Christie WTF? But it's still Chief Inspector-Detective Alleyn at his most disarming, interrogating potential murderers with such perfect throwaway lines as, "Yes, of course--how stupid I am! That makes it much simpler for me," and, "Do you mind if I have one of my own? Good cigarettes a More...
I call that class.
The solution's a bit of a standard Christie WTF? But it's still Chief Inspector-Detective Alleyn at his most disarming, interrogating potential murderers with such perfect throwaway lines as, "Yes, of course--how stupid I am! That makes it much simpler for me," and, "Do you mind if I have one of my own? Good cigarettes a More...
Jun 20, 2011
Smitha
rated it:
was a cozy read. An English Parliamentarian dies after a complicated surgery for ruptured appendix, his wife wants investigation into the death as she suspects foul play. Then the story unravels in the old detective school way of interviewing all involved, reconstructing the scene etc. with practically no modern forensic method involved. I love reading about the way an interview goes - a good writer can afford us a glimpse into the psyche of the interviewer as well as interviewee and its great f
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Apr 15, 2009
Mike
rated it:
This is another book I picked up and read in a single morning. Ngaio Marsh is the King of the classic murder mystery (normally I'd say the Queen, but then people think it means she's only the best *female* mystery writer and I think she beats out the men as well), and while this isn't my favourite Ngaio Marsh book it's still an incredible book. It's one of her shorter ones, so it's a straight line from murder to arrest without any plot twists, but that straightforwardness makes it all the more
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Jun 25, 2010
Charlene
rated it: 
One of my favourite Marshes. A good mystery with a surprise ending (and one you wouldn't expect coming from that time period) and realistic characters. The medical details are also spot-on accurate for that time period (courtesy of Marsh's "co-writer", the doctor she consulted) and enhance the mystery instead of increasing the confusion.
A warning to those reading this book in a Russian translation: when it was first translated into Russian in the 30s the Communist anarchist More...
A warning to those reading this book in a Russian translation: when it was first translated into Russian in the 30s the Communist anarchist More...
Nov 28, 2011
Sorcha
rated it:
I'm reading/listening to Ngaio Marsh/Inspector Alleyn stories out of order, so it can be a tad confusing when presented with an early in [return]the cycle story.[return][return]Originally published in 1935, this has the stereotypical characters - the out and out communists, still enamoured with the idea of the "all work together to over turn the upper class" (even though they'll happily take money to do a job until the reigning class have been overturned); the upper class Harely street
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Dec 06, 2010
Jill
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Another great read by one of the masters of the British golden age mystery, Ngaio Marsh. Don't be misled by the "nursing home" in the title........in England, a nursing home is a hospital for patients recovering from surgery or illness. In this case, the Home Secretary dies mysteriously after emergency surgery and the list of suspects ranges from Communists to pharmacists. Roderick Alleyn and his faithful partner in detection. Fox, are on the case and the game is afoot. Add this one t
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Apr 24, 2011
Alexander
rated it:
For her third Inspector Roderick Alleyn title, The Nursing Home Murder published in 1935, Ngaio Marsh creates a cunning puzzle. The British Home Secretary has been receiving threatening letters, from the Soviet-inspired socialists ... and from a women he dallied with and the man that women loves. When appendicitis strikes suddenly, the Home Secretary is operated on by the doctor who is the jilted women's lover, and the woman herself, a nurse, is in the operating theatre. But the anesthetist, the
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Dec 29, 2009
Scilla
rated it:
An important politician dies of an overdose of hyoscine after an appendix operation and Inspector Alleyn is called in to investigate. There are several suspects, including his mistress (surgical nurse) and doctor, who have both threatened him, his wife who hated him, and several communists who didn't like him politically. The book is well written (as are all Ngaio Marsh books); a very good British mystery.
Sep 14, 2010
Bettie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 17, 2010
Andrea
rated it:
Another of the earliest of the Alleyn mysteries, this is again marred by foolish side-roads into Communist conspiracies and the adventures of Nigel Bathgate. Alleyn is a little more 'Alleyn' in this novel, rather than an unsteady Campion/Whimsy cross, and Fox has taken a step or two forward, but it is still far from Marsh's strongest novels.
Dec 17, 2011
Becca
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Enjoyable but Ngaio marsh seems to always climatically end her novels with a reconstruction of the murder which providentially reveals the murderer! Shocking! Hopefully she'll change it up soon.
Sep 22, 2009
Sergey
rated it:
How very British. I so did enjoy the dialogue. Marsh’s style is growing on me. The communist subplot was blah, but otherwise it’s a rather enjoyable mystery at that. Fraytefully nayce, indeed!
Apr 09, 2009
Elizabeth
rated it:
Any book by this author is interesting. Also in the murder-cozy genre. Try her if you like Dorothy L. Sayers.
May 30, 2008
Rosalyn
rated it:
I typically enjoy Ngaio Marsh's writing style and mysteries, but this was not one of my favorites--Marsh, like Agatha Christie, has a bad habit of occasionally introducing spy themes and government sabotage into her novels, a tendency that tends to distract from what I think are the real charms of her novels: carefully drawn locales with interesting characters. When dealing with espionage, both authors are inclined to be rather vague and melodramatic, which gets annoying.
Apr 05, 2009
Jz
rated it:
3rd in series 1935
Not one of her best; she's still struggling to find her pace.
She introduces spying and Bolshies, but doesn't really develop it.
That said, at least no one is trying to kill the detective in these stories from the Golden Age of Mystery. That gets so tiresome in most of the more modern mysteries.
Not one of her best; she's still struggling to find her pace.
She introduces spying and Bolshies, but doesn't really develop it.
That said, at least no one is trying to kill the detective in these stories from the Golden Age of Mystery. That gets so tiresome in most of the more modern mysteries.
Feb 23, 2010
Brett
rated it:
Not my favorite Alleyn mystery, but still very enjoyable. It's interesting to see just how different health care was in 1930s Britain - this setup would certainly not be possible in today's hospital environment.
Dec 07, 2010
astrangerhere
rated it:
Entertaining, and a good portrait of how sometimes detectives still luck into a solution.
"If it isn't murder, somebody's been awfully careless."
"If it isn't murder, somebody's been awfully careless."
Mar 12, 2008
Writerlibrarian
rated it: 
More simplistic, less imaginative, this mystery centers around a surgery gone wrong that hides a clever murder. DCI Alleyn is on the case but the plot is weighted down by unnecessary tangents, paper thin suspects and when the murderer is revealed you go huh. Not a good sign. A very average novel.
Jul 12, 2010
Felicia
rated it:
Thank goodness this wasn't actually about a nursing home. I guess in the '30s in England a "nursing home" was a private hospital. This was a quite enjoyable, quick reading mystery. I really enjoy the recurring characters.
Aug 29, 2009
Jean
rated it:
just started this mystery but I'm enjoying it already. There's nothing for relaxation and escape like a good murder mystery!
Feb 08, 2012
