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Roderick Alleyn #28
Black As He's Painted
Superintendent Alleyn is assigned to protect an old schoolmate, the unpopular president of a new African republic, during his stay in England
223 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
216 people are currently reading
771 people want to read
About the author
Ngaio Marsh
194 books827 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 195 reviews
April 16, 2020
Published in 1974, this is – astonishingly – the 28th mystery in the Roderick Alleyn series. Many of the views in this novel, particularly in terms of race, seem very outdated now and make uncomfortable reading.
The mystery is centred around the visit of the President of Ng’ombwana, an emerging, African nation. The President is being difficult about security and so Alleyn, who went to school with him and knows him by his nickname, ‘The Boomer,’ due to his loud voice, is sent to make him see reason. However, despite the fact that The Boomer agrees to the Special Branch attendance, there is still a murder. It is not the President who is killed though, but the Ambassador – murdered at a party at the embassy, with hundreds of guests in attendance, including Troy and Alleyn’s brother, Sir George, a career diplomat.
Highly embarrassed by the murder, under their noses, it is up to Alleyn to unravel who wants The Boomer dead, and why. There is also the involvement of Samuel Whipplestone, retired from the foreign office, who lives close to the Embassy. The most enjoyable part of the book, for me, was the beginning, where Whipplestone discovers the house he buys, rescues the little cat, Lucy Lockett, who becomes so important to the plot (I am most definitely a cat person) and discovers the group of people who live locally, and who meet in his basement flat, to conspire against the President of Ng’ombwana.
In a sense we know who is involved in the murder and the group of suspects are smaller than usual. Still, for the excellent beginning, I have to say that I enjoyed this and was drawn into the storyline. There are only a few books left now, as I near the end of my Ngaio Marsh journey, but I do hope we see Mr Whipplestone again. Overall, a rating of 3.5 seems fair.
The mystery is centred around the visit of the President of Ng’ombwana, an emerging, African nation. The President is being difficult about security and so Alleyn, who went to school with him and knows him by his nickname, ‘The Boomer,’ due to his loud voice, is sent to make him see reason. However, despite the fact that The Boomer agrees to the Special Branch attendance, there is still a murder. It is not the President who is killed though, but the Ambassador – murdered at a party at the embassy, with hundreds of guests in attendance, including Troy and Alleyn’s brother, Sir George, a career diplomat.
Highly embarrassed by the murder, under their noses, it is up to Alleyn to unravel who wants The Boomer dead, and why. There is also the involvement of Samuel Whipplestone, retired from the foreign office, who lives close to the Embassy. The most enjoyable part of the book, for me, was the beginning, where Whipplestone discovers the house he buys, rescues the little cat, Lucy Lockett, who becomes so important to the plot (I am most definitely a cat person) and discovers the group of people who live locally, and who meet in his basement flat, to conspire against the President of Ng’ombwana.
In a sense we know who is involved in the murder and the group of suspects are smaller than usual. Still, for the excellent beginning, I have to say that I enjoyed this and was drawn into the storyline. There are only a few books left now, as I near the end of my Ngaio Marsh journey, but I do hope we see Mr Whipplestone again. Overall, a rating of 3.5 seems fair.
April 15, 2012
If it wasn't for Mr. Whipplestone and Lucy Lockett, I'd give this one in the series two stars. Given our current environment of real terrorism plots, it is an interesting book and to some degree gave me a think on what if a neighbor lived next door that showed some signs of a being part of a conspiracy to do violence.
It's a mildly patronizing plot,and some obviously dislike that tone towards the African characters; but actually, in my opinion, Marsh is consistently patronizing and ironic in every one of her books towards every one of her characters. I don't think she writes any differently in tone or attitude whether the characters are white or not. The books though, are representative of liberal-ish attitudes of their eras, be they the 1930's, or the 1970's. Obviously, Marsh was making an effort to cross racial and class boundaries in a humanistic fashion, trying to recognize the differences of culture while recognizing everyone's humanity. However, she could only work with what she knew, as do we all. The only personal dissonance I ever feel from her books is the lack of writing in the year 2000-ish politically correct, publically approved speech, but I'm not insulted, shocked or upset over that. I find it relaxing as I despise political correctness in books. A rewrite would outrage me, as the recent changes to Huckleberry Finn did. A lot of plot points cannot be understood if all the reasons for antagonism and strife are removed!
For the record, I went through a liberal radical period, then i needed a job and seethed occasionally and politely over any ugly prejudices. Now I'm close to 60, and I can afford being more outspoken. Despite occasional irrational moments, I think it is better to forgive minor transgressions of all kinds when people cross over social boundaries in friendship, but mess it up. I mess up all the time.
It's a mildly patronizing plot,and some obviously dislike that tone towards the African characters; but actually, in my opinion, Marsh is consistently patronizing and ironic in every one of her books towards every one of her characters. I don't think she writes any differently in tone or attitude whether the characters are white or not. The books though, are representative of liberal-ish attitudes of their eras, be they the 1930's, or the 1970's. Obviously, Marsh was making an effort to cross racial and class boundaries in a humanistic fashion, trying to recognize the differences of culture while recognizing everyone's humanity. However, she could only work with what she knew, as do we all. The only personal dissonance I ever feel from her books is the lack of writing in the year 2000-ish politically correct, publically approved speech, but I'm not insulted, shocked or upset over that. I find it relaxing as I despise political correctness in books. A rewrite would outrage me, as the recent changes to Huckleberry Finn did. A lot of plot points cannot be understood if all the reasons for antagonism and strife are removed!
For the record, I went through a liberal radical period, then i needed a job and seethed occasionally and politely over any ugly prejudices. Now I'm close to 60, and I can afford being more outspoken. Despite occasional irrational moments, I think it is better to forgive minor transgressions of all kinds when people cross over social boundaries in friendship, but mess it up. I mess up all the time.
May 9, 2022
SPOILERS AHEAD
An unusual mystery with so few suspects. Sheridan the dubious tenant in the basement flat of Mr Whipplestone’s flat, the Chubb’s,the disgusting Sanskrit brother and sister or the drunken Colonel Cockburn-Montfort and his wife.
Alleyn’s old school friend Boomer visits the UK. He is now President of an African country. An assassination attempt is made on his life and the Ambassador is mistakenly killed or is he?Troy appears to paint a portrait of Boomer and Lucy Lockett the extraordinary cat provides a few clues.
The language is a bit dated with racist overtones throughout but the setting and plot is good. The Colonel though as the murderer managed to kill both the horrible Sanskrit’s efficiently which seemed unlikely. Boomer was happy that he did not have to let his spies return to his country as they were nasty people.
An unusual mystery with so few suspects. Sheridan the dubious tenant in the basement flat of Mr Whipplestone’s flat, the Chubb’s,the disgusting Sanskrit brother and sister or the drunken Colonel Cockburn-Montfort and his wife.
Alleyn’s old school friend Boomer visits the UK. He is now President of an African country. An assassination attempt is made on his life and the Ambassador is mistakenly killed or is he?Troy appears to paint a portrait of Boomer and Lucy Lockett the extraordinary cat provides a few clues.
The language is a bit dated with racist overtones throughout but the setting and plot is good. The Colonel though as the murderer managed to kill both the horrible Sanskrit’s efficiently which seemed unlikely. Boomer was happy that he did not have to let his spies return to his country as they were nasty people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2016
Sam the retired Foreign Service officer and his determinedly rescued cat were charming, but insufficient to make up for the author's and characters' racism. Marsh is considerably less simpatica towards Africans than she is to the Maori who more often appear in her novels. And don't bother jumping in with, "That's just how people were Back Then" because this book wasn't written that long ago. It reminded me a bit of another recent read, Speaker of Mandarin; both are later novels by elderly women who attitudes seem dated to a period a decade or three earlier than the pub date.
The mystery itself seemed oddly awkward, with diplomatic strictures taking center stage over clues and characters. And seriously why would .
The mystery itself seemed oddly awkward, with diplomatic strictures taking center stage over clues and characters. And seriously why would .
December 7, 2019
3.5★
Wanda McCaddon does a great narration & her voice for Inspector Alleyn's school friend Boomer was particularly excellent.
As for the book itself, I was surprised to find that this is a Marsh that I had not previously read. I have seen in some of the other reviews that some people had problems with this book's treatment of race. Certainly some of the characters were racist but just as clearly others were not. If you are sensitive about this issue, then it might be better to skip this one.
I thought that the mystery was well done but one big section of the solution was clear to me soon after the initial murder so I reduced my rating by ½ star.
Wanda McCaddon does a great narration & her voice for Inspector Alleyn's school friend Boomer was particularly excellent.
As for the book itself, I was surprised to find that this is a Marsh that I had not previously read. I have seen in some of the other reviews that some people had problems with this book's treatment of race. Certainly some of the characters were racist but just as clearly others were not. If you are sensitive about this issue, then it might be better to skip this one.
I thought that the mystery was well done but one big section of the solution was clear to me soon after the initial murder so I reduced my rating by ½ star.
June 26, 2021
Review of the audiobook narrated by Nadia May
Continuing with my Ngaio Marsh audiobook glom -- largely courtesy of Audible Plus having so many titles in their catalog -- I reached this book, which is rather controversial for its antiquated racial and class biases. The author's attitudes, which are those to be expected from a seventy-nine-year-old lady writing in 1974, did not bother me all that much, although I would not accept them from a contemporary author.
I also cut Dame Marsh some slack for the charming first few chapters, which introduce two pivotal characters -- retired diplomat Mr. Samuel Whipplestone and the stray cat he adopts, Lucy Lockett, whose antics contribute to solving the mystery. It seems clear that Dame Marsh was a cat lover, as her descriptions of Lucy's transformation from feral street cat to Mr. Whipplestone's constant companion ring true to anyone who lives with a cat.
I also enjoyed her portrayal of the president of Ng’ombwana, an African nation newly independent after years of colonialism. He and Alleyn were old school chums, from the days when the now-distinguished president was nicknamed "Boomer." (Nadia May, as narrator, does an excellent job with Boomer's booming voice and Anglo-African accent.) Boomer is a bit of a caricature, but Dame Marsh also portrays him as basically honorable, dedicated, and tolerant but amused by British efforts to protect him during a state visit to London. I liked him immensely.
The mystery involves a group of Brits with ties to Ng’ombwana plotting to assassinate Boomer, and although it is a bit far-fetched, Alleyn's dignity lends the scheme a touch of respectability. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the six that I've read out of this thirty-two-book series. Yes, thirty-two. Miss Marsh's career spanned nearly fifty years, from 1934 to 1982, and she is considered one of the Golden Age's "Queens of Crime," along with Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Margery Allingham.
Continuing with my Ngaio Marsh audiobook glom -- largely courtesy of Audible Plus having so many titles in their catalog -- I reached this book, which is rather controversial for its antiquated racial and class biases. The author's attitudes, which are those to be expected from a seventy-nine-year-old lady writing in 1974, did not bother me all that much, although I would not accept them from a contemporary author.
I also cut Dame Marsh some slack for the charming first few chapters, which introduce two pivotal characters -- retired diplomat Mr. Samuel Whipplestone and the stray cat he adopts, Lucy Lockett, whose antics contribute to solving the mystery. It seems clear that Dame Marsh was a cat lover, as her descriptions of Lucy's transformation from feral street cat to Mr. Whipplestone's constant companion ring true to anyone who lives with a cat.
I also enjoyed her portrayal of the president of Ng’ombwana, an African nation newly independent after years of colonialism. He and Alleyn were old school chums, from the days when the now-distinguished president was nicknamed "Boomer." (Nadia May, as narrator, does an excellent job with Boomer's booming voice and Anglo-African accent.) Boomer is a bit of a caricature, but Dame Marsh also portrays him as basically honorable, dedicated, and tolerant but amused by British efforts to protect him during a state visit to London. I liked him immensely.
The mystery involves a group of Brits with ties to Ng’ombwana plotting to assassinate Boomer, and although it is a bit far-fetched, Alleyn's dignity lends the scheme a touch of respectability. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the six that I've read out of this thirty-two-book series. Yes, thirty-two. Miss Marsh's career spanned nearly fifty years, from 1934 to 1982, and she is considered one of the Golden Age's "Queens of Crime," along with Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Margery Allingham.
January 11, 2020
DAME AGATHA CHRISTIE AND HER PEERS
BOOK 49 - 1973
If you're looking for a book with overt racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny, then this is the book for you....wait, that was Marsh's earlier "Death in Ecstasy"....I'll start again. If you're looking for a book overwhelmingly packed with racism and xenophobia with only a mere touch of homophobia and misogyny, "Black as He's Painted" is for you. I read this hoping a later Marsh work might be a revelation in structure or plot or something and explain this author's fame.
CAST - 2 stars: About some new neighbors: "It wasn't that they were lard fat...it wasn't that the man wore a bracelet and anklet...Monstrous though these grotesqueries undoubtedly were, they were nothing compared with the eyes and mouths of the Sanskrits (from Ng'ombwana-a fake emerging nation in Africa), which were, Mr. Whipplestone now saw with something like panic, equally heavily made up," thought Whipplestone. "They shouldn't be here...People like that," Whipplestone thinks. But he's just bought a house in a new neighborhood and doesn't bother at all to check out a stranger living in the basement and 2 strangers living on the top floor as his "help." When Superintendent Roderick Alleyn is summoned by the Ng'ombwana Ambassador, Alleyn mutters, "God bless his woolly grey head." Okay, you might say, not so bad really. How about Alleyn thinking about scents: "...and the indefinably alien scent of persons of a different colour." I could go on and on: the title of this book should have been enough to warn me. No one here is likeable but perhaps Mrs. George Alleyn (rather, Troy) seems nice. She's asked to paint a portrait of Boomer, the President of Ng'ombwana. (Hilariously, in the space of a day or so, she completes the portrait-seemingly using oils-packs it up and sends it off without time for drying. Ahem...) A rather weak cast. Oh, except for a fascinating cat, Lucy Lockett, who I wouldn't mind having around the house at all. That said, I did like that Marsh starts her novel with a "Cast of Characters," so a second star for the cast listing...and Lucy.
ATMOSPHERE - 2 stars: I liked Whipplestone's newly purchased house but he notes it has a fake Japanese garden, so I'd like to have known what that meant. There is a big embassy party, and water and reflections and colors are described nicely. BUT, still, I wouldn't buy a house in a single day and be okay with 3 strangers living there. Only in bad, bad novels does this happen. Like here.
CRIME - 1 star: There is a gunshot. Then someone is stabbed with a spear. But the author practically screams up front that the gunshot portion of the plot is all a lie, so the crime comes down to a spear through the heart. Nothing new here.
INVESTIGATION - 1 star: Lots of space for more racial and xenophobic slurs. Oh, and a smart cat.
RESOLUTION - 1 star: Didn't care, seemed all rather silly, as if Marsh wrote this just to spout hateful, unfunny remarks. Some kind of international conspiracy to get back at a previous crime. Sort of like a terribly bad take on Dame Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express".
SUMMARY: A generous 1.4 stars, and only because of the beautiful description of the Embassy Party (at which the murder takes place). No, I do not understand this author's appeal at all. At the Embassy, a woman says a black guy hit her...then later its a "...dirty big black man who kicked her..." And, of course, Boomer complains that someone is too pale. Marsh can't help herself and she even tops this one, "Nobody can look quite so eloquently bored as a Negro. The eyes are almost closed, showing a lower rim of white..." before the end of the novel. I'll wrap up my review with a quote from the novel: "Not him. The other black bastard...And the smell: like salad oil or something." Salad oil? Really? Marsh, by any standards, is sometimes absolutely inexplicable.
BOOK 49 - 1973
If you're looking for a book with overt racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny, then this is the book for you....wait, that was Marsh's earlier "Death in Ecstasy"....I'll start again. If you're looking for a book overwhelmingly packed with racism and xenophobia with only a mere touch of homophobia and misogyny, "Black as He's Painted" is for you. I read this hoping a later Marsh work might be a revelation in structure or plot or something and explain this author's fame.
CAST - 2 stars: About some new neighbors: "It wasn't that they were lard fat...it wasn't that the man wore a bracelet and anklet...Monstrous though these grotesqueries undoubtedly were, they were nothing compared with the eyes and mouths of the Sanskrits (from Ng'ombwana-a fake emerging nation in Africa), which were, Mr. Whipplestone now saw with something like panic, equally heavily made up," thought Whipplestone. "They shouldn't be here...People like that," Whipplestone thinks. But he's just bought a house in a new neighborhood and doesn't bother at all to check out a stranger living in the basement and 2 strangers living on the top floor as his "help." When Superintendent Roderick Alleyn is summoned by the Ng'ombwana Ambassador, Alleyn mutters, "God bless his woolly grey head." Okay, you might say, not so bad really. How about Alleyn thinking about scents: "...and the indefinably alien scent of persons of a different colour." I could go on and on: the title of this book should have been enough to warn me. No one here is likeable but perhaps Mrs. George Alleyn (rather, Troy) seems nice. She's asked to paint a portrait of Boomer, the President of Ng'ombwana. (Hilariously, in the space of a day or so, she completes the portrait-seemingly using oils-packs it up and sends it off without time for drying. Ahem...) A rather weak cast. Oh, except for a fascinating cat, Lucy Lockett, who I wouldn't mind having around the house at all. That said, I did like that Marsh starts her novel with a "Cast of Characters," so a second star for the cast listing...and Lucy.
ATMOSPHERE - 2 stars: I liked Whipplestone's newly purchased house but he notes it has a fake Japanese garden, so I'd like to have known what that meant. There is a big embassy party, and water and reflections and colors are described nicely. BUT, still, I wouldn't buy a house in a single day and be okay with 3 strangers living there. Only in bad, bad novels does this happen. Like here.
CRIME - 1 star: There is a gunshot. Then someone is stabbed with a spear. But the author practically screams up front that the gunshot portion of the plot is all a lie, so the crime comes down to a spear through the heart. Nothing new here.
INVESTIGATION - 1 star: Lots of space for more racial and xenophobic slurs. Oh, and a smart cat.
RESOLUTION - 1 star: Didn't care, seemed all rather silly, as if Marsh wrote this just to spout hateful, unfunny remarks. Some kind of international conspiracy to get back at a previous crime. Sort of like a terribly bad take on Dame Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express".
SUMMARY: A generous 1.4 stars, and only because of the beautiful description of the Embassy Party (at which the murder takes place). No, I do not understand this author's appeal at all. At the Embassy, a woman says a black guy hit her...then later its a "...dirty big black man who kicked her..." And, of course, Boomer complains that someone is too pale. Marsh can't help herself and she even tops this one, "Nobody can look quite so eloquently bored as a Negro. The eyes are almost closed, showing a lower rim of white..." before the end of the novel. I'll wrap up my review with a quote from the novel: "Not him. The other black bastard...And the smell: like salad oil or something." Salad oil? Really? Marsh, by any standards, is sometimes absolutely inexplicable.
January 23, 2013
I always enjoy rereading this novel as Mr Whipplestone and Lucy are such delightful characters. The plot is a good tight one and I enjoy the usual display of Ms Marsh's writing skills.
The comments by some readers about racism are puzzling. The comments and attitudes of some of the less pleasant characters are still heard today. Just as loudly and nastily.
For Troy and Rory fans the glimpses of their relationship in the novel is another pleasure. Troy the artist is always fun to 'watch'. And Rory and Fox at work make enjoyable reading.
The embassy makes a marvellous setting and Boomer is indeed as black as he's painted. A clever title indeed.
The comments by some readers about racism are puzzling. The comments and attitudes of some of the less pleasant characters are still heard today. Just as loudly and nastily.
For Troy and Rory fans the glimpses of their relationship in the novel is another pleasure. Troy the artist is always fun to 'watch'. And Rory and Fox at work make enjoyable reading.
The embassy makes a marvellous setting and Boomer is indeed as black as he's painted. A clever title indeed.
August 12, 2024
I can understand why the Daily Telegraph described this book as the best Ngaio Marsh for a long time because it probably is just that.
A quirky storyline with the President of an African country involved in the murder of one of his household ... but was he, himself, the intended victim? And who would want to kill him as he was only visiting the UK and had no known enemies.
Syuperintendent Roderick Alleyn gets the call, mainly because he was a school chum of the President, who was educated in England. Along with assistance from Special Branch the characters of a close-knit community, The Capricorns, all seem to have some connection with the President or his country.
But which of them did the dastardly deed? With the invaluable assistance of a black cat named Lucy Lockett, the mystery is cleverly unravelled and the perpetrator is unmasked. An intelligent and cleverly constructed thriller, which is well worth a read.
A quirky storyline with the President of an African country involved in the murder of one of his household ... but was he, himself, the intended victim? And who would want to kill him as he was only visiting the UK and had no known enemies.
Syuperintendent Roderick Alleyn gets the call, mainly because he was a school chum of the President, who was educated in England. Along with assistance from Special Branch the characters of a close-knit community, The Capricorns, all seem to have some connection with the President or his country.
But which of them did the dastardly deed? With the invaluable assistance of a black cat named Lucy Lockett, the mystery is cleverly unravelled and the perpetrator is unmasked. An intelligent and cleverly constructed thriller, which is well worth a read.
May 30, 2019
Now why didn't the title scare me off as well it should have? Don't bother with this one. Yes, racist.
What I had done last weekend was to sort through all my thousands of post-it notes and scraps of paper to bring everything up to date on one consolidated list for my trips to the library when I should be able to select books I have not yet read and that I have wanted to read. This qualified as one I had not read. Check!
Two stars for the eccentric old gentleman we are introduced to at the beginning of the book, just retired from FO work specializing in a particular (fictional) African nation. Not only does this old man suddenly decide to purchase a particular house with a good prospect on one of his walks, but he unwillingly adopts a small black cat in the neighborhood that plays a part in helping Alleyn solve crime. Quirky much? Indeed. In other words, some unique and humorous elements lined up for enjoyment but for the racism.
What I had done last weekend was to sort through all my thousands of post-it notes and scraps of paper to bring everything up to date on one consolidated list for my trips to the library when I should be able to select books I have not yet read and that I have wanted to read. This qualified as one I had not read. Check!
Two stars for the eccentric old gentleman we are introduced to at the beginning of the book, just retired from FO work specializing in a particular (fictional) African nation. Not only does this old man suddenly decide to purchase a particular house with a good prospect on one of his walks, but he unwillingly adopts a small black cat in the neighborhood that plays a part in helping Alleyn solve crime. Quirky much? Indeed. In other words, some unique and humorous elements lined up for enjoyment but for the racism.
August 19, 2017
I've been giving a lot of these books three stars when I mean 3.5, and I just needed to distinguish this one as difficult for me to deal with by giving it a lower rating. There was a good deal of Troy, which I always like, and some very good Fox moments, and Alleyn interacting with a cat...but the double-whammy of a TON of racism and almost as much fatphobia just made it much more emotional labor than the rest of the series.
February 22, 2025
I picked this up at a used bookstore, then avoided reading it for a while, because older books about race—even those written by well-meaning people—can come across pretty awkwardly. But this ended up exceeding my expectations. The mystery revolves around a visit from the president of a fictional African nation that is beginning to set up its own government after the end of British colonial rule. An ambassador is killed with racism playing a role, and Marsh is admirably straightforward in her condemnations. The novel comes across more as a portrait of a particular transitional moment in history, rather than a moral exercise.
What's actually more interesting about the book is the relationship between President Opala (aka "The Boomer") and Inspector Roderick Alleyn. The two were classmates and friends at an elite prep school when they were young, so they have a personal bond that is tested by their new professional entanglement and their inherent cultural differences. Marsh does well in depicting the complexity of the relationship.
What's actually more interesting about the book is the relationship between President Opala (aka "The Boomer") and Inspector Roderick Alleyn. The two were classmates and friends at an elite prep school when they were young, so they have a personal bond that is tested by their new professional entanglement and their inherent cultural differences. Marsh does well in depicting the complexity of the relationship.
Alleyn felt the corner of his mouth twitch and at the same time was moved by a contradictory sense of compassion. This emotion he realized was entirely inappropriate. He reminded himself that the President of Ng'ombwana was far from being a sort of inspired innocent. He was an astute, devoted, and at times ruthless dictator with, it had to be added, a warm capacity for friendship. He was also extremely observant. "And funny," Alleyn thought, controlling himself. "It's quite maddening for him to be funny as well."
July 16, 2019
Good. A little long.
July 8, 2019
I know - five stars seems like too many considering the complaints other reviewers have posted, but hear me out.
First, Sam Whipplestone and Lucy Locket were enough to make the book worth reading. I would love to see more of them in future books but there aren't many left in the series so I'm not getting my hopes up.
Next, most of the characters were interesting enough to add to the story and give it some depth. The Chubbs, and the Colonel and his wife, were well realized because we got to see a good bit of them. The Sanskrits and Sheridan were more murky due to lack of exposure. But my favorite was His Excellency, The Boomer. He was frustrating, irritating, arrogant, and totally, charmingly adorable, as I think Troy would agree. The glimpses into his school days alongside Rory were sweet little slices of humanity. I would very much like to see more of him as well.
But what really rang for me with what so many others are complaining about - the racism. Yes, it was hard to read because of that element, along with the focus on malevolent fat people. Being a fat person myself I didn't appreciate it. But I felt like Marsh's purpose in being a bit heavy-handed with the racism was along the same lines as Mark Twain using the n-word over 400 times in Huckleberry Finn. It's a way of emphasizing the wrongness of the word/concept and shining a brighter light on the need for reform. The story was written and set in the early 1970s, a time when civil rights and racial rights were very much in the news but still struggling. Using racism as a key point in the plot provided a lot of ways to show that it's a bad thing and that other cultures should be respected for who they are, not who we want them to be. It's a lesson we finally seem to be learning, based on some of the reactions here, but it's not something we should forget or try to erase just because it makes us uncomfortable. You can't change history by ignoring it, and I think Marsh was doing her own part to point that out.
Overall I would recommend this book. If you can keep going through the initial chapters the reading gets easier, and the plot, the characters, and the resolution make it well worth the effort.
First, Sam Whipplestone and Lucy Locket were enough to make the book worth reading. I would love to see more of them in future books but there aren't many left in the series so I'm not getting my hopes up.
Next, most of the characters were interesting enough to add to the story and give it some depth. The Chubbs, and the Colonel and his wife, were well realized because we got to see a good bit of them. The Sanskrits and Sheridan were more murky due to lack of exposure. But my favorite was His Excellency, The Boomer. He was frustrating, irritating, arrogant, and totally, charmingly adorable, as I think Troy would agree. The glimpses into his school days alongside Rory were sweet little slices of humanity. I would very much like to see more of him as well.
But what really rang for me with what so many others are complaining about - the racism. Yes, it was hard to read because of that element, along with the focus on malevolent fat people. Being a fat person myself I didn't appreciate it. But I felt like Marsh's purpose in being a bit heavy-handed with the racism was along the same lines as Mark Twain using the n-word over 400 times in Huckleberry Finn. It's a way of emphasizing the wrongness of the word/concept and shining a brighter light on the need for reform. The story was written and set in the early 1970s, a time when civil rights and racial rights were very much in the news but still struggling. Using racism as a key point in the plot provided a lot of ways to show that it's a bad thing and that other cultures should be respected for who they are, not who we want them to be. It's a lesson we finally seem to be learning, based on some of the reactions here, but it's not something we should forget or try to erase just because it makes us uncomfortable. You can't change history by ignoring it, and I think Marsh was doing her own part to point that out.
Overall I would recommend this book. If you can keep going through the initial chapters the reading gets easier, and the plot, the characters, and the resolution make it well worth the effort.
October 25, 2023
This is a very good entry in the series. We get to see Alleyn and Troy together in "normal" circumstances, and Mr Whipplestone and Lucy are delightful. I also think the mystery is well-done, with several possibilities being uncovered and some suspects I wanted to be innocent.
Unlike a few reviewers, I didn't think this showed the author as particularly bigoted, though there are some elements that don't work today. It's true that the secondary characters are stereotypes. But they almost always are in this type of novel. The story is about the mystery, it's not trying to create an accurate portrayal of people on every level of society. Thus you get femme fatales, bratty little kids, cluelessly innocent vicars, etc. in these books. If you want to read about real people, this probably isn't your genre. I read for character myself, but I leave that behind when I pick up a Golden Age Mystery. What sets the best of these apart is the fact that their MC becomes real to us over the course of the series, the mysteries are varied, and all the clues are present.
NB: I listened to this on audio. Nadia May does an excellent job, except that she mispronounces "Alleyn" sometimes. It should be "Allen", not "Al-line". Marsh makes this clear in several of her books.
Unlike a few reviewers, I didn't think this showed the author as particularly bigoted, though there are some elements that don't work today. It's true that the secondary characters are stereotypes. But they almost always are in this type of novel. The story is about the mystery, it's not trying to create an accurate portrayal of people on every level of society. Thus you get femme fatales, bratty little kids, cluelessly innocent vicars, etc. in these books. If you want to read about real people, this probably isn't your genre. I read for character myself, but I leave that behind when I pick up a Golden Age Mystery. What sets the best of these apart is the fact that their MC becomes real to us over the course of the series, the mysteries are varied, and all the clues are present.
NB: I listened to this on audio. Nadia May does an excellent job, except that she mispronounces "Alleyn" sometimes. It should be "Allen", not "Al-line". Marsh makes this clear in several of her books.
May 8, 2018
Ngaio Marsh came back strong with her 28th book, 1974’s Black as He’s Painted. The president of Ng’ombwana, a newly emerging African nation (in other words, a former colony of England, finally allowed to have its own government), is scheduled to make a state visit to England, and Special Branch is highly concerned. In a recent visit to Mozambique, the president barely escaped a shot at him, and they are afraid someone will try to kill him in England, breaking its record as an assassination- free zone. So Special Branch sends Detective Superintendent Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard to Ng’ombwana to meet with his old school friend, known to his friends as “The Boomer.”
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
September 15, 2022
Late career Marsh story. It’s an interesting mystery with very few suspects. I particularly like the amount of Alleyn in this book.
All that said, it’s really hard to get past the depictions of race in this book. You get the sense Marsh was trying to very race-positive by 70s standards but in 2022 it just comes across as ham fisted and difficult to read.
All that said, it’s really hard to get past the depictions of race in this book. You get the sense Marsh was trying to very race-positive by 70s standards but in 2022 it just comes across as ham fisted and difficult to read.
June 9, 2024
The story opens with Mr. Samuel Whipplestone, recently retired from the Foreign Office. He had told himself that "he was tuned in to retirement and now realized he was in no such condition." He was dissatisfied. He was at loose ends. He felt like he had nothing to look forward to. So he takes a walk in the Capricorn area of London and before he knows it he has acquired a new living space at No. 1, Capricorn Walk as well as new cat. The little cat adopts him and though he tells himself he doesn't want a cat he soon has named her Lucy Locket, bought her a fancy cat bed and a new walking harness, and she's taking over the house. After he's settled in, he takes another walk and runs into an acquaintance form his working days--the Ambassador from Ng'ombwana, a fictional emergent African nation--who invites him to a reception for their president.
Meanwhile...Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn has been roped into the Ng'ombwanan President situation. Alleyn and "the Boomer" (as the President was colloquially known) were at school together. And the Special Branch would like Alleyn's help in keeping the President in check. There are all sorts of factions who would like nothing better than to see the President assassinated--and there have been several attempts on his state visits to various places. The powers that be do not want an attempt to succeed while he is on British soil. It doesn't help that the Boomer believes he is invincible and thinks he ought to be able to flit hither and yon as the fancy takes him or change plans at the last minute so the special guards assigned to him have trouble keeping up. Alleyn is supposed to rely on the "old school tie" to get his friend to behave himself.
After much back and forth, the Boomer agrees, but even though he sticks to plans (mostly) tragedy still strikes. In what looks to be another attempt--at the reception and under Alleyn's and Special Branch's noses--a killer strikes. But it isn't the Boomer he lies dead from a spear thrust...it is the Ambassador. Did the killer miss his mark or are there even deeper political machinations afoot. Alleyn and Gibson (his Special Branch counterpart) have their hands full--dancing around international protocol, working with the Boomer, and sorting out all the folks who might have it in for either the President or the Ambassador. There are people who just don't like blacks, there are people with personal hatred for one or both of the men, and there are those who are disgruntled with Ng'ombwana in general because they were tossed out of the country when the new regime took over. And Sam Whipplestone will come in handy as well--he knew Ng'omwana well at one time, he knows the language, and...he seems to have a large number of the suspects swirling around his neighborhood in Capricorn.
This story has an absolutely delightful beginning. Sam Whipplestone is a treat and I'm so glad that he (unlike another delightful side character in another novel) makes it through the whole plot unscathed. I love how his two sides blend--on the one hand, he's a slightly whimsical man who takes possession of No. 1, Capricorn Walk without a moment's thought and allows Lucy Locket to steal his heart despite his determination that he's not a cat man. On the other hand, he's a very shrewd ex-Foreign Office man who has great insight into the characters milling about the President. His observations are of great value to Alleyn. I also took great delight in Troy and her sessions of painting the Boomer's portrait. She longed to do so and was beside herself when he suggested it. Marsh captures the intensity of the artist at work so well. And the mystery is an interesting one--not terribly complex; one knows the suspects who are at the heart of things right away. But Marsh does manage to give things a bit of a twist to spice things up a bit.
Marsh attempts to address the race question--a topic that was (and still is, to be honest) very prominent at the time. Her success is uneven. I think she does pretty well with Alleyn. I think she manages to show him as unprejudiced as it was possible to be the early 70s, but there are still a few cringy things that are attributed to him. She also manages to show that race relations are more complex than just hating the "other." That various factors can work into a person's reasoning--from hating all of a particular race based on one particular horrifying incident to blaming them for job loss or loss of prestige to just plain greed and the need to be superior to some group of people. There definitely are going to be viewpoints represented here that modern readers will have issue with--but modern readers should keep in mind when this was written.
A good, solid mystery from the latter portion of Marsh's writing career. ★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Meanwhile...Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn has been roped into the Ng'ombwanan President situation. Alleyn and "the Boomer" (as the President was colloquially known) were at school together. And the Special Branch would like Alleyn's help in keeping the President in check. There are all sorts of factions who would like nothing better than to see the President assassinated--and there have been several attempts on his state visits to various places. The powers that be do not want an attempt to succeed while he is on British soil. It doesn't help that the Boomer believes he is invincible and thinks he ought to be able to flit hither and yon as the fancy takes him or change plans at the last minute so the special guards assigned to him have trouble keeping up. Alleyn is supposed to rely on the "old school tie" to get his friend to behave himself.
After much back and forth, the Boomer agrees, but even though he sticks to plans (mostly) tragedy still strikes. In what looks to be another attempt--at the reception and under Alleyn's and Special Branch's noses--a killer strikes. But it isn't the Boomer he lies dead from a spear thrust...it is the Ambassador. Did the killer miss his mark or are there even deeper political machinations afoot. Alleyn and Gibson (his Special Branch counterpart) have their hands full--dancing around international protocol, working with the Boomer, and sorting out all the folks who might have it in for either the President or the Ambassador. There are people who just don't like blacks, there are people with personal hatred for one or both of the men, and there are those who are disgruntled with Ng'ombwana in general because they were tossed out of the country when the new regime took over. And Sam Whipplestone will come in handy as well--he knew Ng'omwana well at one time, he knows the language, and...he seems to have a large number of the suspects swirling around his neighborhood in Capricorn.
This story has an absolutely delightful beginning. Sam Whipplestone is a treat and I'm so glad that he (unlike another delightful side character in another novel) makes it through the whole plot unscathed. I love how his two sides blend--on the one hand, he's a slightly whimsical man who takes possession of No. 1, Capricorn Walk without a moment's thought and allows Lucy Locket to steal his heart despite his determination that he's not a cat man. On the other hand, he's a very shrewd ex-Foreign Office man who has great insight into the characters milling about the President. His observations are of great value to Alleyn. I also took great delight in Troy and her sessions of painting the Boomer's portrait. She longed to do so and was beside herself when he suggested it. Marsh captures the intensity of the artist at work so well. And the mystery is an interesting one--not terribly complex; one knows the suspects who are at the heart of things right away. But Marsh does manage to give things a bit of a twist to spice things up a bit.
Marsh attempts to address the race question--a topic that was (and still is, to be honest) very prominent at the time. Her success is uneven. I think she does pretty well with Alleyn. I think she manages to show him as unprejudiced as it was possible to be the early 70s, but there are still a few cringy things that are attributed to him. She also manages to show that race relations are more complex than just hating the "other." That various factors can work into a person's reasoning--from hating all of a particular race based on one particular horrifying incident to blaming them for job loss or loss of prestige to just plain greed and the need to be superior to some group of people. There definitely are going to be viewpoints represented here that modern readers will have issue with--but modern readers should keep in mind when this was written.
A good, solid mystery from the latter portion of Marsh's writing career. ★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
November 20, 2025
Originally published on my blog here in August 1999.
'The best Ngaio Marsh for a long time' is how the Daily Telegraph greeted the appearance of Black As He's Painted (according to the front cover). By 1975, she had produced quite a long string of disappointing novels, and it wouldn't have taken a great deal to deserve this tag; but in fact Black As He's Painted is one of the best of all Marsh's novels.
The story concerns a visit made by the President of the Commonwealth nation of Ng'omwana, known as "Boomer" to his friends, to London. He insists on dealing with the London police through Alleyn, an old public school friend of his, rather than allowing Special Branch to work directly with him on his security. Special Branch is not happy at his unwillingness to co-operate with their wishes, particularly as the Boomer had survived an assassination attempt only a few months previously. And then the Ng'omwanan ambassador in London is killed at a reception early in the visit, apparently in mistake for the president.
Black as He's Painted is not only a slightly unusual mystery - assassination is usually the province of the thriller, with little difficulty pinning down the identity of the killer. It contains two of Marsh's most appealing characters. The Boomer is a rather larger than life caricature of the post-colonial African politician, but he is great fun. A tendency to patronise the Africans is a flaw in the book, but its attitude towards them is at least of the seventies rather than the thirties.
The second character is the cat Lucy Lockett, whose portrayal will certainly make this book the favourite among those of Marsh's readers who love cats. Rescued from neglect and maltreatment, she not only takes over the life of her new owner but also discovers important clues in the investigation (as cats need no search warrants).
'The best Ngaio Marsh for a long time' is how the Daily Telegraph greeted the appearance of Black As He's Painted (according to the front cover). By 1975, she had produced quite a long string of disappointing novels, and it wouldn't have taken a great deal to deserve this tag; but in fact Black As He's Painted is one of the best of all Marsh's novels.
The story concerns a visit made by the President of the Commonwealth nation of Ng'omwana, known as "Boomer" to his friends, to London. He insists on dealing with the London police through Alleyn, an old public school friend of his, rather than allowing Special Branch to work directly with him on his security. Special Branch is not happy at his unwillingness to co-operate with their wishes, particularly as the Boomer had survived an assassination attempt only a few months previously. And then the Ng'omwanan ambassador in London is killed at a reception early in the visit, apparently in mistake for the president.
Black as He's Painted is not only a slightly unusual mystery - assassination is usually the province of the thriller, with little difficulty pinning down the identity of the killer. It contains two of Marsh's most appealing characters. The Boomer is a rather larger than life caricature of the post-colonial African politician, but he is great fun. A tendency to patronise the Africans is a flaw in the book, but its attitude towards them is at least of the seventies rather than the thirties.
The second character is the cat Lucy Lockett, whose portrayal will certainly make this book the favourite among those of Marsh's readers who love cats. Rescued from neglect and maltreatment, she not only takes over the life of her new owner but also discovers important clues in the investigation (as cats need no search warrants).
November 27, 2021
Okay, let's get it right out there--a lot of the characters here are bigots. There are lots of uncomfortable bits of dialogue. Prejudices openly displayed.
But sorry, revisionists, this is 70s (or perhaps even earlier) Britain, not 2021 in America. This is how people thought, and spoke. If you reject every book that you read that isn't acceptable by modern standards, you will soon run out of books to read! Or you will just read mediocre crap.
Does this book stir your emotions? A "good read" should!
There's an interesting line where Alleyn responds to a nasty remark about black people smelling with "‘An African friend of mine told me that it took him almost a year before he left off feeling faint in lifts during the London rush hours.' " But in another sequence, talking to his old classmate: "‘for the first time... he thought, specifically: “I am speaking to a Negro.”’ It makes for thoughtful reading.
And then there's the imaginary county " Ng'ombwana." Is there an intended throwback to Marsh's name "Ngaio" and to the word "bwana"meaning boss? I know this isn't the sort of book term papers are usually written on, but the social/political depths here make the average Agatha Christie whodunnit look like the cleverly plotted but cardboard stories they are. A lot of good papers could be written based on this book!
This book also features the charming retiree Sam Whipplestone and a remarkable cat. Marsh had a great talent for drawing you into her characters' lives to the point where the mysteries (no matter how well plotted) seem almost a distraction.
So all in all, about a 3.75 for me, because this is difficult reading, yet extremely worthwhile reading.
But sorry, revisionists, this is 70s (or perhaps even earlier) Britain, not 2021 in America. This is how people thought, and spoke. If you reject every book that you read that isn't acceptable by modern standards, you will soon run out of books to read! Or you will just read mediocre crap.
Does this book stir your emotions? A "good read" should!
There's an interesting line where Alleyn responds to a nasty remark about black people smelling with "‘An African friend of mine told me that it took him almost a year before he left off feeling faint in lifts during the London rush hours.' " But in another sequence, talking to his old classmate: "‘for the first time... he thought, specifically: “I am speaking to a Negro.”’ It makes for thoughtful reading.
And then there's the imaginary county " Ng'ombwana." Is there an intended throwback to Marsh's name "Ngaio" and to the word "bwana"meaning boss? I know this isn't the sort of book term papers are usually written on, but the social/political depths here make the average Agatha Christie whodunnit look like the cleverly plotted but cardboard stories they are. A lot of good papers could be written based on this book!
This book also features the charming retiree Sam Whipplestone and a remarkable cat. Marsh had a great talent for drawing you into her characters' lives to the point where the mysteries (no matter how well plotted) seem almost a distraction.
So all in all, about a 3.75 for me, because this is difficult reading, yet extremely worthwhile reading.
December 19, 2025
Roderick Alleyn was at school with the current president of Ng’ombwana – nicknamed The Boomer. The President is on a visit to England and staying in his country’s embassy and the powers that be consider his life is at risk. Alleyn and a colleague from Special Branch are tasked with trying to make him abide by security restrictions – which seems like a losing battle at times.
Close to the Embassy there are several suspicious characters including a brother and sister called Sanskrit who make and sell pottery pigs, and a former army officer from the Ng’ombwanan army and his wife who seem to be perpetually drunk.
When the ambassador is murdered in full view of a hundred invited guests both Alleyn and his SB colleague Fred Gibson feel they have failed. There are plenty of people with motives and plenty of people who have information which could help the police investigation – including Lucy Lockett the cat – who has kleptomaniac tendencies. I really enjoyed this well plotted and amusing story. There are some very unpleasant characters but there are also some very lovable ones including the larger than life President.
There are few authors who can approach Ngaio Marsh’s skill at plotting puzzle style crime stories. This is an excellent example of how to make the pieces fit and leave the reader with a sense of satisfaction even if they didn’t work out who the murderer was. If you enjoy Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Patricia Wentworth and Gladys Mitchell then you will enjoy Ngaio Marsh.
Close to the Embassy there are several suspicious characters including a brother and sister called Sanskrit who make and sell pottery pigs, and a former army officer from the Ng’ombwanan army and his wife who seem to be perpetually drunk.
When the ambassador is murdered in full view of a hundred invited guests both Alleyn and his SB colleague Fred Gibson feel they have failed. There are plenty of people with motives and plenty of people who have information which could help the police investigation – including Lucy Lockett the cat – who has kleptomaniac tendencies. I really enjoyed this well plotted and amusing story. There are some very unpleasant characters but there are also some very lovable ones including the larger than life President.
There are few authors who can approach Ngaio Marsh’s skill at plotting puzzle style crime stories. This is an excellent example of how to make the pieces fit and leave the reader with a sense of satisfaction even if they didn’t work out who the murderer was. If you enjoy Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Patricia Wentworth and Gladys Mitchell then you will enjoy Ngaio Marsh.
March 6, 2018
Нормальная книжка, но звёзд с неба не хватает!!!
Как это ни странно, но одной из королев детектива, Ngaio Marsh, лучше удаётся именно недетективная часть сюжета, то, что было ДО, а вот само расследование порой бывает скучновато!!!
Персонажи просто замечательные: у каждого свой характер, и при минимуме описательных приёмов автору удаётся создать живой, жизнеспособный образ! Настоящий талант!!!!!! Надо было ей писать и "обычные" книжки. Думаю, у неё это неплохо получилось бы!!!
Моя любимая часть - это отношения Родерика и Агаты! Очень трогательно, без стереотипов и по-настоящему!!!
А вот шуточки инспектора в адрес Громобоя мне не понравились (я сам тоже не являюсь сторонником политкорректности ради политкорректности, но тут был явный перебор).
В целом, книжка ничего, хотя преступника я угадал уже где-то в середине книги (ну, ладно, не преступника, а заказчика), поэтому дальше читать было не очень интересно (не угодишь этим читателям!!!).
Как это ни странно, но одной из королев детектива, Ngaio Marsh, лучше удаётся именно недетективная часть сюжета, то, что было ДО, а вот само расследование порой бывает скучновато!!!
Персонажи просто замечательные: у каждого свой характер, и при минимуме описательных приёмов автору удаётся создать живой, жизнеспособный образ! Настоящий талант!!!!!! Надо было ей писать и "обычные" книжки. Думаю, у неё это неплохо получилось бы!!!
Моя любимая часть - это отношения Родерика и Агаты! Очень трогательно, без стереотипов и по-настоящему!!!
А вот шуточки инспектора в адрес Громобоя мне не понравились (я сам тоже не являюсь сторонником политкорректности ради политкорректности, но тут был явный перебор).
В целом, книжка ничего, хотя преступника я угадал уже где-то в середине книги (ну, ладно, не преступника, а заказчика), поэтому дальше читать было не очень интересно (не угодишь этим читателям!!!).
September 26, 2020
I just couldn't get into this story about a country getting independence and the former colonials and the way it was all mixed up.
9/26/20 I just finished rereading. By today's standards, it's nonPC. A large number of the characters hate blacks, it's quite harsh on the differences between blacks and whites and their society and history, and there's a good bit about the unattractiveness of fat people thrown in as a side dish. In addition, there's resentment by the police about the off-limits features of Embassies. Alleyn,if not bending the rules, is definitely stretching them regularly. The cat is about the only attractive feature of the book.
9/26/20 I just finished rereading. By today's standards, it's nonPC. A large number of the characters hate blacks, it's quite harsh on the differences between blacks and whites and their society and history, and there's a good bit about the unattractiveness of fat people thrown in as a side dish. In addition, there's resentment by the police about the off-limits features of Embassies. Alleyn,if not bending the rules, is definitely stretching them regularly. The cat is about the only attractive feature of the book.
June 5, 2018
This was my first book in the series so it was a bit difficult to catch up on who the characters all were but it was a marvelous, tautly written book. I will be looking for other books in the series. I especially enjoyed the byplay between Alleyn and Fox.
October 26, 2022
Book 28 of the incombustible Roderick Alleyn, for whom the years do not seem to pass. The first book is from 1934 and in it Rory was already in his forties, this one is from 1974, and he is still active and as fit as a fiddle...The magic of fiction 😉
September 4, 2024
I truly do love the Christie, Allingham and Marsh sett. They have always brought me joy and nostalgia for a fictional early twentieth century. Marsh is a wonderful writer of comfy crime novels that question the readers view and happen across the class system which is so clearly defined in novels of the time.
I did enjoy this story and some of the characters. I especially enjoyed learning more about Troy and Rory. It kept me interested from start to finish and I was deeply invested in all of the characters.
However, for a book published in the 70's I thought the noble savage bit was uncomfortable. I always give the benefit of the doubt to writers of a time but this seems later than I expected, perhaps this was the point. I also often offer the benefit of the doubt if a writer includes some characters who make racist or derogatory comments. As I think that to remove all racism would be tantamount to suggesting that it never happened. Also it gives us an indication of something that is being fought against or the political standing of the fictional world.
Unfortunately, I am not certain that this was the case in this book. There are comments throughout from all characters that at best could be suggested to be accepting in a way that is still deeply racist. The noble savage is only the brink of the iceberg. If you can ignore the terms used for black characters, which may or may not have been acceptable at the time, then you are still left with the black characters being not only treated as other but also as simple or uncivilised by most of the main cast.
Perhaps her point was to say even her main character is flawed and makes comments that could be questioned or maybe his view was more acceptable at the time and she was hoping to encourage this way forward? I'm not sure, I wasn't alive and I haven't read other novels with this sort of background if I am honest.
I struggled with this book and I am guilty happy to be moving onto others in her anthology. As I said I did enjoy the plot but it was difficult to ignore the problematic comments. Perhaps that was Marsh's intention I do not know. I do know found it difficult and walked away feeling uncomfortable by association.
I did enjoy this story and some of the characters. I especially enjoyed learning more about Troy and Rory. It kept me interested from start to finish and I was deeply invested in all of the characters.
However, for a book published in the 70's I thought the noble savage bit was uncomfortable. I always give the benefit of the doubt to writers of a time but this seems later than I expected, perhaps this was the point. I also often offer the benefit of the doubt if a writer includes some characters who make racist or derogatory comments. As I think that to remove all racism would be tantamount to suggesting that it never happened. Also it gives us an indication of something that is being fought against or the political standing of the fictional world.
Unfortunately, I am not certain that this was the case in this book. There are comments throughout from all characters that at best could be suggested to be accepting in a way that is still deeply racist. The noble savage is only the brink of the iceberg. If you can ignore the terms used for black characters, which may or may not have been acceptable at the time, then you are still left with the black characters being not only treated as other but also as simple or uncivilised by most of the main cast.
Perhaps her point was to say even her main character is flawed and makes comments that could be questioned or maybe his view was more acceptable at the time and she was hoping to encourage this way forward? I'm not sure, I wasn't alive and I haven't read other novels with this sort of background if I am honest.
I struggled with this book and I am guilty happy to be moving onto others in her anthology. As I said I did enjoy the plot but it was difficult to ignore the problematic comments. Perhaps that was Marsh's intention I do not know. I do know found it difficult and walked away feeling uncomfortable by association.
April 12, 2025
As far as mysteries go, this one is just so-so. The overall story itself is intriguing enough. It's the rest of it that manages to get in the way.
Firstly, we have a story in which race is a central theme. Given that the book is from the early 1970s, I'd say that there is an intent to portray black and African characters in a positive light. And yet, certain descriptions and adjectives are prevalent enough to induce some cringeworthy moments. There are also several blatantly racist characters within the book, which then features some derogatory language. It's not reasonable to expect a book from the 70s to have the cultural and racial sensitivity of the 2020s, but that doesn't stop the occasional wince at the language contained within. I'm also unsure how I feel with some of these blatantly racist people being portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic manner.
Meanwhile, we have a pair of siblings who are described as disgustingly obese (it's also hinted that the brother is gay) and who are constantly reviled for their physical appearance. It's just very interesting to me that a racist can be portrayed as a tragic figure, but fat people are vilified for their weight.
Problematic motifs aside, the plot and mystery of this book were a little too straightforward. Much of the story was focused on ambassadorial procedures, stakeouts, and empty conversations rather than motives, opportunity, and the like. This didn't feel like a particularly compelling mystery the entire way through, but rather interesting bits here and there that only partially kept me engaged. Not awful, but not the author's best work.
Firstly, we have a story in which race is a central theme. Given that the book is from the early 1970s, I'd say that there is an intent to portray black and African characters in a positive light. And yet, certain descriptions and adjectives are prevalent enough to induce some cringeworthy moments. There are also several blatantly racist characters within the book, which then features some derogatory language. It's not reasonable to expect a book from the 70s to have the cultural and racial sensitivity of the 2020s, but that doesn't stop the occasional wince at the language contained within. I'm also unsure how I feel with some of these blatantly racist people being portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic manner.
Meanwhile, we have a pair of siblings who are described as disgustingly obese (it's also hinted that the brother is gay) and who are constantly reviled for their physical appearance. It's just very interesting to me that a racist can be portrayed as a tragic figure, but fat people are vilified for their weight.
Problematic motifs aside, the plot and mystery of this book were a little too straightforward. Much of the story was focused on ambassadorial procedures, stakeouts, and empty conversations rather than motives, opportunity, and the like. This didn't feel like a particularly compelling mystery the entire way through, but rather interesting bits here and there that only partially kept me engaged. Not awful, but not the author's best work.
February 18, 2023
Tricky. Marsh seems to have worked hard to create a reasonable and fair portrait of an African leader of a newly-independent country. Within the boundaries of 1973, she is relatively successful; but looking at the story today, you can see the gaps in her/the characters’ understanding, and the atmosphere of tolerance rather than empathy, which dates badly. And, honestly, she seems to have worked so hard at character that the mystery itself is a bit of an afterthought. My favorite parts are less about the Boomer or the murders and more about Troy and Alleyn working in parallel. And the cat is quite charming.
March 26, 2020
Racism is at the heart of this novel. And a cat. The cat was more interesting.
A very slow start. The fact that the Ku-Klux-Fish is behind this is obvious from the start. And the entire story is just one long yarn to figure out why.
A very slow start. The fact that the Ku-Klux-Fish is behind this is obvious from the start. And the entire story is just one long yarn to figure out why.
February 9, 2022
Saying that this book is politically incorrect would probably be an understatement. Written in the 1970's, at the end of Marsh's career and life, it was worse in tone than I expected. I'll probably just recycle this book, and read earlier Marsh works if I'm so inclined.
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