From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Artists in Crime (Roderick Alleyn, #6)

Ngaio Marsh

Start date: June 1, 2018

Finish date: June 30, 2018

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The next book in our Ngaio Marsh challenge, considered by many people to be one of her best.
[close] The next book in our Ngaio Marsh challenge, considered by many people to be one of her best.

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
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* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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What Members Thought

Oct 05, 2013 Teri-K rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: old-favorites, mystery-golden-age, great-to-re-read, historical-mystery

This is one of my favorite Alleyn novels. In part that's because it's where he meets Agatha Troy, and then has to investigate a murder at her home, so we get to see the beginnings of their relationship. But it's also a really good traditional mystery, with diverse characters for suspects, a limited setting, the chance to work the case through step-by-step with the investigator, and some gruesome murders that you definitely want to see solved.

I also enjoy getting to see a bit of Alleyn's family ...more

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Jun 17, 2018 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, marsh-challenge, bought-2016, mystery, vintage-mystery, mount-tbr-2018

In Artists in Crime (1938) Ngaio Marsh introduces Inspector Roderick Alleyn to his future wife. It's not exactly an auspicious beginning to a romance. Alleyn is on his way back to England by boat from his extended leave and encounters Agatha Troy on the boat deck where they both had sought solitude--he for a quiet, contemplative pipe and she to do a bit of painting away from the other passengers.

"I had an idea," said the painter, "that if I worked up here on this hideously uncomfortable perch, In Artists in Crime (1938) Ngaio Marsh introduces Inspector Roderick Alleyn to his future wife. It's not exactly an auspicious beginning to a romance. Alleyn is on his way back to England by boat from his extended leave and encounters Agatha Troy on the boat deck where they both had sought solitude--he for a quiet, contemplative pipe and she to do a bit of painting away from the other passengers.

"I had an idea," said the painter, "that if I worked up here on this hideously uncomfortable perch, I might possibly have the place to myself for a bit."

She definitely makes him believe that she doesn't care for him at all.

Then when they've both returned to England, she heads to her country home, Tatler's End, where she paints and hosts students and fellow painters. He stops at his mother's home not far away for a final respite before returning to London, the Yard, and work. They are brought together again when the artist's model hired for the latest class is killed by the very method demonstrated in response to an illustration that one of the students needs to do for a book. A knife was driven through the modeling dais and when Sonia Gluck (the model) was pushed into position the blade went through her heart. Who did it? Was it the sculptor who had tired of their affair? Was it one of the women who were jealous of Sonia's way with men? Maybe it was the man with a title who dabbled in art and who had his own secrets with Sonia. There are hints of blackmail, a whiff of poison, and motives galore. Will Alleyn manage to find the murderer among Troy's friends without alienating the woman he's begun to love?

A clever little mystery with plenty of red herrings and interwoven motives to distract the reader. In addition to reading this, I also listened to an audio novel version read by Benedict Cumberbatch. He does a very good job giving voice to all of the characters--making it quite easy to keep them all straight. A thoroughly enjoyable story in both mediums.

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

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Sep 20, 2011 Pat rated it it was amazing

Shelves: veddy-veddy-english, audiobook, golden-age

re-read after 20 years. I recently read Queens of Crime, which featured Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers solving a mystery at a house party. I have read (I think) almost the entire Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers canon, but not Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham. I remember enjoying Inspector Alleyn and Albert Campion very much, and decided to see how the books have held up. Very happy to have re-read this, it is an escape to what seems like another world now. ...more

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May 08, 2013 Tracey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, audio, art

If I ever finish my book, and manage to have an audio edition, I want Benedict Cumberbatch reading it. Even with all the other readers I've come across whose voices I've fallen for, BC is a little bit spectacular. And I'm not even a "Cumberbitch". This is an abridged version of the novel, which normally I feel is an abomination, but for Cumberbatch's narration? I'm in.

This was the book I heard a clip of on Tumblr, the moment when Cumberbatch "does" the voice of an American woman with a heavy So ...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Carol Evans rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, audio-book

Marsh does a wonderful job, as always, of giving motives to each of her rather quirky suspects, and parceling out the clues but in a way that they are easily missed, allowing her to lead us down the wrong path right until the twist at the end. For me though, the highlight here was the interactions between Troy and Alleyn, the tension, the misunderstandings, and Alleyn's trying to keep his feelings seperate from the case. Troy is, after all, a suspect. The blooming romance is a good edition, it d ...more

1 like · Like · see review