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Roderick Alleyn #32
Light Thickens
Sinister happenings plague Peregrine Jay's production of "Macbeth" at the Dolphin Theatre, until Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn is called in to investigate a bizarre murder during a performance
232 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
190 people are currently reading
1009 people want to read
About the author
Ngaio Marsh
198 books821 followersDame Ngaio Marsh, born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. There is some uncertainty over her birth date as her father neglected to register her birth until 1900, but she was born in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
* Roderick Alleyn
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
* Roderick Alleyn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
August 15, 2020
Written in 1982, this is the thirty-second, and last, in the Roderick Alleyn series, aside from, “Money in the Morgue,” completed by Stella Duffy. This novel sees us returning to The Dolphin Theatre, which first appeared in, “Death at the Dolphin,” in 1967 and we have some familiar characters.
Peregrine Jay is putting on ‘Macbeth,’ at the Dolphin and some of the cast are superstitious about this, seen as unlucky, play. There are some unpleasant pranks during rehearsals – which are laboriously reported by Ngaio Marsh (the rehearsals, rather than the pranks). She may have loved the theatre – personally, I am more often looking at my watch and thinking about going home – and I found the endless gushing over the ‘magic’ of rehearsals and lighting incomprehensible.
That said, many of these, unkind practical jokes, are aimed at young William Smith, a child actor, who is befriended by Jay’s young sons. The reasons why, gradually becomes clear, and I did enjoy this part of the mystery. Overall, though, this was a bit of a damp squid to end the series on.
Overall, Ngaio Marsh is not as successful a writer as either Christie, or Sayers, for me. Some of this, long running, series, is excellent – I have really enjoyed many of these mysteries. However, she is not as consistently good as Christie and, although I warmed to Alleyn, I do not adore him in the way I do Wimsey. Still, I am pleased that I have now read the entire series and, especially, that I have done so in such excellent company with Reading the Detectives.
Peregrine Jay is putting on ‘Macbeth,’ at the Dolphin and some of the cast are superstitious about this, seen as unlucky, play. There are some unpleasant pranks during rehearsals – which are laboriously reported by Ngaio Marsh (the rehearsals, rather than the pranks). She may have loved the theatre – personally, I am more often looking at my watch and thinking about going home – and I found the endless gushing over the ‘magic’ of rehearsals and lighting incomprehensible.
That said, many of these, unkind practical jokes, are aimed at young William Smith, a child actor, who is befriended by Jay’s young sons. The reasons why, gradually becomes clear, and I did enjoy this part of the mystery. Overall, though, this was a bit of a damp squid to end the series on.
Overall, Ngaio Marsh is not as successful a writer as either Christie, or Sayers, for me. Some of this, long running, series, is excellent – I have really enjoyed many of these mysteries. However, she is not as consistently good as Christie and, although I warmed to Alleyn, I do not adore him in the way I do Wimsey. Still, I am pleased that I have now read the entire series and, especially, that I have done so in such excellent company with Reading the Detectives.
November 23, 2014
This is supposedly the last book that Marsh wrote and I can't help but wonder if someone finished it for her. This book was tedious and the murder while fully anticipated was still out of left field. What I mean is from the beginning of the book which focuses on Shakespeare's Macbeth, the when and the with what are obvious. The who and the why are the only questions and sadly they remain the questions after the fact. So much attention is devoted to the play and the production of it the villain is seriously undeveloped and the motive is non-existent. There was no humor in it and the detail given to the play production overwhelmed the first 2/3s of the book.
August 30, 2021
Originally published on my blog here in October 1999.
It is perhaps fitting that Ngaio Marsh's last novel should have a theatrical setting, given the importance of the theatre in her life. (Symmetrically, her first novel, Enter A Murderer, is also set in a theatre during a production of Macbeth.) It does use the hoary old device of the acted death of a character turning out to be a real killing of the actor, one which she herself has used at least three times, but the story is well enough written to make light of that defect.
From the story point of view, we meet an old acquaintance again: Peregrine Jay, the author and director from Death at the Dolphin. He's now putting on a production of Macbeth at the Dolphin, things beginning to go wrong when someone starts to play practical jokes designed to remind everyone of the play's superstitious reputation as an unlucky one. For the final scene, the death of Macbeth at the hands of Macduff, a really spectacular fight sequence is devised. The man in charge of this, Gareth Sears, is a little bit strange on the subject of weapons; he brings a genuine claidheamh mor along (treating anyone who will listen to a lecture on why it shouldn't be known as a claymore - the anglicised spelling), and this is used to decapitate the actor playing Macbeth.
Events proceed smoothly to Alleyn's unmasking of the villain. Light Thickens is not as dated as some of Marsh's attempts to appear contemporary. This fault, combined with her general inability to write convincing children, is apparent here mainly in some appalling schoolboy slang - I can't imagine anyone in the early eighties describing something as "sonky-polly-lobby".
Through her long career, Marsh wrote some of the best of the classic crime novels. Her fifty novels are decidedly uneven, and some would perhaps be better forgotten. Her main faults included repetition of plot ideas; the desire to re-use characters meaning that coincidence was used too frequently (what proportion of people ever get involved in one murder investigation, let alone three or four?); her attempts to be contemporary from the sixties onwards, which merely made her look old fashioned; her inability to portray the working class or children. She also had many virtues - obviously, or else she couldn't have become such a well beloved and long lasting writer. She wrote strong characters, Roderick Alleyn and Agatha Troy in particular taking a place in readers' affections; her plots are usually moderately complex puzzles and are generally fairer on the reader than those of Agatha Christie; her love for New Zealand and for acting brings a particular enthusiasm for the novels which involve these elements.
It is perhaps fitting that Ngaio Marsh's last novel should have a theatrical setting, given the importance of the theatre in her life. (Symmetrically, her first novel, Enter A Murderer, is also set in a theatre during a production of Macbeth.) It does use the hoary old device of the acted death of a character turning out to be a real killing of the actor, one which she herself has used at least three times, but the story is well enough written to make light of that defect.
From the story point of view, we meet an old acquaintance again: Peregrine Jay, the author and director from Death at the Dolphin. He's now putting on a production of Macbeth at the Dolphin, things beginning to go wrong when someone starts to play practical jokes designed to remind everyone of the play's superstitious reputation as an unlucky one. For the final scene, the death of Macbeth at the hands of Macduff, a really spectacular fight sequence is devised. The man in charge of this, Gareth Sears, is a little bit strange on the subject of weapons; he brings a genuine claidheamh mor along (treating anyone who will listen to a lecture on why it shouldn't be known as a claymore - the anglicised spelling), and this is used to decapitate the actor playing Macbeth.
Events proceed smoothly to Alleyn's unmasking of the villain. Light Thickens is not as dated as some of Marsh's attempts to appear contemporary. This fault, combined with her general inability to write convincing children, is apparent here mainly in some appalling schoolboy slang - I can't imagine anyone in the early eighties describing something as "sonky-polly-lobby".
Through her long career, Marsh wrote some of the best of the classic crime novels. Her fifty novels are decidedly uneven, and some would perhaps be better forgotten. Her main faults included repetition of plot ideas; the desire to re-use characters meaning that coincidence was used too frequently (what proportion of people ever get involved in one murder investigation, let alone three or four?); her attempts to be contemporary from the sixties onwards, which merely made her look old fashioned; her inability to portray the working class or children. She also had many virtues - obviously, or else she couldn't have become such a well beloved and long lasting writer. She wrote strong characters, Roderick Alleyn and Agatha Troy in particular taking a place in readers' affections; her plots are usually moderately complex puzzles and are generally fairer on the reader than those of Agatha Christie; her love for New Zealand and for acting brings a particular enthusiasm for the novels which involve these elements.
January 3, 2019
The last book of the Alleyn series now read and appreciated but not wholeheartedly enjoyed. A Macbeth production in London is portrayed in detail and would be of interest to lovers of that play. Me not so much.
Alleyn is in the audience opening night for the beheading that actually occurs.
Alleyn is in the audience opening night for the beheading that actually occurs.
May 2, 2016
This discard from the public library was a serendipitous choice. I was glad I decided to take this enjoyable novel home with me. This, the last work of Dame Ngaio, was a murder mystery involving a theater company presenting a production of Macbeth. For all of Part 1, the book showed in detail how a theatrical production is put together from its earliest stages of reading, blocking, lighting, props management, through rehearsals, to final, polished performance. We glimpse some of a director's ideas of how to interpret the play through acting. The cast chime in with their thoughts. All through the novel, the superstitions concerning ill-luck surrounding the Scottish play are emphasized and foreshadow the murder and decapitation of the leading actor, which don't occur until Part 2. The deed is done with a claidheamh-mor [claymore] used in the Macbeth/Macduff fight to the death.
The novel did bog down, but picked up again with the murder and Chief Superintendent Alleyn's investigation. Before the murder there were odd occurrences. One of the actors termed them "schoolboy pranks". There were an accident involving the director, Peregrine Jay; a fake head in the King's [Banquo's] room; a head in the meat dish in the banquet scene; a rat in the bag of one of the Witches where they keep the items for their curses and potions. Alleyn just happens to be in the audience when the murder occurs, so he takes over the investigation. He has the cast reenact parts of the play to establish timing and alibis. The case stumps him, until he gets an idea of 'whodunnit' from a clue his son inadvertently supplies, through a game with the boy's brother and the boy actor who plays Macduff's son.
Each character had perhaps one distinguishing characteristic. None was what I'd call 'deep.' The author wrote crisp dialogue, and I thought the book well plotted. I thought it strange to hold off on crime and investigation, so far into the story, but I did like the description on producing a play and insights into Macbeth. This book has led me to want to investigate more of this author's work.
The novel did bog down, but picked up again with the murder and Chief Superintendent Alleyn's investigation. Before the murder there were odd occurrences. One of the actors termed them "schoolboy pranks". There were an accident involving the director, Peregrine Jay; a fake head in the King's [Banquo's] room; a head in the meat dish in the banquet scene; a rat in the bag of one of the Witches where they keep the items for their curses and potions. Alleyn just happens to be in the audience when the murder occurs, so he takes over the investigation. He has the cast reenact parts of the play to establish timing and alibis. The case stumps him, until he gets an idea of 'whodunnit' from a clue his son inadvertently supplies, through a game with the boy's brother and the boy actor who plays Macduff's son.
Each character had perhaps one distinguishing characteristic. None was what I'd call 'deep.' The author wrote crisp dialogue, and I thought the book well plotted. I thought it strange to hold off on crime and investigation, so far into the story, but I did like the description on producing a play and insights into Macbeth. This book has led me to want to investigate more of this author's work.
September 29, 2013
Light Thickens is Ngaio Marsh's last book. It's a long 20 year sequel to Death at the Dolphin. Wiki states "that the subject was close to the author's heart and in 1981 she wrote to her close friends Maureen (née Rhodes) and John Balfour that the novel had been in her mind for a long time, was 'hell' to write and would, she thought, appeal to theatre people rather than to her usual fans. Her characteristic modesty proved her wrong, as the novel sold extremely well, receiving especially favourable reviews in the USA."
Light Thickens' begins with Director Peregrine Jay mounting a new production of McBeth, The Scots Play, one of the most difficult plays to direct and produce due to the superstitions that surround it. Perry has previously directed 2 other productions of McBeth with no problems, so he does not believe in those superstitions, but as he assembles his cast he finds that some of them do. The murder, which doesn't come until the middle of the book, is gory and dramatic, but there is quite a bit of foreshadowing prior to it which warns the reader something "evil this way comes." Marsh's knowledge of theater shines as she describes in fascinating detail the rehearsal, production, cast and run of the 'flawless' production, of McBeth prior to the murder. Inspector Roderick Alleyn happens to be in the audience when the murder happens and he asks to be assigned to the murder investigation. As he begins he has the help of Inspector Fox and his usual helpers. He determines that due to very tight time constraints with actors and crew off, on, and back stage, the murder could only have been done by one of the cast or crew, and they include two of the play's main characters, Duncan and McDuff, the lovely and gracious leading lady who plays Lady McBeth, Rangi, the young Maori who plays one of the 3 witches, and Gaston Sears, the eccentric, rather batty, fight director who also plays Seyton, the property master, the other two witches etc. Marsh fans will enjoy once again meeting Peregrine Jay and his wife Emily (now parents), Jeremy Jones and the management of the Dolphin Theatre from her 1966 'Death at the Dolphin', and of course re visiting the glorious Dolphin Theater.
Light Thickens' begins with Director Peregrine Jay mounting a new production of McBeth, The Scots Play, one of the most difficult plays to direct and produce due to the superstitions that surround it. Perry has previously directed 2 other productions of McBeth with no problems, so he does not believe in those superstitions, but as he assembles his cast he finds that some of them do. The murder, which doesn't come until the middle of the book, is gory and dramatic, but there is quite a bit of foreshadowing prior to it which warns the reader something "evil this way comes." Marsh's knowledge of theater shines as she describes in fascinating detail the rehearsal, production, cast and run of the 'flawless' production, of McBeth prior to the murder. Inspector Roderick Alleyn happens to be in the audience when the murder happens and he asks to be assigned to the murder investigation. As he begins he has the help of Inspector Fox and his usual helpers. He determines that due to very tight time constraints with actors and crew off, on, and back stage, the murder could only have been done by one of the cast or crew, and they include two of the play's main characters, Duncan and McDuff, the lovely and gracious leading lady who plays Lady McBeth, Rangi, the young Maori who plays one of the 3 witches, and Gaston Sears, the eccentric, rather batty, fight director who also plays Seyton, the property master, the other two witches etc. Marsh fans will enjoy once again meeting Peregrine Jay and his wife Emily (now parents), Jeremy Jones and the management of the Dolphin Theatre from her 1966 'Death at the Dolphin', and of course re visiting the glorious Dolphin Theater.
October 30, 2019
Ngaio Marsh writes the traditional "cosy" British mystery, with a murder presented like a mathematical puzzle, solved ingeniously by the detective leaving the rest of the characters and readers gasping. Though not as intricate as the plots of Agatha Christie, Dame Ngaio also writes very clever mysteries - and Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn is a likeable sleuth. However, this one (the last of the series) left me totally unimpressed.
Ngaio Marsh's second love is the theatre: and many of her stories are centred around theatrical productions. In the current novel, a lavish production of Macbeth becomes the scene of a murder when the head of the actor playing the title role is actually severed at the end of the play. Roderick Alleyn, being in the audience, steps up in time to solve the crime.
As a whodunit, this one was facile. There are only a handful who could have done the murder, and it's not very difficult for the perceptive reader to latch on to one. It would have been a one-star book if not for all the wonderful theatrical lore about Macbeth being a cursed play. It is rarely produced; the actors never say the name of the play while rehearsing (referring to it as the "Scots play"); and they never quote from it. The history of this curse is enthralling - read about it here.
Apart from that, the detailed description how a play comes into shape (it occupies the first half of the book) was also fascinating.
Readable but eminently forgettable.
Ngaio Marsh's second love is the theatre: and many of her stories are centred around theatrical productions. In the current novel, a lavish production of Macbeth becomes the scene of a murder when the head of the actor playing the title role is actually severed at the end of the play. Roderick Alleyn, being in the audience, steps up in time to solve the crime.
As a whodunit, this one was facile. There are only a handful who could have done the murder, and it's not very difficult for the perceptive reader to latch on to one. It would have been a one-star book if not for all the wonderful theatrical lore about Macbeth being a cursed play. It is rarely produced; the actors never say the name of the play while rehearsing (referring to it as the "Scots play"); and they never quote from it. The history of this curse is enthralling - read about it here.
Apart from that, the detailed description how a play comes into shape (it occupies the first half of the book) was also fascinating.
Readable but eminently forgettable.
November 3, 2018
The last title in my 32 book quest to read all of the Roderick Alleyn books in order. Found it slow going. Although I have just seen Macbeth in the past 6 months and understood many of the allusions to the play, I found them a bit annoying in the book. Love Peregrine Jay and his family and remember them from the earlier Dolphin Theatre title, which was one of Marsh's best titles. Still and all, loved reading these all and am happy I devoted the time to it.
December 10, 2023
This is a fun book--maybe my favorite of my Marsh's books I've read so far--and that's saying something!
The story revolves around a production of MacBeth. Marsh knows her theater world and creates a lively sense of place and character. I loved entering the world of rehearsals and performances and actors.
It was a long time--a great portion of the story went by--before there was finally a murder! and I was beginning to feel a little restless. I even double checked the blurb to be sure there was a murder & that this was in fact an Alleyn book! Once I reassured myself that there would be a murder I was able to sit back and enjoy the ride: the immersion in the world of the play and the production.
When the murder finally is committed and Alleyn appears, the narrative picks up speed and moves to a satisfying conclusion.
A lovely book.
The story revolves around a production of MacBeth. Marsh knows her theater world and creates a lively sense of place and character. I loved entering the world of rehearsals and performances and actors.
It was a long time--a great portion of the story went by--before there was finally a murder! and I was beginning to feel a little restless. I even double checked the blurb to be sure there was a murder & that this was in fact an Alleyn book! Once I reassured myself that there would be a murder I was able to sit back and enjoy the ride: the immersion in the world of the play and the production.
When the murder finally is committed and Alleyn appears, the narrative picks up speed and moves to a satisfying conclusion.
A lovely book.
June 4, 2018
In Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh, the Dolphin Theater, under the production of Peregrin Jay, is holding a performance of Macbeth. This play is known as a cursed play to the superstitious in the theater, who refuse to quote from the play or even to name it, calling it instead The Scot’s Play. In fact, the book’s official description on Amazon states that “tradition requires anyone who utters its proper name backstage to leave the building, spin around, spit, curse, and then request permission to re-enter.”
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
Read the rest of this review and other fun, geeky articles at Fangirl Nation
August 18, 2010
This book was well on its way to 4 stars until the ending, where I thought it fell off a bit. It was listed as a related reading in our school textbook next to Macbeth, described as a murder mystery involving a production of that play. It took some searching to find it, but I'm glad I did.
The action centers around the Dolphin Theater, where director Peregrine Jay is assembling what critics will call a flawless production of "the Scottish play." He doesn't believe in the bad karma that supposedly surrounds it and tries mightily to stop his actors from discussing it, with varying levels of success. Someone, in particular, doesn't want to give up the superstitions and seems determined to increase the nervousness of the cast by playing dark, twisted pranks around the set. One night during the production, the pranks take a sinister turn, resulting in one cast member's grisly death. As luck would have it, Chief Superintendent Allyn is in the audience that night and steps in to investigate.
This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves theater or Shakespeare, especially Macbeth. The chapters on the creation of the production are impressive. Marsh goes into great detail about the sets and characters, giving depth and strong analysis of motives and mood. I will definitely be drawing on some of this as I prepare to teach the play this fall. I loved it! And the characters themselves were pretty well-drawn, with some wobbles here and there.
Unfortunately, however, there must be a conflict, and since this is a murder mystery, someone must die, and the murderer must be discovered. This part took perhaps the final third of the book, and I didn't like it as much. The clues felt fumbled and glaring, some of the characters slipped, and the ending was unsatisfactory. The murderer was revealed, and March still tried to trick the reader at the end by sending up one final, unnecessary red herring.
I don't read very many mysteries (although I would like to find some good ones), so I am not an expert in the genre, but I don't consider this mystery to be one of the best. However, for the descriptions of the play in the first two-thirds of the book, I give it a strong recommendation.
The action centers around the Dolphin Theater, where director Peregrine Jay is assembling what critics will call a flawless production of "the Scottish play." He doesn't believe in the bad karma that supposedly surrounds it and tries mightily to stop his actors from discussing it, with varying levels of success. Someone, in particular, doesn't want to give up the superstitions and seems determined to increase the nervousness of the cast by playing dark, twisted pranks around the set. One night during the production, the pranks take a sinister turn, resulting in one cast member's grisly death. As luck would have it, Chief Superintendent Allyn is in the audience that night and steps in to investigate.
This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves theater or Shakespeare, especially Macbeth. The chapters on the creation of the production are impressive. Marsh goes into great detail about the sets and characters, giving depth and strong analysis of motives and mood. I will definitely be drawing on some of this as I prepare to teach the play this fall. I loved it! And the characters themselves were pretty well-drawn, with some wobbles here and there.
Unfortunately, however, there must be a conflict, and since this is a murder mystery, someone must die, and the murderer must be discovered. This part took perhaps the final third of the book, and I didn't like it as much. The clues felt fumbled and glaring, some of the characters slipped, and the ending was unsatisfactory. The murderer was revealed, and March still tried to trick the reader at the end by sending up one final, unnecessary red herring.
I don't read very many mysteries (although I would like to find some good ones), so I am not an expert in the genre, but I don't consider this mystery to be one of the best. However, for the descriptions of the play in the first two-thirds of the book, I give it a strong recommendation.
December 23, 2017
My first Ngaio Marsh novel and the last one she wrote. I liked the murder taking place during a Macbeth play with on stage. I felt there was a little too much detail about the play. Gastion was a great character and there were a few red herrings on who was the murderer. Overall I would definitely ready another Marsh novel.
July 24, 2008
Are the superstitions about Shakespeare's play Macbeth true? The actors at the Dolphin Theatre are about to have their worst suspicions come to life.
Noticing a common response to Marsh's books--not all that complicated of a mystery, but still an enjoyable story.
Noticing a common response to Marsh's books--not all that complicated of a mystery, but still an enjoyable story.
June 5, 2020
Investigation of the Scottish Play
Review of the Felony & Mayhem paperback edition (2016) of the 1982 original
New Zealander Ngaio Marsh earned her "Damery" not through her lifetime of writing but through her promotion of theatre. It is fitting then that the swan song of her Scotland Yard CID detective Roderick Alleyn should be wrapped up in the world of theatre as well. In Light Thickens, Alleyn is even on hand to witness the crime as a member of the audience seeing a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth, which is known among superstitious theatre folk as The Scottish Play as it is considered a bad omen to say the name of the play or to even quote it offstage.
A considerable amount of the plot is spent in observing and describing the actors and rehearsals as they prepare for their performance of the play at the Dolphin Theatre. The setting also marks a return to the place and some of the characters of Death at the Dolphin (1966) (also published as Killer Dolphin in some markets). This aspect may not be of interest to all mystery fans, as quite a lot of time is spent dissecting character motivations and the most effective theatrical effects for the play. Personally I found it all the more fascinating for this extra behind the scenes detail of the theatrical world. The opening witches scene with the 3 characters plucking body parts off of a hanged man on a gibbet and then flying off into the air (actually a jump off a riser to mattresses below) sounded particularly atmospheric. It brought back memories of the most dramatic Macbeth that I have ever seen, which was one by Robert Lepage at Toronto's Hart House Theatre where the three witches opened the play by dropping from the rafters while suspended upside down and reciting their lines from the same position.
My reading of Light Thickens was part of my project to read or re-read some of the classics from the Golden Age of Crime. It also made me eager to see live theatre once more when the situation of the current pandemic has stabilized.
Review of the Felony & Mayhem paperback edition (2016) of the 1982 original
New Zealander Ngaio Marsh earned her "Damery" not through her lifetime of writing but through her promotion of theatre. It is fitting then that the swan song of her Scotland Yard CID detective Roderick Alleyn should be wrapped up in the world of theatre as well. In Light Thickens, Alleyn is even on hand to witness the crime as a member of the audience seeing a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth, which is known among superstitious theatre folk as The Scottish Play as it is considered a bad omen to say the name of the play or to even quote it offstage.
A considerable amount of the plot is spent in observing and describing the actors and rehearsals as they prepare for their performance of the play at the Dolphin Theatre. The setting also marks a return to the place and some of the characters of Death at the Dolphin (1966) (also published as Killer Dolphin in some markets). This aspect may not be of interest to all mystery fans, as quite a lot of time is spent dissecting character motivations and the most effective theatrical effects for the play. Personally I found it all the more fascinating for this extra behind the scenes detail of the theatrical world. The opening witches scene with the 3 characters plucking body parts off of a hanged man on a gibbet and then flying off into the air (actually a jump off a riser to mattresses below) sounded particularly atmospheric. It brought back memories of the most dramatic Macbeth that I have ever seen, which was one by Robert Lepage at Toronto's Hart House Theatre where the three witches opened the play by dropping from the rafters while suspended upside down and reciting their lines from the same position.
My reading of Light Thickens was part of my project to read or re-read some of the classics from the Golden Age of Crime. It also made me eager to see live theatre once more when the situation of the current pandemic has stabilized.
January 8, 2023
So I’ve finally read it - Light Thickens the last Inspector Roderick Alleyn novel wholly written by Ngaio Marsh. I’ve read all the others, and kept putting this one off, because, I suppose, I never wanted the series to end.
This is not, in my opinion, one of her best mystery novels, because, in large part, it’s more a paean to theatre in general and to Macbeth specifically than a truly effective ‘who done it’. Frankly, I think it would be difficult or or simply not very engaging reading for anyone not familiar with Macbeth and without an interest in the production side of theatre. Happily, I am very fond of Macbeth Macbeth and as a community theatre actor very involved in the process of staging a play, so it worked for me. It’s a three star mystery bumped up to four stars based on the subject matter and my longstanding affection for Ngaio Marsh’s Inspector.
This is not, in my opinion, one of her best mystery novels, because, in large part, it’s more a paean to theatre in general and to Macbeth specifically than a truly effective ‘who done it’. Frankly, I think it would be difficult or or simply not very engaging reading for anyone not familiar with Macbeth and without an interest in the production side of theatre. Happily, I am very fond of Macbeth Macbeth and as a community theatre actor very involved in the process of staging a play, so it worked for me. It’s a three star mystery bumped up to four stars based on the subject matter and my longstanding affection for Ngaio Marsh’s Inspector.
August 20, 2018
This was Ngaio Marsh's last book, and even though I haven't read all of them, I enjoyed it the most of the ones I've read so far. What better setting for a mystery in the theatre than Macbeth, or "the damned Scots play" to the superstitious. Peregrine Jay (a character featured in an earlier book) is directing the play and has no patience with superstitions, so he works diligently to prevent his cast from thinking about them. In spite of some disturbing pranks, the play goes well until a few weeks into the season when Peregrine is in the audience with his children. The final scene involves a fight scene using claymores (giant Scottish battle swords), and this time the blood and gore are real. Fortunately, also in the audience is Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story, taking more than the first half of the book to get to the murder, but completely involving us in the characters and setting. Through the buildup, the reader wonders when the murderer will strike, how he/she will do it, and who the victim will be. A great mystery to cap Marsh's reputation as one of the greatest of all mystery writers.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story, taking more than the first half of the book to get to the murder, but completely involving us in the characters and setting. Through the buildup, the reader wonders when the murderer will strike, how he/she will do it, and who the victim will be. A great mystery to cap Marsh's reputation as one of the greatest of all mystery writers.
August 13, 2009
The theatre aspect was interesting, particularly to readers like me who know little about stage workings or Macbeth superstitions. Having studied the play briefly in high school and disliked it, I was surprised to find myself quite interested in the characters, both in their roles and out of them. Ngaio Marsh did a great job of making the play seem exciting even to those who're largely uninterested in it.
However, I found the mystery aspect of it rather underwelming. For someone who is advertised as comparable to Christie (or, as New York Times claims, we should actually be comparing Christie to Marsh), I would've expected far more from the murder and the detective. There was very little suspense regarding the murder and the subsequent unmasking. The character who ended up being murdered was a bit of a surprise, but once you've come to terms with it, it was almost too easy figuring it out. I almost expected a Christie-style twist at the end, but it was as predictable as I thought it was.
However, I found the mystery aspect of it rather underwelming. For someone who is advertised as comparable to Christie (or, as New York Times claims, we should actually be comparing Christie to Marsh), I would've expected far more from the murder and the detective. There was very little suspense regarding the murder and the subsequent unmasking. The character who ended up being murdered was a bit of a surprise, but once you've come to terms with it, it was almost too easy figuring it out. I almost expected a Christie-style twist at the end, but it was as predictable as I thought it was.
December 31, 2024
It’s clear that Marsh herself has spent a lot of time building theatrical works. I have a lot of respect for the strong ideas she has about Shakespeare - but the way that stuff is presented in this book, it’s a lot of people talking about how to do a play, which is not engaging. Not when I’m waiting for somebody to get murdered.
September 6, 2016
Dame Ngaio"s last Alleyn mystery interweaves scenes from the "Scottish play" with a contemporary
theatrical murder. As a producer in her day job., she knows whereof she writes. Marsh is not as hard on the brain cells as Sayers; I enjoy her more than Christie. A fine mystery.
theatrical murder. As a producer in her day job., she knows whereof she writes. Marsh is not as hard on the brain cells as Sayers; I enjoy her more than Christie. A fine mystery.
September 2, 2019
[Értékelés átköltöztetve. (Nincs olyan sok, egyszer csak a végére érek. Szokom az oldalt.) A szöveghez képest kénytelen voltam felfelé kerekíteni fél csillagot, mert: 1. Itt tényleg csak egész csillagokat lehet adni? Bajban leszek. 2. Szeretem a könyvet.]
Négy és fél csillag mert… Mert akkor kapott volna öt csillagot, mint klasszikus krimi, ha a lezárás egy kicsit hosszabb és többet látunk a nyomozóból, Alleyn főfelügyelőből. Ennyi híja van a dolognak. Tényleg.
Mert ami nekem a leggyakrabban szokott hiányozni egy ötcsillagos könyvélményhez, az a teljesen szubjektív/személyes érzés, hogy kaptam valami *többet*, mint amire számítottam, készültem, mint ami az írótól elvárható lett volna, hogy gazdagabban nézek fel a könyvből, mint ahogy lehajtottam a fejem… Na, azt a részt Shakespeare megírta, és azután Ngaio Marsh pedig zseniálisan használta fel. A könyv végig bravúrosan táplálkozott egy gazdag képi világú és baljós dráma hangulatából és feszültségéből; akárhányszor lehetőség lett volna arra, hogy leüljön a cselekmény, Shakespeare alakjai és képei siettek az író segítségére, és ez a „kölcsön-drámaiság” remek hangulatfestőként és figyelemelterelésként szolgált.
Tulajdonképpen ezt a könyvet talán akkor is élvezettel olvastam volna, ha nincs benne gyilkosság.
Négy és fél csillag mert… Mert akkor kapott volna öt csillagot, mint klasszikus krimi, ha a lezárás egy kicsit hosszabb és többet látunk a nyomozóból, Alleyn főfelügyelőből. Ennyi híja van a dolognak. Tényleg.
Mert ami nekem a leggyakrabban szokott hiányozni egy ötcsillagos könyvélményhez, az a teljesen szubjektív/személyes érzés, hogy kaptam valami *többet*, mint amire számítottam, készültem, mint ami az írótól elvárható lett volna, hogy gazdagabban nézek fel a könyvből, mint ahogy lehajtottam a fejem… Na, azt a részt Shakespeare megírta, és azután Ngaio Marsh pedig zseniálisan használta fel. A könyv végig bravúrosan táplálkozott egy gazdag képi világú és baljós dráma hangulatából és feszültségéből; akárhányszor lehetőség lett volna arra, hogy leüljön a cselekmény, Shakespeare alakjai és képei siettek az író segítségére, és ez a „kölcsön-drámaiság” remek hangulatfestőként és figyelemelterelésként szolgált.
Tulajdonképpen ezt a könyvet talán akkor is élvezettel olvastam volna, ha nincs benne gyilkosság.
April 6, 2017
The 32nd and final Inspector Alleyn novel, and Marsh wisely brings him back to the arena of her expertise- the theatre- where the suspiciously un-ill-omened rehearsals for a production of The Scottish Play culminate in an appropriately gory murder in front of an audience. I'm not sure either the how or why dunnit really make sense, but I'll forgive her that for creating an atmosphere in which the off stage action is as brooding and claustrophobic as the play itself. And now I've got a real hankering to go and see Macbeth performed again.
December 30, 2019
I have seen some of the series of Alleyn mysteries on TV and it is the end of the period of classic crime writers that I usually enjoy, unfortunately this one left be disappointed. Set in the Dolphin theatre the book was largely taken up with the workings of the company and its director Peregrine Jay and the workings of setting the Scottish play before an audience. The crime was committed late in the story and Alleyn's part was peripheral to the story. Disappointing ending saved only by the observations of a boy. Probably will not bother with any more of the series.
November 14, 2022
I started reading this series in 2016 and here I have just finished the last book. I will miss Alleyn. Over half the book was devoted to the play of Macbeth. I really was wondering if there was going to be a murder or would the mystery be wondering if there was a mystery! A well written novel, but too much on the play.
Want to read
March 19, 2019Synopsis: the production of The Scottish Play promises to be a smash, but gruesome pranks are plaguing rehearsals; Alleyn takes centre stage.
August 4, 2022
Consider it mystery-lite. An engaging and well written story mostly about preparations for putting on Macbeth by a group of players. More than half the book is devoted to this interesting activity - could be good or bad depending on the reader. The rest concerns a murder and near the end the culprit is pretty obvious. High rating still, due to great characters and keeping my interest.
Read
February 25, 2025The bad news: apparently no one was up to the task of writing an actual summary for this book, as they were all too busy sucking Ms. Marsh's toes.
May 31, 2020
This is Marsh's last mystery but she either didn't know it was her last or didn't want her readers to feel like it was her last. There's no big closure. It's just another mystery.
Except it's not, really. It's a novel of putting on a play. Some of the characters from Killer Dolphin return to put on Macbeth and the bulk of the book is an exploration of the vagaries of putting on a show. The death seems secondary. And, indeed, the reason the person was killed, and the reason the person who killed them did it, seems to be an afterthought for Marsh.
Which is fine with me. I've always loved Marsh best not because of the intricacies of the puzzles she creates (they are never all that intricate) but because of the worlds she builds. And this is a wonderful world; I enjoyed every moment and again wished I knew more about Macbeth because I think it would be a much more entertaining read if I understood all the in-jokes and easter eggs that surely must be embedded.
Being a 21st century reader, inured by now to authors who write in planned series of books, I wished for more from this book, though. But Marsh doesn't even let Alleyn age. For the last 10 or so books, he and Troy have seemed to be perpetually in their mid-40s. So their kid grows up, but they don't age. The world changes from pre-war depression to WWII to post-war decadence, to 1970s grooviness, and Alleyn stays exactly the same in his steel-gray suit with his lithe posture. By this book, he should be in his 80s. So even though Perigrine Jay and Emily have grown up and had children, Alleyn is ever Alleyn.
Which is fine, I guess, because Marsh never quite let him be fully human. Christie let Poirot age and, his his last book, do something entirely out of character. Tommy and Tuppence spend their last book rattling around a country manse in various stages of mild dementia. But Alleyn glides into the murder scene as ever, with Fox, Thompson, Bailey, and Curtis in tow. All of them exactly how they were in the 1940s.
But at least Troy didn't have to paint a portrait in this one.
Except it's not, really. It's a novel of putting on a play. Some of the characters from Killer Dolphin return to put on Macbeth and the bulk of the book is an exploration of the vagaries of putting on a show. The death seems secondary. And, indeed, the reason the person was killed, and the reason the person who killed them did it, seems to be an afterthought for Marsh.
Which is fine with me. I've always loved Marsh best not because of the intricacies of the puzzles she creates (they are never all that intricate) but because of the worlds she builds. And this is a wonderful world; I enjoyed every moment and again wished I knew more about Macbeth because I think it would be a much more entertaining read if I understood all the in-jokes and easter eggs that surely must be embedded.
Being a 21st century reader, inured by now to authors who write in planned series of books, I wished for more from this book, though. But Marsh doesn't even let Alleyn age. For the last 10 or so books, he and Troy have seemed to be perpetually in their mid-40s. So their kid grows up, but they don't age. The world changes from pre-war depression to WWII to post-war decadence, to 1970s grooviness, and Alleyn stays exactly the same in his steel-gray suit with his lithe posture. By this book, he should be in his 80s. So even though Perigrine Jay and Emily have grown up and had children, Alleyn is ever Alleyn.
Which is fine, I guess, because Marsh never quite let him be fully human. Christie let Poirot age and, his his last book, do something entirely out of character. Tommy and Tuppence spend their last book rattling around a country manse in various stages of mild dementia. But Alleyn glides into the murder scene as ever, with Fox, Thompson, Bailey, and Curtis in tow. All of them exactly how they were in the 1940s.
But at least Troy didn't have to paint a portrait in this one.
December 12, 2014
Dame Ngaio Marsh was an actress, playwright, and theatre producer, now best known for her mystery novels. This murder mystery features Peregrine Jay, a theatre producer at London’s Dolphin Theatre.
Light Thickens was Marsh’s last book, published posthumously. The murder in the book takes place during a production of Macbeth.
What distinguishes this book is the author’s intense admiration for Shakespeare and the theatre. As you read, you find out what it is like to choose a cast and direct a play. Marsh richly describes the product of the director’s infinite decisions: the staging, the costumes, the roles, the props, the moods, the sounds, the effects. You are treated to the spectacle of rehearsals, staff meetings, and offstage interactions involving the theatre company—a range of personalities from the actors to the props manager to the lighting guy to the child actor’s mother.
Marsh’s description of the play worked like an enthusiastic college professor’s recommendation of a book. Although it takes a long time for the murder to happen, you don’t care because you are enjoying so much the commentary on the unfolding action of the play:
I couldn’t help but reread Macbeth at the same time, and of course that was a magnificent experience.
The murder was dark, gruesome, and dramatic, but the mystery itself, the suspenseful hunt for the murderer and motive, was not that great. By the end of the book, though, I was content to have the murder simply be the excuse for such a fine book’s existence.
Light Thickens was Marsh’s last book, published posthumously. The murder in the book takes place during a production of Macbeth.
What distinguishes this book is the author’s intense admiration for Shakespeare and the theatre. As you read, you find out what it is like to choose a cast and direct a play. Marsh richly describes the product of the director’s infinite decisions: the staging, the costumes, the roles, the props, the moods, the sounds, the effects. You are treated to the spectacle of rehearsals, staff meetings, and offstage interactions involving the theatre company—a range of personalities from the actors to the props manager to the lighting guy to the child actor’s mother.
Marsh’s description of the play worked like an enthusiastic college professor’s recommendation of a book. Although it takes a long time for the murder to happen, you don’t care because you are enjoying so much the commentary on the unfolding action of the play:
Duncan arrives at the castle. The sound of wings fluttering in the evening air. Peaceful. Then the squeal of pipes, the rumble of the great doors, the opening and the assembly of servants. Seyton. Lady Macbeth a scarlet figure at the top of the stairs. Don’t go in, don’t go in.
I couldn’t help but reread Macbeth at the same time, and of course that was a magnificent experience.
The murder was dark, gruesome, and dramatic, but the mystery itself, the suspenseful hunt for the murderer and motive, was not that great. By the end of the book, though, I was content to have the murder simply be the excuse for such a fine book’s existence.
November 23, 2025
i enjoyed some parts of this book, but it was rather slow at times. for the first 135 pages (around half the book), it only talks about the production of macbeth. and while i would be lying if i said i didn’t enjoy the topic of london theatre productions, i was really excited for the mystery aspect of this book and it was a major let down. the murderer’s character was underdeveloped and had no real motive and i guessed who the murderer was within the first 30 pages (i knew someone got murdered before reading this book). the best part of this book, in my opinion, was the murder scene. it was a nice parallel to macbeth and i gasped out loud. that being said, i feel like many of the pages are unnecessary and contribute nothing to the story and the remnants of a plot it has. the most suspenseful part of the story is the murder and the pages following, but the investigation is not suspenseful in the slightest. the resolution felt unsatisfying to me. i annotated this book and that was the most enjoyable part of reading this (i enjoy annotating in general and the vocabulary in this book is stupendous). i had a nice time reading this, but if it weren’t assigned for school, i would’ve given up out of boredom 30 pages in. it wasn’t an entirely joyless experience though, and i recommend this if you want a book about the ongoings of london play productions, but if you want a mystery, look elsewhere.
September 17, 2014
During a production of Macbeth, superstitions about the play lead to various strange and unlucky things happening backstage, eventually culminating in the murder of the lead actor. The mystery itself is extremely lacking (who did it? The crazy guy! Why? Because he's crazy! Aren't you shocked and stunned by this revelation?), but it doesn't matter much because clearly this book is way more interested in the details of preparing a theatrical production – the murder doesn't even happen until about 3/4ths of the way through the book, and the detective is barely a character. All the backstage details of actors' interpersonal drama, how rehearsals work, the various tasks of directors, stage managers, lighting supervisors, etc, were all really interesting. Everything felt oddly old-fashioned for a book published in the 80s (people have cooks in their homes! Women seem universally not to work after marriage! Children are sent away to boarding school!), but that's not really a problem, as such, just slightly strange. A light, quick read, but enjoyable.
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