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Roderick Alleyn #17
Spinsters in Jeopardy
Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Alleyn has decamped for the South of France, where he does some poking around at the cultish denizens of a sinister and luxurious chateau, who are not fond of being poked. More thiller than straight-ahead whodunit, Spinsters in Jeopardy is a fresh take for Marsh, while retaining the cleverness and warm, vivid characterizations her fans demand.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1953
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808 people want to read
About the author
Ngaio Marsh
223 books804 followersDame Ngaio Marsh, born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. There is some uncertainty over her birth date as her father neglected to register her birth until 1900, but she was born in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
* Roderick Alleyn
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
* Roderick Alleyn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
April 29, 2019
I have been reading through the Roderick Alleyn novels and am still a little undecided about what I think of them. Undoubtedly, Ngaio Marsh at her best is very good. I prefer Roderick Alleyn’s wife, Troy, to Wimsey’s Harriet (that is not Harriet’s fault, but the never ending, unrequited love story got rather trying) and have to admit that I prefer a Poirot, unencumbered by anyone, other than Hastings, to a married sleuth. In this novel, Alleyn is not only joined by Troy, but by a six year old son, Ricky, who appears precociously fully formed.
Although Marsh is excellent at times, there are simply too many books where she is quite average. This is one of those times. In terms of style, this is like an early Campion, with gangs and sects, secret ceremonies and strange goings on abroad. Bizarrely, Alleyn determines to link up an investigation in Europe, with a family holiday. Troy has a distant cousin who has been sending her letters and she is keen to put a face to the name. Therefore, despite the fact this could be a dangerous investigation into a drug gang, Alleyn, Troy and Ricky head off towards the Alps, by train.
Even before they arrive, both Alleyn and Troy witness a crime from the window of their train, while an elderly lady is taken ill on the train and, of course, the only doctor is staying at the house where they saw the crime happening. Enter odd group of, mainly English, eccentrics, mysterious and sinister leader and a lot of suspicious behaviour. Then, Ricky goes missing.
Although Marsh throws herself into a serious crime – the kidnapping of a young child, she is torn between revealing Troy’s obvious horror and reassuring the reader that all will be well. Another child has previously been kidnapped the local police commissioner informs Troy, and he enjoyed the experience so much he wanted to stay with the kidnappers! Surprisingly, this does not reassure Troy at all and her response is, by far, the most realistic part of this novel. Overall, I am not a great fan of gangs in Golden Age crime novels – the reason why I stumbled over the early Campion novels. If I had not read much better mysteries by Marsh, this one might have stopped me in my tracks, but, as it is, I know she could do better.
Although Marsh is excellent at times, there are simply too many books where she is quite average. This is one of those times. In terms of style, this is like an early Campion, with gangs and sects, secret ceremonies and strange goings on abroad. Bizarrely, Alleyn determines to link up an investigation in Europe, with a family holiday. Troy has a distant cousin who has been sending her letters and she is keen to put a face to the name. Therefore, despite the fact this could be a dangerous investigation into a drug gang, Alleyn, Troy and Ricky head off towards the Alps, by train.
Even before they arrive, both Alleyn and Troy witness a crime from the window of their train, while an elderly lady is taken ill on the train and, of course, the only doctor is staying at the house where they saw the crime happening. Enter odd group of, mainly English, eccentrics, mysterious and sinister leader and a lot of suspicious behaviour. Then, Ricky goes missing.
Although Marsh throws herself into a serious crime – the kidnapping of a young child, she is torn between revealing Troy’s obvious horror and reassuring the reader that all will be well. Another child has previously been kidnapped the local police commissioner informs Troy, and he enjoyed the experience so much he wanted to stay with the kidnappers! Surprisingly, this does not reassure Troy at all and her response is, by far, the most realistic part of this novel. Overall, I am not a great fan of gangs in Golden Age crime novels – the reason why I stumbled over the early Campion novels. If I had not read much better mysteries by Marsh, this one might have stopped me in my tracks, but, as it is, I know she could do better.
October 2, 2020
The French Riveria, the occult, a possible murder and a kidnapping. Alleyn with Troy and their son Ricky go on a busman’s holiday. He has ben asked to investigate the House of the Silver Goat by the French surete as a spy. Right from the start there is action, did they see a murder from their train carriage in the Chateau or was it charades.
Dr Baradi an Egyptian doctor with the odious Mr Oberon cast a stench of evil and criminality. The elderly Miss Truebody’s appendicitis allows Alleyn to infiltrate the Chateau and Raoul his helpful driver assists him with his fiancée Teresa a maid working at the Chateau.
I enjoyed the story it was a bit weird the kidnapping of Ricky. The whole reveal of Baradi as the murderer was fairly obvious as it could only have been him or Oberon. Some nice descriptions of the french coastal landscape as well as the jumbled up occult practices of Oberon snd his acolytes.
Dr Baradi an Egyptian doctor with the odious Mr Oberon cast a stench of evil and criminality. The elderly Miss Truebody’s appendicitis allows Alleyn to infiltrate the Chateau and Raoul his helpful driver assists him with his fiancée Teresa a maid working at the Chateau.
I enjoyed the story it was a bit weird the kidnapping of Ricky. The whole reveal of Baradi as the murderer was fairly obvious as it could only have been him or Oberon. Some nice descriptions of the french coastal landscape as well as the jumbled up occult practices of Oberon snd his acolytes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 9, 2018
For once not a mystery from Marsh but a ripping yarn -- a ripping yarn about cults, drug trafficking, muddled identities and general derring-do. There's a mystery element in the tale, to be sure, but it very much takes the back seat in what's otherwise a romp.
The Yard's Roderick Alleyn is being lent to the Sûreté to help nail an international drug-trafficking gang operating out of the Alpes Maritimes. Since he's going to be based not far from where a cousin of Troy's lives -- a cousin she's never met but with whom she's corresponded -- it seems like a good idea to take Troy and six-year-old Ricky along so as to mix business with something of a vacation.
The first sign that this plan might not work out too well comes when their train is approaching its destination. Peering out into the early-morning gloom, Alleyn sees, through the lighted window of a chateau next to the tracks, what looks like a murder being committed. Turns out that's the very chateau his bosses are hoping he'll be able to infiltrate, because it's the HQ of a seedy cult linked to the drugs gang.
That's coincidence number one. Coincidence number two -- the sudden taking-ill of a fellow passenger on the train -- is enough to gain Alleyn the kind of entree to the chateau, and the cult, that he could have only dreamed of. I'm normally not too much of a fan of coincidence-driven plotting, but the ones here seem just on the right side of the plausible/risible boundary: if these two coincidences happened in real life we'd remark on them with interest, but we wouldn't be completely flabbergasted.
Another part of the plotting that might trouble some minds arises because, quite clearly, Marsh knew nothing about the effects of marijuana: she seems to have thought they were much the same as those of, say, cocaine and heroin. The glue that keeps the cult together is that its leaders take pains to get the acolytes addicted to reefers, and one of those acolytes talks about how her habit has come completely to control her actions -- she'll do anything for the next fix of marijuana, in other words. To which all one can say is: Yeah, right.
As with the coincidences, this doesn't really matter. If we assume the cult leader has spiked the reefers with something harder, then the rest fits in well enough. Besides, this is an adventure romp we're reading, not John le Carré.
There's a lot of Marsh's trademark humor here; I laughed aloud several times. Aside from the occasional urge to smack the precocious young Ricky upside the head, I rollicked through Spinsters in Jeopardy with a grin on my face, even during the occasional moments of high tension.
The Yard's Roderick Alleyn is being lent to the Sûreté to help nail an international drug-trafficking gang operating out of the Alpes Maritimes. Since he's going to be based not far from where a cousin of Troy's lives -- a cousin she's never met but with whom she's corresponded -- it seems like a good idea to take Troy and six-year-old Ricky along so as to mix business with something of a vacation.
The first sign that this plan might not work out too well comes when their train is approaching its destination. Peering out into the early-morning gloom, Alleyn sees, through the lighted window of a chateau next to the tracks, what looks like a murder being committed. Turns out that's the very chateau his bosses are hoping he'll be able to infiltrate, because it's the HQ of a seedy cult linked to the drugs gang.
That's coincidence number one. Coincidence number two -- the sudden taking-ill of a fellow passenger on the train -- is enough to gain Alleyn the kind of entree to the chateau, and the cult, that he could have only dreamed of. I'm normally not too much of a fan of coincidence-driven plotting, but the ones here seem just on the right side of the plausible/risible boundary: if these two coincidences happened in real life we'd remark on them with interest, but we wouldn't be completely flabbergasted.
Another part of the plotting that might trouble some minds arises because, quite clearly, Marsh knew nothing about the effects of marijuana: she seems to have thought they were much the same as those of, say, cocaine and heroin. The glue that keeps the cult together is that its leaders take pains to get the acolytes addicted to reefers, and one of those acolytes talks about how her habit has come completely to control her actions -- she'll do anything for the next fix of marijuana, in other words. To which all one can say is: Yeah, right.
As with the coincidences, this doesn't really matter. If we assume the cult leader has spiked the reefers with something harder, then the rest fits in well enough. Besides, this is an adventure romp we're reading, not John le Carré.
There's a lot of Marsh's trademark humor here; I laughed aloud several times. Aside from the occasional urge to smack the precocious young Ricky upside the head, I rollicked through Spinsters in Jeopardy with a grin on my face, even during the occasional moments of high tension.
August 25, 2020
È il primo libro che leggo di Ngaio Marsh e devo dire che la sua scrittura è piuttosto fluida e si legge bene. Ovviamente non posso paragonarli hai precedenti non avendoli letti. 😅
April 20, 2019
I'm currently reading through the Ngaio Marsh Roderick Alleyn mysteries in order for a challenge with the Reading the Detectives group on Goodreads. Although I'm enjoying them, some have become a bit samey - but that could never be said about this one, which is a completely bonkers thriller. It's one of the capers involving gangs, chases and glamorous locations which many Golden Age detective authors also wrote.
Alleyn, wife Troy and their unbelievably perfect and precocious six-year-old son Ricky, making his first appearance in the series, decide to go on a holiday to France. Well, actually it isn't completely a holiday, since Alleyn is being sent there on the trail of a fiendish drug gang. But he thinks it will be easy enough to combine sightseeing with exposing desperate criminals. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, for starters, there is a desperately ill British passenger on the train, and the Alleyns have to help find her medical care. There is also an early plot similarity with a famous element in 4:50 from Paddington - apparently seeing a crime through a train window - but Marsh got there first, as Christie's Miss Marple book was published four years later!
The plot soon thickens, involving a bizarre religious cult (not a million miles from previous Alleyn novel Death in Ecstasy), a long-lost cousin of Troy's, and various French characters whose conversation is translated word for word - so for instance they constantly refer to Ricky as "the small one" for "le petit".
While I found this an enjoyable romp, the plot is ludicrous and completely unbelievable, there is very little element of mystery, and I really don't think Marsh does capers as well as some other writers, such as Allingham. The adorable Ricky is also pretty insufferable, despite being amusing. And there's some stereotyping of both "spinsters" and Egyptian characters, which is disquieting although of its time.
Alleyn, wife Troy and their unbelievably perfect and precocious six-year-old son Ricky, making his first appearance in the series, decide to go on a holiday to France. Well, actually it isn't completely a holiday, since Alleyn is being sent there on the trail of a fiendish drug gang. But he thinks it will be easy enough to combine sightseeing with exposing desperate criminals. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, for starters, there is a desperately ill British passenger on the train, and the Alleyns have to help find her medical care. There is also an early plot similarity with a famous element in 4:50 from Paddington - apparently seeing a crime through a train window - but Marsh got there first, as Christie's Miss Marple book was published four years later!
The plot soon thickens, involving a bizarre religious cult (not a million miles from previous Alleyn novel Death in Ecstasy), a long-lost cousin of Troy's, and various French characters whose conversation is translated word for word - so for instance they constantly refer to Ricky as "the small one" for "le petit".
While I found this an enjoyable romp, the plot is ludicrous and completely unbelievable, there is very little element of mystery, and I really don't think Marsh does capers as well as some other writers, such as Allingham. The adorable Ricky is also pretty insufferable, despite being amusing. And there's some stereotyping of both "spinsters" and Egyptian characters, which is disquieting although of its time.
May 13, 2019
Spinsters in Jeopardy (1953; aka The Bride of Death) is one of the most bizarre books by Ngaio Marsh. Here we have England sending one of its most celebrated Scotland Yard detectives "undercover" to infiltrate a drug ring. And, as if that's not enough, he's going to take along his wife who is just as celebrated (or perhaps more so) in her own right as an artist. To make everything look like a totally legit family vacay, we'll throw in an incredibly precocious six-year-old son as well.
On top of this ludicrous set-up, we have coincidences galore...Troy's mysterious cousin just happens to be working at the factory which is producing the drugs. The cousin is also in the inner circle of Mr. Oberon, leader of the cult which serves as a cover for the thriving heroin business. A spinster (one of those who wind up in jeopardy) on the train out to Rouqueville falls deathly ill and, having no friends or relations with her and none in the immediate vicinity, Alleyn and family take her under their wing and manage to use her as an entree to the cult's home base. Because, of course, there is a spectacular surgeon who's part of Oberon's entourage and he can save the day for the spinster. Then...it winds up that Carbury Glande, a fellow painter who's bound to recognize Troy and blow the gaff in a most disastrous way, is also part of the entourage. Only he doesn't--blow the gaff, that is. How fortunate that he doesn't know that Troy has married a celebrated policeman. Though how he could not, is beyond me. Maybe he forgot.
And...Marsh seems to be trying to stuff every conceivable bit of criminal activity into this book that she can: murder, gangs, kidnapping, drug producing, drug pushing, drug taking, and maybe even a bit of fraud since the cult is definitely not what it claims to be. It's no wonder I read this just once before (back in the mists of time when I was reading my way through all the mysteries in my home town library) and never had a desire to read it again until I joined up for the Ngaio Marsh Reading Challenge on Goodreads. Though--to be fair, I don't really remember thinking it was quite such a mess the first time I read it. It just seems to me that Marsh couldn't settle down to what kind of story she wanted to tell. Thriller? International drug ring? Murder viewed from a train? Charismatic figure leading cult members into a life of crime? Oh...why don't we just do it all!
There were some bright points--mostly in characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Raoul and Therese in supporting roles and Troy and Alleyn are delightful as usual excepting a few scenes with them as parents. I don't think Marsh writes parenting scenes well consistently. To be quite honest, she could have left Ricky out of the story altogether and it would have suited me better. And, seriously, what policeman going undercover into a possibly dangerous situation would take along their six-year-old?
Definitely not one of Marsh's best novels.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
On top of this ludicrous set-up, we have coincidences galore...Troy's mysterious cousin just happens to be working at the factory which is producing the drugs. The cousin is also in the inner circle of Mr. Oberon, leader of the cult which serves as a cover for the thriving heroin business. A spinster (one of those who wind up in jeopardy) on the train out to Rouqueville falls deathly ill and, having no friends or relations with her and none in the immediate vicinity, Alleyn and family take her under their wing and manage to use her as an entree to the cult's home base. Because, of course, there is a spectacular surgeon who's part of Oberon's entourage and he can save the day for the spinster. Then...it winds up that Carbury Glande, a fellow painter who's bound to recognize Troy and blow the gaff in a most disastrous way, is also part of the entourage. Only he doesn't--blow the gaff, that is. How fortunate that he doesn't know that Troy has married a celebrated policeman. Though how he could not, is beyond me. Maybe he forgot.
And...Marsh seems to be trying to stuff every conceivable bit of criminal activity into this book that she can: murder, gangs, kidnapping, drug producing, drug pushing, drug taking, and maybe even a bit of fraud since the cult is definitely not what it claims to be. It's no wonder I read this just once before (back in the mists of time when I was reading my way through all the mysteries in my home town library) and never had a desire to read it again until I joined up for the Ngaio Marsh Reading Challenge on Goodreads. Though--to be fair, I don't really remember thinking it was quite such a mess the first time I read it. It just seems to me that Marsh couldn't settle down to what kind of story she wanted to tell. Thriller? International drug ring? Murder viewed from a train? Charismatic figure leading cult members into a life of crime? Oh...why don't we just do it all!
There were some bright points--mostly in characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Raoul and Therese in supporting roles and Troy and Alleyn are delightful as usual excepting a few scenes with them as parents. I don't think Marsh writes parenting scenes well consistently. To be quite honest, she could have left Ricky out of the story altogether and it would have suited me better. And, seriously, what policeman going undercover into a possibly dangerous situation would take along their six-year-old?
Definitely not one of Marsh's best novels.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2018
3.5 stars for me
I liked the interplay of Alleyn and Troy with their 6-year old Ricky and then their train journey meant to be part work for Alleyn at request of Sûreté and British Intelligence as well as a wee vacation for wife and child. Troy had received strange letters from a distant cousin she had never heard of, and since the town Alleyn had to visit on work matched with this cousin's location, it was thought to be serendipity.
First clue that things were not going to be peaceful came from what both Troy and Alleyn observed from their separate sleeping compartments on the journey. Alleyn meant to pull off his investigation of what was going on at this imposing house on the cliffs of Côte d'Azur without sharing his intent, but needs must. It was a murder they both observed from the train.
Additional speed bump complicating their holiday was coming to the aid of a woman passenger who very obviously needed urgent medical care. All these circumstances converge, giving Alleyn entry to the massive house since the only doctor available is on one of his visitations to this place of contemplation, indoctrination of exotic cult teachings and easy access to weed whilst managing drug trafficking.
Can we say Whaaaaat? But it gets worse, believe me. I couldn't enjoy the plot device of having their young son kidnapped. Had it been taken seriously I may have even discarded the book without finishing, but it was so casually treated by Alleyn had it been presented on stage more than one tomato would have been thrown. Kidnapping children is a topic I avoid whenever forewarned.
Anyway...as far as pentagram meetings in flowing robes go, naked men who exalt themselves in archaic rituals for the adoration of spinsters who really only want the smokes, there were some moments of comic relief.
I have not read the books in order, wasn't there for wedding/birth, etc. Eventually I will catch up as long as I can get these nice clean paperbacks at my library. It was good entertainment, just not my favorite of what I have read so far. I did enjoy meeting Ricky.
I liked the interplay of Alleyn and Troy with their 6-year old Ricky and then their train journey meant to be part work for Alleyn at request of Sûreté and British Intelligence as well as a wee vacation for wife and child. Troy had received strange letters from a distant cousin she had never heard of, and since the town Alleyn had to visit on work matched with this cousin's location, it was thought to be serendipity.
First clue that things were not going to be peaceful came from what both Troy and Alleyn observed from their separate sleeping compartments on the journey. Alleyn meant to pull off his investigation of what was going on at this imposing house on the cliffs of Côte d'Azur without sharing his intent, but needs must. It was a murder they both observed from the train.
Additional speed bump complicating their holiday was coming to the aid of a woman passenger who very obviously needed urgent medical care. All these circumstances converge, giving Alleyn entry to the massive house since the only doctor available is on one of his visitations to this place of contemplation, indoctrination of exotic cult teachings and easy access to weed whilst managing drug trafficking.
Can we say Whaaaaat? But it gets worse, believe me. I couldn't enjoy the plot device of having their young son kidnapped. Had it been taken seriously I may have even discarded the book without finishing, but it was so casually treated by Alleyn had it been presented on stage more than one tomato would have been thrown. Kidnapping children is a topic I avoid whenever forewarned.
Anyway...as far as pentagram meetings in flowing robes go, naked men who exalt themselves in archaic rituals for the adoration of spinsters who really only want the smokes, there were some moments of comic relief.
I have not read the books in order, wasn't there for wedding/birth, etc. Eventually I will catch up as long as I can get these nice clean paperbacks at my library. It was good entertainment, just not my favorite of what I have read so far. I did enjoy meeting Ricky.
March 14, 2017
I don't know that the 17th book in any series can really be expected to be one of the best ones, so I'm not really sure what I was thinking here. Other than this:
When I was a kid, probably about 10 years old, Agatha Christie was my favorite writer. Marsh is often compared to Christie, and I thought Spinsters in Jeopardy was the most delicious title imaginable. (I also really liked old ladies, I don't know what that was about. I was a weird kid.) Anyway, I tried to read it several times, but I thought Spinsters was impenetrable.
I was pretty confident in my ability to get through it as an adult, but I will certainly admit that I see what was so confusing to Little Me. Here's the set-up: Inspector Alleyn has been invited to investigate shady dealings at a remote French chateau. Coincidentally, his wife has started to receive letters from a long-lost relation who lives in the same village. Coincidentally, on the train to this village, Alleyn and his wife happen to (separately) look out their windows in the middle of the night and witness a murder in a window the train is passing! Coincidentally, this is the same chateau Alleyn has been sent to investigate. Coincidentally, an elderly woman on the train suffers a burst appendix and there are no doctors in the village because of a convention... but a guest at the shady chateau is a doctor, so viola! Alleyn and his wife bring their kid and accompany the ill woman to this den of satanism and reefer madness.
Seriously, WTF.
I should also mention that Alleyn, his wife, Troy, and their son all speak with a veddy British, sometimes tongue-in-cheek (I think?) formality that makes them seem even more artificial than their extremely unlikely circumstances.
So this book stunk, right? Not entirely. Some of the dialogue is pretty good, sidekick Raoul is quite dashing, and -surprisingly- some of the jokes land. I might read another.
When I was a kid, probably about 10 years old, Agatha Christie was my favorite writer. Marsh is often compared to Christie, and I thought Spinsters in Jeopardy was the most delicious title imaginable. (I also really liked old ladies, I don't know what that was about. I was a weird kid.) Anyway, I tried to read it several times, but I thought Spinsters was impenetrable.
I was pretty confident in my ability to get through it as an adult, but I will certainly admit that I see what was so confusing to Little Me. Here's the set-up: Inspector Alleyn has been invited to investigate shady dealings at a remote French chateau. Coincidentally, his wife has started to receive letters from a long-lost relation who lives in the same village. Coincidentally, on the train to this village, Alleyn and his wife happen to (separately) look out their windows in the middle of the night and witness a murder in a window the train is passing! Coincidentally, this is the same chateau Alleyn has been sent to investigate. Coincidentally, an elderly woman on the train suffers a burst appendix and there are no doctors in the village because of a convention... but a guest at the shady chateau is a doctor, so viola! Alleyn and his wife bring their kid and accompany the ill woman to this den of satanism and reefer madness.
Seriously, WTF.
I should also mention that Alleyn, his wife, Troy, and their son all speak with a veddy British, sometimes tongue-in-cheek (I think?) formality that makes them seem even more artificial than their extremely unlikely circumstances.
So this book stunk, right? Not entirely. Some of the dialogue is pretty good, sidekick Raoul is quite dashing, and -surprisingly- some of the jokes land. I might read another.
December 29, 2016
Very much default three stars. This one is a mixed bag.
I hate kidnapping in general, but I especially hate child kidnappings. Very much not on board for the kidnapping of Troy and Alleyn's young son.
I always like the Troy/Alleyn dynamic, but on the other hand I'm not sure I entirely buy their reactions to the kidnapping of their son (Troy's is more realistic). Also, Ricky Alleyn is far too much of an overly precocious child, who often does not sound like any child I have ever heard. But then, perhaps that's hereditary, because I had issues with Alleyn's dialogue in the early books...
Also, this one was really quite sinister, with the creepy cult, and the drug connections. The whole thing felt very over the top. Not at all what I was in the mood for.
But then, it almost redeems itself in the ridiculousness that is the last half of the last chapter. (Troy's second cousin refers to them as Cousin Roddy and Cousin Aggie in her head! Snicker.)
So yeah, on the plus side we had Alleyn family dynamics, and the completely hilarious ending, on the minus side, the kidnapping, the sense of menace and the creep-factor.
I really can't make up my mind about it.
I hate kidnapping in general, but I especially hate child kidnappings. Very much not on board for the kidnapping of Troy and Alleyn's young son.
I always like the Troy/Alleyn dynamic, but on the other hand I'm not sure I entirely buy their reactions to the kidnapping of their son (Troy's is more realistic). Also, Ricky Alleyn is far too much of an overly precocious child, who often does not sound like any child I have ever heard. But then, perhaps that's hereditary, because I had issues with Alleyn's dialogue in the early books...
Also, this one was really quite sinister, with the creepy cult, and the drug connections. The whole thing felt very over the top. Not at all what I was in the mood for.
But then, it almost redeems itself in the ridiculousness that is the last half of the last chapter. (Troy's second cousin refers to them as Cousin Roddy and Cousin Aggie in her head! Snicker.)
So yeah, on the plus side we had Alleyn family dynamics, and the completely hilarious ending, on the minus side, the kidnapping, the sense of menace and the creep-factor.
I really can't make up my mind about it.
April 10, 2019
I've enjoyed reading the Inspector Alleyn mysteries by Ngaio Marsh very much. I've read the first few in order but I've also jumped around a bit in the series. A case in point being my latest, Spinsters in Jeopardy which is the 17th book in the series. I guess it's probably somewhat important to read the series in order as you do get to see how Alleyn's relationship with artist, Agatha Troy develops. I was a bit surprised to find that the duo now have a son. But having said that, the stories also stand very well on their own.
In Spinsters, we see our intrepid family on a 'vacation' in southern France, ostensibly visiting a long lost relative of Troy's. On the train journey to Roqueville, as the train approaches the city, both Alleyn and Troy see what appears to be an act of violence from their train compartment. On arrival in Roqueville, they are also thrown into a dire situation, as one of the passengers, an elderly woman, Miss Truebody, has a problem with her appendix and must see a doctor immediately. Fortunately, while all of the local doctors are away at a conference, there is an Egyptian doctor at the villa, which the train just passed and the family brings Miss Truebody there.
Now Alleyn isn't exactly on vacation, he is instead working with la Surete to find a drug smuggling ring working in the area. So, there is lots going on here. Alleyn must try to remain somewhat incognito as he visits la Chevre de l'Argent (the silver goat), as there appear to be people there who know both he and Troy. He must keep his family safe from the strange goings on at the chateau, while still investigating. There is more going on than just drug smuggling, maybe>
For an Alleyn mystery, there is considerable action. There are great characters, Alleyn, Troy (nice to see her playing a bigger role) and Ricky, their young son. As well, you have the inestimable Raoul, Alleyn's driver who is so much assistance. And of course, suitable villain abound. It's an interesting, quick moving story and one of the more entertaining Alleyn mysteries. (4 stars)
In Spinsters, we see our intrepid family on a 'vacation' in southern France, ostensibly visiting a long lost relative of Troy's. On the train journey to Roqueville, as the train approaches the city, both Alleyn and Troy see what appears to be an act of violence from their train compartment. On arrival in Roqueville, they are also thrown into a dire situation, as one of the passengers, an elderly woman, Miss Truebody, has a problem with her appendix and must see a doctor immediately. Fortunately, while all of the local doctors are away at a conference, there is an Egyptian doctor at the villa, which the train just passed and the family brings Miss Truebody there.
Now Alleyn isn't exactly on vacation, he is instead working with la Surete to find a drug smuggling ring working in the area. So, there is lots going on here. Alleyn must try to remain somewhat incognito as he visits la Chevre de l'Argent (the silver goat), as there appear to be people there who know both he and Troy. He must keep his family safe from the strange goings on at the chateau, while still investigating. There is more going on than just drug smuggling, maybe>
For an Alleyn mystery, there is considerable action. There are great characters, Alleyn, Troy (nice to see her playing a bigger role) and Ricky, their young son. As well, you have the inestimable Raoul, Alleyn's driver who is so much assistance. And of course, suitable villain abound. It's an interesting, quick moving story and one of the more entertaining Alleyn mysteries. (4 stars)
December 4, 2013
Oh for heavens' sake! I agree with the reefer madness references in other reviews (and I have, indeed, seen that very silly movie). Now that marijuana is legal, I can state without fear of arrest that "reefers" absolutely have no such effect or addiction potential. So there. :-)
I really like this one--one of my favorites; it's just fun. Love Ricky.
I really like this one--one of my favorites; it's just fun. Love Ricky.
May 4, 2019
Instead of writing a detective story, Marsh decided to write a thriller but with the same hero. She does a poor job. Roderick Alleyn, a well known DCI, is sent to France in an an undercover role where he is likely to meet people from his own social circle. For some reason, he takes along his wife Troy, a famous painter, and their six year old son. Unbelievable. Very avoidable.
August 13, 2016
Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's 4:50 from Paddington, police Inspector Roderick Alleyn catches a glimpse of what he believes to be a murder through a train window as he passes a villa. He, wife Troy and their young son Ricky are en route to the French Riviera for a much-needed holiday. Ah, an inspector can never take a vacation from crime -- especially when Ricky goes missing in an attempt to dissuade Alleyn and Troy from investigating Chateau of the Silver Goat, the scene of the crime. But can the Alleyns prove that? And how do they find their son?
The sunlit Mediterranean setting and a mostly clever plot rescues this 17th entry in the Roderick Alleyn mystery series from its implausible ending. It was also nice to see Troy front and center, although not to the extent that she was in Final Curtain. Definitely worth reading despite the cultic mumbo-jumbo.
The sunlit Mediterranean setting and a mostly clever plot rescues this 17th entry in the Roderick Alleyn mystery series from its implausible ending. It was also nice to see Troy front and center, although not to the extent that she was in Final Curtain. Definitely worth reading despite the cultic mumbo-jumbo.
October 22, 2020
It's rather hard to give a Ngaio Marsh a middling (much less a low) rating; this was overwrought, racist, sexist, fat-shaming twaddle ... but it was very well-written twaddle. The family bits - even, remarkably, the bits about Alleyn's son Ricky - were lovely; character bits in general were lovely. Which is surprising to me because generally the appearance on the scene of a little boy with quite a bit of dialogue is going to be a death knell for a book - especially an audiobook. But Nadia May's narration is terrific, even including the kid. Descriptions are very good. The whole kidnapping plot and its resolution was realistic and excellently done. But the whole cult thing was strongly reminiscent of "Death in Ecstasy" - which is funny, because Alleyn's thoughts even reference the events of that book a couple of times. I haven't read it in years, but I still kept thinking "But didn't she already do this?"
Also, the thought of that little goat figurine is disturbing, luminescing away in the chubby clutch of a little boy, probably painted with radioluminescent paint which will kill Ricky eventually ...
And wow, does Ngaio Marsh come off as hating fat people and spinsters. Since I happen to be both, I'm not over-fond of this book.
Also, the thought of that little goat figurine is disturbing, luminescing away in the chubby clutch of a little boy, probably painted with radioluminescent paint which will kill Ricky eventually ...
And wow, does Ngaio Marsh come off as hating fat people and spinsters. Since I happen to be both, I'm not over-fond of this book.
June 3, 2018
Shades of Agatha Christi's 4:50 from Paddington and Hitchcock's 1956 film The Man Who Knew Too Much. Perhaps Agatha Troy could have broken out singing Que Sera, Sera while they hunted for little "Ricky" (Hank). Nothing like a mystery involving the rescue of several traveling 'spinsters' involving from the fat evil guy who starts a cult which is a cover for an international drug ring.
January 31, 2018
While I prefer her English manor home murders, I love anything Ngaio Marsh writes, including when she just goes for the crazy and fully embraces it like she does in this book. Here, her intrepid detective and his family come into close and dangerous contact with a cult. Mistaken identities, kidnappings, and goat statues all come into play, and it is a fun wild ride.
October 13, 2019
So bad! In so many ways! From the preposterous sequence of coincidences that stagger the plot forward, to poor Ms. Marsh's stunning lack of imagination of what the drug trade might look like, there is really no excuse for her agent, publisher, SOMEONE not talking her out of publishing it. At least they played fair enough to give us a hint in the title that all was not well.
Two stars instead of one because, jeez, nice Ngaio Marsh, nice Roderick Alleyn, his rather timid and formal little boy -- they're hard to pan because they're pretty well realized, and carry in cred from the other, better books in the series, and the writing is pretty good from sentence to sentence. Also, there is a certain trainwreck fascination in watching an exercise in fiction quite this clumsy nonetheless touch all the bases and cross the finish line, an undeniably whole and complete novel.
Two stars instead of one because, jeez, nice Ngaio Marsh, nice Roderick Alleyn, his rather timid and formal little boy -- they're hard to pan because they're pretty well realized, and carry in cred from the other, better books in the series, and the writing is pretty good from sentence to sentence. Also, there is a certain trainwreck fascination in watching an exercise in fiction quite this clumsy nonetheless touch all the bases and cross the finish line, an undeniably whole and complete novel.
August 3, 2020
I have to say, I wasn't all that impressed with this one. It dragged endlessly, the main mystery took a back seat for most of the story, such that it's easy to forget about it entirely. This one didn't capture my attention like other Alleyn mysteries have.
May 24, 2023
Early Bird Book Deal | More than a little ridiculous | At the time of original publication, quite a few famous mystery novelists got very interested in secret societies, drug trafficking, esoterica, and Master Criminals. Those books never hold up, because the authors don't have the knowledge to back them. In this book, for example, there are a bunch of people whose "marijuana addiction" makes them susceptible, even when they've not had any for awhile, to any claim or threat, and makes them both willing to conspire in murder and unable to trust themselves not to defend murderers. It's like Marsh read some anti-drug propaganda pamphlets, A few chapters of The Golden Bough, and a little Ian Fleming, stuck what she remembered in a bag and shook it vigorously. Meantime, Troy has suddenly become much stupider than she ever was, assuming that if a delivery arrives purporting to be from a particular person, which enabled a kidnapping, then obviously that's the kidnapper. Nobody would ever put someone else's name on a delivery card, oh no. Ah, well, nice to spend time with Alleyn.
February 20, 2018
The Alleyns take a family trip, with Troy and Ricky joining Rory Alleyn in the South of France in Ngaio Marsh's Spinsters in Jeopardy. They find themselves in a situation where Detective Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn gets sent by MI-5 to look into how drugs are entering into England. But also, in Roqueville, near the location of the chateau where Alleyn is to be sent, Troy has an eccentric third cousin once removed, Moinsieur Garbel, who has been sending her strange letters, complete with used train tickets and details of his chemistry work. So the Alleyns determine to break their rule against combining Rory's work with family activities and choose to take the trip to the South of France together.
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
May 12, 2020
Alleyn on the Trail of Cults & Drugs
Review of the Fontana paperback edition (1983) of the 1954 original
There isn't any mystery investigation here as the villains are known from the outset. CID Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn is on loan to the French Sûreté to investigate a suspected drugs gang in their chateau / castle base. As a distant relative of his artist wife Agatha Troy lives nearby they use the opportunity of a family vacation as a cover story to explain Alleyn's presence in the vicinity. A medical emergency by a fellow passenger on their train gets them entrance to the chateau. Various perils and escapes ensue. The drugs gang is also part of a satanic ritual cult just to add further evil-doings to the proceedings. This was more of an adventure story than a mystery puzzle for Alleyn to solve, which made it only a so-so outing for the series.
This was part of my current re-read project of works from the Golden Age of Crime of which many are still in my collection after first being read in the 1970s and 1980s.
Review of the Fontana paperback edition (1983) of the 1954 original
There isn't any mystery investigation here as the villains are known from the outset. CID Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn is on loan to the French Sûreté to investigate a suspected drugs gang in their chateau / castle base. As a distant relative of his artist wife Agatha Troy lives nearby they use the opportunity of a family vacation as a cover story to explain Alleyn's presence in the vicinity. A medical emergency by a fellow passenger on their train gets them entrance to the chateau. Various perils and escapes ensue. The drugs gang is also part of a satanic ritual cult just to add further evil-doings to the proceedings. This was more of an adventure story than a mystery puzzle for Alleyn to solve, which made it only a so-so outing for the series.
This was part of my current re-read project of works from the Golden Age of Crime of which many are still in my collection after first being read in the 1970s and 1980s.
November 22, 2020
A very different sort of Roderick Alleyn book by Marsh than the others of hers that I’ve read.
Alleyn and his wife are on holiday in the south of France, as a cover for the work he’s doing with the sûreté. It’s starts with a murder seen from a train window, there’s drugs barons, child kidnap, coded letters, undercover missions and a smattering of witchcraft.
There’s certainly a lot going on here, but it works - most of all because the amount of Alleyn, his wife and son and the exploration of their relationship.
In parts, it could probably have done with a little editing - its fast pace is let down a bit by some dragging bits. But, that doesn’t effect the overall enjoyment - this was a great, fun read.
Alleyn and his wife are on holiday in the south of France, as a cover for the work he’s doing with the sûreté. It’s starts with a murder seen from a train window, there’s drugs barons, child kidnap, coded letters, undercover missions and a smattering of witchcraft.
There’s certainly a lot going on here, but it works - most of all because the amount of Alleyn, his wife and son and the exploration of their relationship.
In parts, it could probably have done with a little editing - its fast pace is let down a bit by some dragging bits. But, that doesn’t effect the overall enjoyment - this was a great, fun read.
August 5, 2021
Alleyn has an assignment in France. He decides to bring his family along for vacation so they could meet a mysterious second cousin who’s been writing to Troy. ( when did Troy have a baby??) The child gets kidnapped and how the parents could be so calm was a puzzle. Alleyn gets mixed up in a cult which is a cover for drugs. There is an eventual murder and enough twists and turns that kept me amused.
January 21, 2021
I listened to the audio, done by Nadia May. I always love Marsh's friendly characters, and am quite fond of Troy, so I thoroughly enjoyed this, excepting a few scenes.
But it really ought not to be the next read for somebody who is just beginning to read Marsh, because the themes of gangs and unspeakable secret rituals does not show her at her very best.
But it really ought not to be the next read for somebody who is just beginning to read Marsh, because the themes of gangs and unspeakable secret rituals does not show her at her very best.
December 28, 2017
3.5 stars
September 8, 2019
This entry in the series has a lot of Troy (and little Ricky) which I liked but was less of a mystery than a suspense/thriller.
August 30, 2019
Barely 3*. It is not Mrs. Marsh best book in the Inspector Alleyn Series. There are also too many coincidences to make the story believable. I found the child kidnaping completely ridiculous in its treatment. There were many hilarious pearls buried in this book and the finale takes the prize, hence the 3*.
October 5, 2022
Seventeenth in the Inspector Roderick Alleyn vintage mystery revolving around a Scotland Yard detective. The focus is two-fold: a relative in France and an undercover operation. It was originally published in 1953.
My Take
Wow, it hadn't seemed that long since Swing, Brother, Swing , 15, when Troy was pregnant, and all of a sudden, we have a Ricky still young enough to ride his Daddy's shoulders!
Boredom appears to be a running theme.
Ricky is cute with his big words — he does like the word lavish, lol — and French. I do enjoy watching Alleyn and Troy interact with him. They seem like good parents.
Having Ricky along provides us with his own thoughts and fears — which means Marsh is using a third person global subjective point-of-view from a number of perspectives, including Ricky's. The signs of his pleasures and fears bring such a homey quality to Spinsters in Jeopardy.
Troy and Alleyn are sweet together with their quotations and compliments. Raoul is a brick, so willing to help with the more dangerous aspects of this story.
Enlightening and not-so-sweet are the mild references to race and assurances that one can still be a qualified doctor in spite of their skin color. It's sad to know that we haven't changed all that much. Roderick has his own a-ha moment when he is surprised by how enjoyable it is to speak with Raoul.
Troy and Alleyn both note the deliberate costuming and stage settings that create the religious background for Oberon and his rites. Lucky for Alleyn that he has such wide ranging knowledge, lol.
Baradi and others refer to their cult and what Oberon expects of them. It is also lucky that the Internet does not yet exist, for Alleyn's sake. Robin's concerns AND reluctance is annoying. He's old enough to know better! He's also expecting quite a bit.
There is some tension in that, as a few of the cult members know Troy is married to a cop, and Rory is worried that they'll spill the beans. More tension arises when there's a kidnapping!
There's a small bit in which Marsh notes the attempts world governments have made at cleaning up the opium trade — and both states and highly placed individuals have their "embarrassing" involvements. Life really hasn't changed much, has it?
It gets rather reefer-madness at the end with the whole story primarily character-driven with some action with a reasonable pace — I did enjoy the funny bits about Ricky and his inevitable pourquois. As for the tricksy bits by the coppers, lol, they'd not be able to get away with that today! Although I will say that Alleyn's attitude toward Oberon and Baradi was quite satisfying, hee-hee.
The Story
With the war and all, the Alleyns haven't had a chance to go on a vacation, and this surreptitious trip to France seems heaven-sent. Ricky and Troy will also be good cover. Even better is when a fellow passenger, Miss Truebody, requires a surgeon, and Rory can step in as an interested traveler.
The Characters
Chief Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn is with CID at Scotland Yard. He's married to the famous painter, Agatha Troy, and they have a young son, Ricky. Troy's parents were Stephen and Harriet Troy. Nanny doesn't go on this trip. Ricky's illuminating goat is named . . . Goat.
The brave and adventurous Raoul Milano has a car that he hires out with himself as chauffeur. He was a medical orderly in the war. His parents have a small but good café, the Escargot Beinvenu, in Roqueville.
Roqueville, the Maritime Alps, France
The suspect P.E. Garbel, a chemist known as Peg, seems to be the classic bore who shows you things you don't want to see. He's been writing the Alleyns, his cousin Aggie specifically, for the past 18 months from Roqueville in the Maritime Alps in France. Blanche is the fat concierge at Mlle Penelope E Garbel's apartment building at 16 Rue des Violettes. M Malaquin is the manager of the Hôtel Royal.
Dupont of the Sûreté is based at the Préfecture as acting commissary. Le Pot des Fleurs is a flower shop.
Mr Oberon, a.k.a. Ra and Albert George Clarkson, has rented the Château de la Chèvre d'Argent, an old Saracen fort, outside Roqueville to further enjoy his cult activities for the Children of the Sun in the Outer. Dr Ali Baradi, a skilled surgeon, is his partner. His disciples include Ginny Taylor, the youngest whose back history is so sad, and is Grizel's niece; the lame Robin Herrington, the wild son of a famous brewer; Carbury Glande is a painter who knows Troy; Annabella Wells is a notorious, if brilliant actress and addict; and, the Honorable Grizel Locke, a.k.a. Sati, who is sister to Penderby Locke, who is himself Ginny's uncle and guardian.
Mahomet is Baradi's Egyptian servant. Teresa is a maid at the château and Raoul is in love with her. Jeanne Barre is an underhousemaid. Old Marie inhabits one of the caves and makes the illuminated goats amongst other statues. Montague Summers wrote a major work on witchcraft. Halebory will become the name of the body.
Miss Truebody is a spinster from Bermuda with no family and a bursting appendix! No one is concerned with any HIPPA issues, that's for sure! Dr Claudel happens to have some anaesthetic handy.
The Compagnie Chimique des Alpes Maritimes is a nearby factory under suspicion. Callard is the general manager. Georges Martel is a smarmy driver. Peron et Cie is another company and on a suspect list.
St Christophe is hosting a conference for doctors.
Scotland Yard
The A.C. is the assistant commissioner. MI5, the Sûreté, and the Narcotics Bureau need someone with fluent French. Some previous cases, that of Horus and the Swami Vivi Ananda, appeared before Curtis Bennett with Edward Carson prosecuting, have a similarity to this story.
The International Police and the UN is also interested.
The Cover and Title
The cover incorporates colonial blues from deep and dark to light. The obvious gradation in previous covers is not here but still gradates from darker on the top and sides to lighter in the bottom, showcasing a more obvious gradation in the title with white to navy. The stretched-out banner is a pale blue with the author's name in her signature art deco font using solid black and sketched black lines with a white halo. There are four single-side scalloped lines in white along with the spaces between in a gradation of dark to colonial blue on each side, raying out from the bottom to the sides. The bottom graphic in the center has a woodcut look as purple mountains with white snow. The arched banner at the bottom is in a sky blue with the series info in white.
The title is true for there are Spinsters in Jeopardy, related and unrelated.
My Take
Wow, it hadn't seemed that long since Swing, Brother, Swing , 15, when Troy was pregnant, and all of a sudden, we have a Ricky still young enough to ride his Daddy's shoulders!
Boredom appears to be a running theme.
Ricky is cute with his big words — he does like the word lavish, lol — and French. I do enjoy watching Alleyn and Troy interact with him. They seem like good parents.
The train trip (with a philosophical child in tow) is an interesting look back to the early 1950s. It also allows one to witness murder? At one point, the passengers can see into someone's window as they sit down to breakfast. Not my idea of privacy! As for becoming ill on the train. Not then. Don't do it."'If,' the voice pursued, 'I said a sensible why, would you answer, Daddy?'
'If would have to be entirely sensible.'"
Having Ricky along provides us with his own thoughts and fears — which means Marsh is using a third person global subjective point-of-view from a number of perspectives, including Ricky's. The signs of his pleasures and fears bring such a homey quality to Spinsters in Jeopardy.
Troy and Alleyn are sweet together with their quotations and compliments. Raoul is a brick, so willing to help with the more dangerous aspects of this story.
Enlightening and not-so-sweet are the mild references to race and assurances that one can still be a qualified doctor in spite of their skin color. It's sad to know that we haven't changed all that much. Roderick has his own a-ha moment when he is surprised by how enjoyable it is to speak with Raoul.
"Italian blood there, I think. One comes across these hybrids along the coast."It's rather creepy to think of all those caves under the château!
Troy and Alleyn both note the deliberate costuming and stage settings that create the religious background for Oberon and his rites. Lucky for Alleyn that he has such wide ranging knowledge, lol.
Baradi and others refer to their cult and what Oberon expects of them. It is also lucky that the Internet does not yet exist, for Alleyn's sake. Robin's concerns AND reluctance is annoying. He's old enough to know better! He's also expecting quite a bit.
There is some tension in that, as a few of the cult members know Troy is married to a cop, and Rory is worried that they'll spill the beans. More tension arises when there's a kidnapping!
There's a small bit in which Marsh notes the attempts world governments have made at cleaning up the opium trade — and both states and highly placed individuals have their "embarrassing" involvements. Life really hasn't changed much, has it?
It gets rather reefer-madness at the end with the whole story primarily character-driven with some action with a reasonable pace — I did enjoy the funny bits about Ricky and his inevitable pourquois. As for the tricksy bits by the coppers, lol, they'd not be able to get away with that today! Although I will say that Alleyn's attitude toward Oberon and Baradi was quite satisfying, hee-hee.
The Story
With the war and all, the Alleyns haven't had a chance to go on a vacation, and this surreptitious trip to France seems heaven-sent. Ricky and Troy will also be good cover. Even better is when a fellow passenger, Miss Truebody, requires a surgeon, and Rory can step in as an interested traveler.
The Characters
Chief Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn is with CID at Scotland Yard. He's married to the famous painter, Agatha Troy, and they have a young son, Ricky. Troy's parents were Stephen and Harriet Troy. Nanny doesn't go on this trip. Ricky's illuminating goat is named . . . Goat.
The brave and adventurous Raoul Milano has a car that he hires out with himself as chauffeur. He was a medical orderly in the war. His parents have a small but good café, the Escargot Beinvenu, in Roqueville.
Roqueville, the Maritime Alps, France
The suspect P.E. Garbel, a chemist known as Peg, seems to be the classic bore who shows you things you don't want to see. He's been writing the Alleyns, his cousin Aggie specifically, for the past 18 months from Roqueville in the Maritime Alps in France. Blanche is the fat concierge at Mlle Penelope E Garbel's apartment building at 16 Rue des Violettes. M Malaquin is the manager of the Hôtel Royal.
Dupont of the Sûreté is based at the Préfecture as acting commissary. Le Pot des Fleurs is a flower shop.
Mr Oberon, a.k.a. Ra and Albert George Clarkson, has rented the Château de la Chèvre d'Argent, an old Saracen fort, outside Roqueville to further enjoy his cult activities for the Children of the Sun in the Outer. Dr Ali Baradi, a skilled surgeon, is his partner. His disciples include Ginny Taylor, the youngest whose back history is so sad, and is Grizel's niece; the lame Robin Herrington, the wild son of a famous brewer; Carbury Glande is a painter who knows Troy; Annabella Wells is a notorious, if brilliant actress and addict; and, the Honorable Grizel Locke, a.k.a. Sati, who is sister to Penderby Locke, who is himself Ginny's uncle and guardian.
Mahomet is Baradi's Egyptian servant. Teresa is a maid at the château and Raoul is in love with her. Jeanne Barre is an underhousemaid. Old Marie inhabits one of the caves and makes the illuminated goats amongst other statues. Montague Summers wrote a major work on witchcraft. Halebory will become the name of the body.
Miss Truebody is a spinster from Bermuda with no family and a bursting appendix! No one is concerned with any HIPPA issues, that's for sure! Dr Claudel happens to have some anaesthetic handy.
The Compagnie Chimique des Alpes Maritimes is a nearby factory under suspicion. Callard is the general manager. Georges Martel is a smarmy driver. Peron et Cie is another company and on a suspect list.
St Christophe is hosting a conference for doctors.
Scotland Yard
The A.C. is the assistant commissioner. MI5, the Sûreté, and the Narcotics Bureau need someone with fluent French. Some previous cases, that of Horus and the Swami Vivi Ananda, appeared before Curtis Bennett with Edward Carson prosecuting, have a similarity to this story.
The International Police and the UN is also interested.
The Cover and Title
The cover incorporates colonial blues from deep and dark to light. The obvious gradation in previous covers is not here but still gradates from darker on the top and sides to lighter in the bottom, showcasing a more obvious gradation in the title with white to navy. The stretched-out banner is a pale blue with the author's name in her signature art deco font using solid black and sketched black lines with a white halo. There are four single-side scalloped lines in white along with the spaces between in a gradation of dark to colonial blue on each side, raying out from the bottom to the sides. The bottom graphic in the center has a woodcut look as purple mountains with white snow. The arched banner at the bottom is in a sky blue with the series info in white.
The title is true for there are Spinsters in Jeopardy, related and unrelated.
January 10, 2025
MY RATING GUIDE: 4 Stars. I enjoyed SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY which features Chief Inspector Alleyn, his wife Troy and their son from chapter 1. (Some titles in this series don’t have Alleyn entering until the last 1/3 of the books).
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/fairly good; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I SELDOM give 5 Stars).
South of France, a Chief Inspector Alleyn family Busman’s holiday ~
Chief Inspector Alleyn is on a discrete temporary assignment for M15 on a troubling matter regarding drugs and other potential offenses which have come to the attention of the FR and British government. As an independent investigator (one not yet known to French criminals) and as part of a cooperative effort Alleyn has been sent to the location with the hopes that he might be able to discover the root of the matter, incognito, while official channels have failed. (For whatever reason, the Alleyns - Troy & Alleyn - decided to arrive as a family unit - what were they thinking!)
Comments ~
1)SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY is bk 17 of a 33+Short Mysteries Collection series. Nevertheless, I feel it can easily be picked up and enjoyed as a Standalone title. Readers that find themselves enjoying SIJ might simply jump back to the beginning, should they wish, or pick up any of the other titles.
2) The Inspector Roderick Alleyn series is a Classic Mystery series, with SIJ published in 1953. I find this a great Palate Cleansing series when bogged down (or hung over) by previous reading. It usually leaves me feeling refreshed. (Good conquers evil without a lot of drama).
3) I was rather surprised by Troy’s lack of reticence in the opening scenes of SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY. While the Alleyn family is on a Busman’s holiday with Chief Inspector Alleyn to the Southern coast of France, Troy announces Alleyn’s rank and title to all and sundry. Troy’s indiscretion could have blown his cover, let alone the risks that follow. Goodness Troy!
4) I don’t enjoy certain books in this series as much as others. The former mentioned are generally the ones in which Alleyn (and his colleagues) don’t enter until nearly the end. In SIJ, Alleyn and his family feature from page 1. The tends builds and the action switches back and forth from the MCs to the antagonists.
5) This series is a familiar favorite of mine. I first discovered it years ago and have read it a number of times. I happily recommend it to readers who enjoy or prefer:
> Mystery Classics like Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham.
> Seasoned MCs
> Intelligent writing
> British Mysteries
> Historical Mysteries (this series is set during WWII (without graphic reference) and post WWII).
> Character Driven novels
> Police Procedurals
> Mostly Clean fiction (possible?/rare, strong language in a book or two).
> Low angst/emotional drama, not dark or graphic details
READER CAUTION ~
PROFANITY - None.
VIOLENCE - This is a murder mystery series without dark or graphic details.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
OTHER - SIJ is a murder mystery which deals with drugs, orgies, the occult, kidnapping, etc. Each area is mentioned and although the subject matter is dark, the details are not particularly graphic.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= This was okay/fairly good; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I LIKED THIS A LOT; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I SELDOM give 5 Stars).
South of France, a Chief Inspector Alleyn family Busman’s holiday ~
Chief Inspector Alleyn is on a discrete temporary assignment for M15 on a troubling matter regarding drugs and other potential offenses which have come to the attention of the FR and British government. As an independent investigator (one not yet known to French criminals) and as part of a cooperative effort Alleyn has been sent to the location with the hopes that he might be able to discover the root of the matter, incognito, while official channels have failed. (For whatever reason, the Alleyns - Troy & Alleyn - decided to arrive as a family unit - what were they thinking!)
Comments ~
1)SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY is bk 17 of a 33+Short Mysteries Collection series. Nevertheless, I feel it can easily be picked up and enjoyed as a Standalone title. Readers that find themselves enjoying SIJ might simply jump back to the beginning, should they wish, or pick up any of the other titles.
2) The Inspector Roderick Alleyn series is a Classic Mystery series, with SIJ published in 1953. I find this a great Palate Cleansing series when bogged down (or hung over) by previous reading. It usually leaves me feeling refreshed. (Good conquers evil without a lot of drama).
3) I was rather surprised by Troy’s lack of reticence in the opening scenes of SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY. While the Alleyn family is on a Busman’s holiday with Chief Inspector Alleyn to the Southern coast of France, Troy announces Alleyn’s rank and title to all and sundry. Troy’s indiscretion could have blown his cover, let alone the risks that follow. Goodness Troy!
4) I don’t enjoy certain books in this series as much as others. The former mentioned are generally the ones in which Alleyn (and his colleagues) don’t enter until nearly the end. In SIJ, Alleyn and his family feature from page 1. The tends builds and the action switches back and forth from the MCs to the antagonists.
5) This series is a familiar favorite of mine. I first discovered it years ago and have read it a number of times. I happily recommend it to readers who enjoy or prefer:
> Mystery Classics like Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham.
> Seasoned MCs
> Intelligent writing
> British Mysteries
> Historical Mysteries (this series is set during WWII (without graphic reference) and post WWII).
> Character Driven novels
> Police Procedurals
> Mostly Clean fiction (possible?/rare, strong language in a book or two).
> Low angst/emotional drama, not dark or graphic details
READER CAUTION ~
PROFANITY - None.
VIOLENCE - This is a murder mystery series without dark or graphic details.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.
OTHER - SIJ is a murder mystery which deals with drugs, orgies, the occult, kidnapping, etc. Each area is mentioned and although the subject matter is dark, the details are not particularly graphic.
May 31, 2017
Another glimpse of Alleyn's family life, this time with the addition of young son Ricky. I wonder what happened to Alleyn's mother?
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