Off with His Head/Singing in the Shrouds/False Scent

Roderick Alleyn

by Ngaio Marsh

Commemorating 75 years since the Empress of Crime's first book, the seventh volume in a set of omnibus editions presenting the complete run of 32 Inspector Alleyn mysteries.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Murder Mystery, Golden Age Mystery

672 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2009

About the author

Dame 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

Reviews

[Monica Akinyi Odhiambo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this collection from the library,my dad says she is among the best legendary writers of her time,and I believe him.Her mysteries are very intriguing,its always nice when Inspector Alleyn steps in and tries to find out who did the crimes.I just love how conservative the books are,The English is impeccable and very British,interesting how its adapted over time.The book I loved the most was Singing in the Shrouds,all of them are good but this one got me.The characters were very intriguing.Beautiful

[Diane Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ngaio Marsh. So much. I love Roderick Alleyn. So much! False Scent is a masterpiece. The whole thing takes place in less than 24 hours, in one house, and the house next door. Yet it presents characters that are so deep, so rich, so unforgettable you feel you know them, or want to know them, or wish you knew them. It's about theater actors and a play. It's written like a play. Act I, the Birthday Party; Act II, The Murder Discovered; Act III, The Perfect Solution. Genius. The others are fabulous, as is everything Ngaio Marsh wrote. I love these omnibus editions. I don't have to wait to start the next book. And they look so pretty on the shelf!

[Martin Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing of the Alleyn books gets better and better as you run through the series. This omnibus takes me through the 21st book Ngaio Marsh wrote with Roderick Alleyn as the police protagonist. Yes there are things that all the books share in common, especially in terms of who may have committed the crime and guessing the victim isn't that difficult either. But it's the way the books are written that keeps you interested.

Of the three books I liked Singing in The Shrouds the least, partly because of the setting, on a boat heading to South Africa. Off with his head is set in the country, with the locals having thickly written accents, that may pall with some people. False Scent is set amongst "theatre people", clearly Ngaio Marsh loved the theatre.

Worth a read, or re-read.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the story "Off with His Head" was the only story I had read by Ngaio Marsh, I would not read another of her stories. I found this mystery confusing and frustrating and had to force myself to finish reading. I really didn't care about the murderer or the victim.

The other two mysteries partially made up for this one and raised my rating from a 1.5 to 3.

[Susan Madon · Rating 5 out of 5]

During Covid I reread or listened to all of the Ngao Marsh books, many for the second time. Her love for theater and her home country of New Zealand is evident and provides fascinating insights into both. Excellently plotted books and solid characters, especially Inspector Alleyn and his artist wife, Troy.

[Snigdha Pattnaik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ngaio Marsh is always a treat.

[Lupin Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great group of stories. Set in the 30’s and 40’s good author!

[Pers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good!

[Lexie Conyngham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I don't have this edition, so I've only read Off with his Head and Singing in the Shrouds. Both tremendously good with a short list of suspects and a real puzzle. Off with his Head was one where I remembered the setting very clearly after twenty years, but not the plot so much.

[Kel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing murder centered around an old British folklore dance. I guessed the mastermind behind the murder, but not all the salient details.

[Lauren Burnham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ngaio Marsh creates such rich characters.