
Artists in Crime
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Narrated by:
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Philip Franks
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By:
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Ngaio Marsh
About this listen
One of Ngaio Marsh’s most famous murder mysteries, which introduces Inspector Alleyn to his future wife, the irrepressible Agatha Troy.
It started as a student exercise, the knife under the drape, the model’s pose chalked in place. But before Agatha Troy, artist and instructor, returns to the class, the pose has been reenacted in earnest: the model is dead, fixed forever in one of the most dramatic poses Troy has ever seen.
It’s a difficult case for Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn. How can he believe that the woman he loves is a murderess? And yet no one can be above suspicion....
©1938 Original Text of 1938 by Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette AudioCritic reviews
Brilliant
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Excellent
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Highly Recommend
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Wrong name
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Narration was brilliant
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Wonderful narration by Philip Frank'
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The pronunciation of Alleyn grates
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This particular novel (the sixth in the series) is the best one yet. In addition to being a really well-crafted and plotted mystery, it offers a window into a time that's not all that distant, but which is already very much a foreign country. The characters are superbly written and (unlike Christie's characters) rounded and three-dimensional; it's hard to sympathise with some of their more essentialist ways of reasoning, but it really seems like these are realistic people, whose lives are shaped by their time. And Alleyn's mother is a lovely character (very much like Lord Peter Wimsey's mother, to make a comparison to another Golden Age detective.)
There is a romantic sub-plot, which never takes over the story, but is relevant to the overall story arch. In addition, passion, real or simulated, shows up in various forms. The effects, positive or negative, of passion are the driving force underlying almost everything – but we are never subjected to it directly, only to its traces.
The performance is excellent, and I did not notice any of the audio problems reported by other reviewers.
Highly recommended, but read the earlier novels first
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Brilliant!
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What made the experience of listening to Artists in Crime the most enjoyable?
Obviously, to me, the experience of hearing one of the few New Zealand authors to belong in the Golden Age of murder mysteries. Ngaio Marsh was also a member of The Detection Club in the UK in the 1930's.Philip Franks does a superb job on this book. The characters are clearly sketched but not overdone (he even manages to get the Australian accent about right).
Overall, I'd have to say that this is my favourite Marsh book. The story combined with the narration make it a pure joy to listen to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Artists in Crime?
The first meeting between Troy and Alleyn.Which character – as performed by Philip Franks – was your favourite?
To be honest, they all were. He did such a great job.Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No real emotional reaction. This book (and the others by Ngaio Marsh) rate up there with Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. They're what I'd call cozy murders.Any additional comments?
Can we have the rest please?At last, more Golden Age Mysteries!
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