The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh

This is a highly enjoyable collection of Marsh's short writings including: --Essays on Alleyn & on Troy --3 short cases of Alleyn's (Death on the Air, I Can Find My Way Out, & Chapter & Verse: The Little Copplestone Mystery) --4 additional (non-Alleyn) stories: The Hand in the Sand, The Cupid Mirror, A Fool About Money, & Moorpork (only the last is a regular mystery) --A TV telescript: "Evil Liver" with editor's comments on 5 "solutions" --An additional, newly found story: The Figure Quoted Some of the early works are a bit rough compared to Marsh's usually highly refined languaging & exposition, but many are quite clever (perhaps not as difficult as some of her novels to figure out), & several have quite a bit of humor (e.g. A Fool About Money & The Cupid Mirror). One (I Can Find My Way Out) is a prequel to one of her novels, I believe it was Night at the Vulcan. I especially enjoyed the telescript. My favorite line is from "I Can Find My Way Out" = p. 74: "You wouldn't deceive a village idiot in a total eclipse." I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could.

If you are a fan of Ngaio Marsh's novels you will love this collection of her short stories. A must read.

This is a great book about an evil English lord. He has staged a murder to take place at a nightclub. Inspector Roderick Alleyn is on the case trying to stop this murder from happening. It is only until he gets so far into the case that he finds out that it is only the cover for a real murder about to take place! This is a great book for most readers. As the suspense builds, so does your interest in the book. This book hooks you and is hard to put down. If you like mystery and suspense, this is the book for you.

This is a wonderful collection of the short fiction of Ngaio Marsh. Marsh is know best for her creation of the "handsome inspector," Roderick Alleyn. This volume presents previously unpublished works, "lost" works, and Marsh's own account of the creation of her famous detective. Marsh's wit really shines in this collection of work and you don't have to be a rabid Marsh fan to enjoy it. I recommend this book highly.