From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Enter a Murderer (Roderick Alleyn, #2)

Ngaio Marsh

Start date: February 1, 2018

Finish date: February 28, 2018

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The second book in our Ngaio Marsh challenge
[close] The second book in our Ngaio Marsh challenge

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Group Challenges

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What Members Thought

Jun 13, 2021 Lady Wesley rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-golden-age-or-similar, listened

Review of the audiobook narrated by James Saxon

This second Roderick Alleyn book was poorly narrated by James Saxon, whose work I have enjoyed in other Alleyn books. Perhaps he was still trying to perfect his voices, but they were quite unpleasant. The plot was rather silly, as well.

8 likes · Like · see review

Feb 07, 2018 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, marsh-challenge, bought-2018, mystery, vintage-mystery

Alleyn and Bailey were on their knees by the prompt box. Bailey was busy with an insufflator and the inspector seemed to be peering at the floor through a magnifying glass. Beside him, opened, was the bag they had brought him from the Yard. Nigel looked into it and saw a neat collection of objects, among which he distinguished magnifying glasses, tape, scissors, soap, a towel, an electric torch, rubber gloves, sealing wax, and a pair of handcuffs.
"What are you doing?" asked Nigel.
"Being a dete Alleyn and Bailey were on their knees by the prompt box. Bailey was busy with an insufflator and the inspector seemed to be peering at the floor through a magnifying glass. Beside him, opened, was the bag they had brought him from the Yard. Nigel looked into it and saw a neat collection of objects, among which he distinguished magnifying glasses, tape, scissors, soap, a towel, an electric torch, rubber gloves, sealing wax, and a pair of handcuffs.
"What are you doing?" asked Nigel.
"Being a detective. Can't you see?"

Inspector Roderick Alleyn's journalist pal Nigel Bathgate is friends with Felix Gardener, leading man in the up-and-coming London play The Rat & the Beaver. Felix gives Nigel two tickets to a second week performance and, since Nigel's best girl is out of town, the journalist decides to ask Alleyn if he'd like to join him. In the play, Gardener plays the Rat who "shoots" his fellow actor Arthur Surbonadier (aka the Beaver). The gun is normally loaded with dummies--not just blanks, because the shooting takes place at close range and would still ruin Surbonadier's costume. But tonight--somebody has replaced the dummies with the real thing and Surbonadier's death scene becomes the final performance of his life.

Off-stage, Surbonadier is the nephew of the theatre owner, but even his relationship to the owner couldn't give him the part he coveted--that of the Rat. The rivalry between the two men wasn't limited to their roles, however. They were also rivals for the attentions of the leading lady, Stephanie Vaughn. So, when murder happens, it's not too surprising. But everyone in the play would have been less surprised if Surbonadier had shot Gardener--after all, he thought Gardener had stolen his part and the affections of the actress. And the disgruntled actor was more the murderous type than the well-liked Gardener.

But did Gardener load the pistol with real bullets? Or did someone else do the switch and let Gardener do their dirty work for them? That's what Alleyn will have to determine. And it soon becomes apparent that plenty of people had good reason to want Surbonadier out of the way--everyone from his rival to the props man to his own uncle to the other actress he had made advances to. But who had the nerve...and the opportunity...to make the switch and change a prop into a real murder weapon?

Marsh's second novel is as entertaining as the first. Having such a love and interest in the theater, she provides a very realistic portrayal of the quirks and foibles of the actors, actresses, and sundry supporting backstage folk. Bathgate is a bit more annoying in this one--primarily because his friend Gardener is in the hot seat. I was relieved to see that Inspector Fox plays a larger role and I look forward to future installments when he will play "Watson" to Alleyn instead of Bathgate. Alleyn is also more flippant (and, at times, bordering on ridiculous) this time out, particularly in the beginning, but his character seems to settle down towards the end. I will be interested to see how Marsh presents him in the third novel.

The plot is intricate--in that it relies on who had access to the desk where the gun and bullets were kept and who was where during the crucial time period. And Marsh ends the story in grand dramatic style most suitable to its theatrical setting.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2018 Lemar rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery

I love English mysteries, where else do you get to read phrases like, “you fatuous old bag of tripe!”

3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2021 Sarah G rated it it was ok

Middling. I read many Ngaio Marsh books years ago and thought I’d give this one a re-read (as an audiobook). Very odd theatrical-style dialogue from many of the characters, dodgy plot and the eventually-revealed motive for the crime was weak. The audiobook narrator was dreadful which didn’t help!

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Jul 28, 2019 Becky rated it liked it

I like Ngaio Marsh but Alleyn is not my favourite detective. Not even close.

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Jan 20, 2018 Jill rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, ngaio-marsh

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. ...more

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Mar 10, 2018 Frances rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-series

I'm reading this series from the beginning and not sure it's one I'll stick with-I'll try a couple more books to see if it becomes more engaging as the series progresses. ...more

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