Book number 49 of 2024
I few weeks back, I read my first Ngaio Marsh mystery, A Man Lay Dead. I enjoyed it so much, I immediately bought the sequel, Enter a Murderer. In her character Inspector Alleyn, Marsh has created a witty, intelligent, and very humorous detective. He returns in this book, as well as his sidekick, young journalist Nigel Bathgate. Bathgate’s love interest from A Man Lay Dead, Angela North, does not appear, as Marsh cheekily points out several times:
“Rum!” thought Nigel and walked on thoughtfully. “Very rum!” he said aloud.
Back in his own flat he turned on the light and, after further cogitation, decided to try and put himself in a better mood by writing to Angela North, who does not come into this story.
Marsh, Ngaio. Enter a Murderer: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #2 (p. 102). Felony & Mayhem Press. Kindle Edition.
The murder in this tale happens during a performance of a play on stage. Nigel has been given complimentary tickets by one of the actors, Felix Gardener, and he invites Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn to join him. In the course of the play, one of the actors, Arthur Surbonadier, is supposed to be shot, and the actor who shoots him, Felix Gardener, is supplied with a gun loaded with dead cartridges while a stage manager offstage actually fires a blank. Somehow in the course of this particular performance, the gun is loaded with real rounds and when Gardener squeezes the trigger he accidentally kills Surbonadier.
Or was it an accident? Gardener is engaged to the lead actress, the beautiful and talented Stephanie Vaughn. Subonadier is obsessively in love with her and threatens her if she doesn’t marry him. As Alleyn quickly takes charge of things immediately after the curtain falls, in becomes clear that Surbonadier was thoroughly disliked by everyone who came into contact with him. Even his uncle, Jacob Saint, who owns the theater where the play is being performed, regrets paying for his education at Cambridge and getting him parts in various plays.
In short, there is no lack of possible suspects, because multiple people have very good motives. It’s up to Alleyn to carefully weed out the distractions thrown his way by the cast and hone in on the actual murderer. This process gives Marsh lots of opportunities to make fun of the histrionic behavior of the cast members. They all behave as if the investigation is a dramatic production and not an actual murder investigation. Alleyn does not hide his contempt for their scene chewing, and he gets in plenty of good digs at the narcissistic thespians.
Old Susan Max, roundabout, sensible, said: “Come along, dear,” to Miss Vaughan.
Miss Vaughan stretched out her hands dumbly to Gardener, who did not look at her. She turned towards Alleyn, who watched her curiously, and then, with a very touching dignity, she let herself be led off by Susan Max. At the doorway she turned and looked again at the dead man, shuddered, and disappeared into the wings.
“Lovely exit, wasn’t it?” said the inspector.
“Alleyn!” exclaimed Nigel, really shocked.
Miss Janet Emerald, the “heavy” woman, said: “Bounder!” from behind a piece of scenery.
“Let us go,” replied the voice of J. Barclay Crammer. “We are in these people’s hands.” He appeared on the stage, crossed it, and gripped Gardener’s hand.
“Come, old man,” he said. “With me. Together.”
“Oh, get along, the whole lot of you,” exclaimed Alleyn with the utmost impatience. Mr. Crammer looked at him, more in sorrow than in anger, and did as he suggested.
Marsh, Ngaio. Enter a Murderer: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #2 (pp. 27-28). Felony & Mayhem Press. Kindle Edition.
Alleyn is almost playful throughout the novel, as he anticipates the actions of the various suspects. He also has some fun with Nigel Bathgate as he tries to keep up with Alleyn’s investigation. As he, Alleyn, and Detective Bailey are discussing possibly murder scenarios that would explain how it happened, Nigel has an idea:
“Look here,” said Nigel loudly. “Listen!”
“Ssh!” whispered Alleyn excitedly.
“Don’t be silly, now. Listen to me. Miss Vaughan showed you how Surbonadier struck her on the shoulder. Suppose he got the stuff on his hand and—oh no. Sorry.”
“As we were, Bailey,” said Alleyn.
“We all of us make mistakes, sir,” said Detective Bailey kindly. Nigel looked foolish.
Marsh, Ngaio. Enter a Murderer: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #2 (p. 85). Felony & Mayhem Press. Kindle Edition.
Nigel and Alleyn’s relationship matures quite a bit in this novel. Instead the typical “Dr. Watson” role usually played by the detective’s sidekick, Nigel plays an active role in gathering evidence and relaying important personal information to Alleyn. At several points in the story, Alleyn antagonizes Nigel by telling him he mustn’t protect anyone due to personal feelings. Alleyn even orders him to stay away has he prepares to confront the person he suspects of the murder, and Nigel is furious. Despite his anger, he is still full of admiration for his friend and his ability to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit into a suitable explanation of how the murder was carried out.
It turns out Alleyn had his eye on the guilty party from the beginning, but I was fooled. Once again, Marsh provides a satisfying unveiling of the culprit when Alleyn sets up a reenactment in the theater of the scene in which Surbonadier is killed.
I’m happy to learn that Marsh wrote 32 mystery novels featuring Chief Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn – I have many hours of reading pleasure ahead!
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