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Colour Scheme (Roderick Alleyn, #12)

Ngaio Marsh

Start date: December 1, 2018

Finish date: December 31, 2018

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The last in our 2018 Inspector Alleyn challenge - but there are more books in the series coming up in 201…more
[close] The last in our 2018 Inspector Alleyn challenge - but there are more books in the series coming up in 2019!

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 16 posts · 18 views

last updated Sep 12, 2025 08:12PM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
By Susan · 13 posts · 22 views

last updated Sep 16, 2025 12:58PM

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What Members Thought

Nov 12, 2018 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is the twelfth Inspector Alleyn mystery, although Inspector Alleyn does not feature until fairly late in the novel.

Published in 1943, this is more of a spy story than a murder mystery. It is set in New Zealand, in a hot springs resort, run by Colonel Edward Claire, his wife, Agnes, and their grown children, Barbara and Simon. Among those staying at the resort are Dr James Ackrington, brother of Agnes, and the objectionable Mr Maurice Questing. Colonel Claire owes money to Questing, who is ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Oct 19, 2015 Bev rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: bought-2015, set-in-new-zealand, marsh-challenge, mystery, mount-tbr-2018, spy-espionage, vintage-mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Possibly Spoilerific....Read at your own risk if you have any desire to read Ngaio Marsh's mysteries.

So...the last time I read Ngaio Marsh's Colour Scheme (1946), I gave it a very unenthusiastic two stars. Unfortunately, I have to report that I still don't think much of it. If you'd like a review that goes a bit more in-depth, then please see my earlier review (HERE). This time around, I'd just like to reiterate what a very long wait we have for A. the murder and B. for Alleyn to show up. And it ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2016 Leslie rated it liked it

Shelves: owned, audiobooks, mysteries

3.5*

While I enjoyed the north New Zealand setting, this WW2 mystery/spy thriller struck me as more dated than some of her more traditional mysteries. Even though this came across to me as more of a spy story than a murder mystery, Marsh did 'play fair' with the clues being there for the observant reader (which wasn't me this time!)

I did appreciate how Marsh managed to get in a touch of the theater world even among the mud pots of Rotorua with visiting actor Gaunt and his entourage! :) ...more

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Jan 06, 2019 Paperbackreader rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: all-collections, read-but-unowned, classic, mystery, detective, inspector-roderick-alleyn, fay-pub-lib, audiobook

I disliked almost every character in this book, especially Geoffrey Gaunt and Simon Claire. The native characters are sympathetically portrayed, but the tinge of racism never entirely leaves the narrative. The plot does have some redeeming points, such as the method of the murder. But there is an overall unevenness here (the randomness of the motive(s) and the identity of the perpetrator, for example) which makes liking this book rather impossible. A so-so read for me.

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 02, 2018 ShanDizzy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

While this was an interesting and enjoyable story, I do not quite understand why it is included in the series. Inspector Alleyn was mentioned in the very last chapter 3 pages from the end. Granted, the setting is during the war and Alleyn is doing undercover work. Still, he is not featured prominently at all and I missed Foxkin too.

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Dec 03, 2018 Jill rated it it was ok

Shelves: ngaio-marsh

Was not too keen on this book. I would say my least favourite of this series so far. Another book where Alleyn fails to be included until very late in the story. It is set completely in New Zealand, with descriptions of the countryside which were interesting. The hot springs being very much pivotal.

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