Spoiler Discussion (Jul 2019) Group Read - A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

[Erunyauve]

I was relieved that the murderer turned out to be neither one of the Russians nor Angela, as it seemed to be leaning at the end. My only criticism of the book is that the side-plot with the Russians was rather confusing and got in the way of the main story. (It also didn't make sense that a centuries-old secret society that had apparently enjoyed some favour from the Tsars and certainly owed its existence to the boyar aristocracy would be Stalinists.)

I do like the writing style of that particular era, and Marsh distinguishes each of the guests at Frantock well enough that we don't need a list of characters to keep them straight. There were a few loose ends left, but maybe I only missed the explanation. (What did Alleyn's sister the chemist discover? What was so damning about the two letters Alleyn kept for evidence?)

And truly, I could sympathise a bit with Wilde - not only was Charles carrying on with his wife, but the deceased had bullied the poor man.