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Final Curtain (Roderick Alleyn, #14)

Ngaio Marsh

Start date: February 1, 2019

Finish date: February 28, 2019

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The next in our Ngaio Marsh challenge.
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* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
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What Members Thought

Jan 21, 2019 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Published in 1947, this is the fourteenth novel in the Inspector Alleyn series. The war is now over and Alleyn is expected home within a matter of two weeks, or so. His wife, the artist, Agatha Troy, worries about their reunion and is at a loss about how to pass the time. That is why, although originally unwilling, she accepts a commission to paint a portrait of the celebrated actor, Sir Henry Ancred for his seventy fifth birthday.

At Sir Henry’s family home, Troy meets his artistic and flamboyan ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mount-tbr-2019, bought-2017, marsh-challenge, vintage-mystery, mystery, british-mystery

Final Curtain (1947) by Ngaio Marsh finds Agatha Troy waiting for her husband's return from several years of war work in New Zealand and Australia. Inspector Alleyn is due back any time and Troy worries that the long separation may have spoiled their young relationship. When a request (a near-royal summons) comes from the celebrated actor Sir Henry Ancred for her to paint his portrait--in full actor's regalia as Macbeth--she is, at first, annoyed at the distraction. But when Sir Henry's son Thom Final Curtain (1947) by Ngaio Marsh finds Agatha Troy waiting for her husband's return from several years of war work in New Zealand and Australia. Inspector Alleyn is due back any time and Troy worries that the long separation may have spoiled their young relationship. When a request (a near-royal summons) comes from the celebrated actor Sir Henry Ancred for her to paint his portrait--in full actor's regalia as Macbeth--she is, at first, annoyed at the distraction. But when Sir Henry's son Thomas comes in person to plead the case, she is intrigued by his description of the family and decides that the distraction may be just what she needs. After all, Sir Henry's head fairly begs to be painted.

The family lives up to both Thomas's description and the run-down she received from Nigel Bathgate as she was leaving on the train for Ancreton Manor. She witnesses the bitter family dynamics and the jockeying for position as Sir Henry is fairly fickle in his favorites. The current front-runners are Patrica "Panty," his granddaughter, and Cedric, his grandson. But a spanner has been thrown into the works. The old gentleman has taken up with a young chorus girl and it looks like he may be out to prove that the "old man still has some life left in him." The family's fears are realized when Sir Henry announces that he plans to marry Sonia Orrincourt.

Troy finishes the portrait just in time for a grand unveiling on Sir Henry's birthday. But things go awry when the picture is found to have been vandalized--with a flying green cow dropping bombs on Sir Henry's head. There have been several "practical jokes" in the days leading up to the birthday and nearly everyone (including Sir Henry) assumes that Panty is the culprit. After all, she does have a history of such things. But both her mother and Troy believe that she's telling the truth when she says she hasn't done any of the tricks played on her grandfather. Someone is up to mischief...but who wants the blame to fall on Panty?

Then Sir Henry dies--apparently from natural causes following his most ill-advised over-indulgence during the birthday meal. He's safely buried and the family is weathering the shock of discovering that he had changed his will one final time--leaving Cedric Ancreton Manor, but nearly all his money to Sonia. That's when things get interesting.

Alleyn finally arrives back home and during their reunion, Troy tells him about her odd experiences at Ancreton Manor. Then anonymous notes start arriving that imply that Sir Henry's death wasn't natural after all. So Alleyn, Fox, and company start investigating.

Like Colour Scheme and a few of the other novels, this is one where Alleyn shows up rather late in the proceedings. However, unlike Colour Scheme, I don't actually mind it so much this time because get to spend quite a lot of time with Troy and we learn a great deal about her in the process. In some ways she acts as Alleyn's stand-in...observing the family's behavior and being able to give him a trusted, first-hand account of the goings on leading up to the murder. She brings an artist's eye for detail and gives Alleyn (and us) valuable insights on the characters and incidents. It provides a very unique build-up to the investigation.

I think in some ways Marsh has tried to give us another eccentric family like the Lampreys. But here the dark undertones overshadow the pleasant oddities. There is really something a bit distasteful about most of the Ancreds. One thing that struck me about the story was the emphasis on how all the Ancreds were the same--overly-theatrical; they all made that "tuh" noise; etc--all, that is except Thomas. Having made such a point of how Thomas was an exception to the Ancred rule, I almost expected there to be a revelation that Thomas wasn't really an Ancred after all...and that maybe that would figure into the motives somehow. Ah, well--I guess it was a case of the author protesting too much.

This was another enjoyable entry in the Alleyn chronicles--particularly since we see so much of Troy. Marsh did fool me on the killer...I had latched onto someone else and couldn't quite shake my belief in their guilt.

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

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Feb 03, 2019 Jill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-s-fifth-year-challenge-plan, ngaio-marsh

So pleased this was back featuring Allyen being a detective, after the last two books, him being a secret agent in New Zealand. Was worried at first that this was going to be just about his wife Troy. The reunion of Allyen and Troy , I thought was well handled, and was pleased to see Fox again.
I admit I had no idea who the villain was. I felt we were being being led to different characters all the way through, which probably made me disregard them. I hope future books carry on as good as this ha ...more

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Mar 03, 2019 Tracey rated it really liked it

Shelves: ngaio-marsh-challenge

Troy and Alleyn are reunited! A murder in a country house full of an appalling family. Plenty of red herrings. And rather extreme treatments for ringworm!

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