Daddy King: An Autobiography

Rating:
Summary: A fine finish
Review: A wonderful mystery setting (New Zealand house party, cut off from the outside world) in one of Marsh's wittiest, best-written books (at the age of 85!). Ending was a bit disappointing, but otherwise wonderful. Her penultimate book, better than her last, Light Thickens.

Rating:
Summary: A fine finish
Review: A wonderful mystery setting (New Zealand house party, cut off from the outside world) in one of Marsh's wittiest, best-written books (at the age of 85!). Ending was a bit disappointing, but otherwise wonderful. Her penultimate book, better than her last, Light Thickens.

Rating:
Summary: Modern Mystery, Modern Issues
Review: In Ngaio Marsh's "Photo Finish", Inspector Alleyn travels to Marsh's back yard -- New Zealand -- to consult with an Opera diva who is being stalked by a mysterious photographer. Unflattering photos of 'The Sommita', as she is known, have driven her -- as well as her 'patron' and his staff -- to distraction. Alleyn, along with his artist wife, Agatha Troy (who is to paint a portrait of the singer), journey to a remote island hideaway where murder -- no surprise -- quickly occurs. Marsh peppers the story with well-drawn characters: a young composer, surly Italian servants, mysterious millionaire...but frankly, I guessed who the murderer was early on, as well as the motive. The novel is still enjoyable, but other Alleyn mysteries are more exciting and more, well, 'mysterious'.

Rating:
Summary: Modern Mystery, Modern Issues
Review: In Ngaio Marsh's "Photo Finish", Inspector Alleyn travels to Marsh's back yard -- New Zealand -- to consult with an Opera diva who is being stalked by a mysterious photographer. Unflattering photos of 'The Sommita', as she is known, have driven her -- as well as her 'patron' and his staff -- to distraction. Alleyn, along with his artist wife, Agatha Troy (who is to paint a portrait of the singer), journey to a remote island hideaway where murder -- no surprise -- quickly occurs. Marsh peppers the story with well-drawn characters: a young composer, surly Italian servants, mysterious millionaire...but frankly, I guessed who the murderer was early on, as well as the motive. The novel is still enjoyable, but other Alleyn mysteries are more exciting and more, well, 'mysterious'.

Rating:
Summary: Unusually Witty
Review: Marsh was noted for her ability to draw memorable characters, and PHOTO FINISH is no exception, with the novel revolving around famous opera soprano "La Sommita"--an individual of such colorful bombast that her presence dominates both every one around her and the novel as a whole. Coaxed into assisting "La Sommita" when his artist wife is asked to paint her, Inspector Allen begins the case in an effort to track down a photographer who has made a career of photographing the diva in the most unflattering ways possible--and then selling the photographs to newspapers in cities where she is appearing. Upsetting for the diva--and extremely amusing for the reader--but is there actual danger afoot? There most certainly is, and once more Allen is called upon to investigate a particularly nasty murder, this time with possible Mafia connections. Some readers may spot the killer long before the inspector himself, but even so Marsh's vivid way with words makes PHOTO FINISH a vastly entertaining read.

Rating:
Summary: Unusually Witty
Review: Marsh was noted for her ability to draw memorable characters, and PHOTO FINISH is no exception, with the novel revolving around famous opera soprano "La Sommita"--an individual of such colorful bombast that her presence dominates both every one around her and the novel as a whole. Coaxed into assisting "La Sommita" when his artist wife is asked to paint her, Inspector Allen begins the case in an effort to track down a photographer who has made a career of photographing the diva in the most unflattering ways possible--and then selling the photographs to newspapers in cities where she is appearing. Upsetting for the diva--and extremely amusing for the reader--but is there actual danger afoot? There most certainly is, and once more Allen is called upon to investigate a particularly nasty murder, this time with possible Mafia connections. Some readers may spot the killer long before the inspector himself, but even so Marsh's vivid way with words makes PHOTO FINISH a vastly entertaining read.