Photo Finish

Ngaio Marsh

8/26/2008

Troy Alleyn has been invited to New Zealand to paint the portrait of one of the great living opera singers. Isabella Sommita is a great soprano. Her friend Montague Reece cares for her and is responsible for her entourage. Reece sends the invitation to Troy. Her husband, Roderick Alleyn, is also invoted. Reece wants Alleyn to help identify the annoying photographer who has been stalking the diva and showing her at her worst.

Although Alleyn isn't sure he wants to go, Troy is excited for the chance to paint the famous woman. They go to the island on the coast of the South Island to visit Reece's grand home where Isabella Sommita is preparing to sing a new opera written for her by her current lover. The premiere is two days after the Alleyns' arrival. Troy only has time to draw some preliminary sketches before the diva is tied up in rehearsals and preparations.

A select group of people are invited to the island. The show is...terrible. The author has realized how bad the opera is but Sommita had overruled him and put on the show anyway. He tries to apologize after the show. She goes into one of her famous rages and storms off to her own room. The guests go to dinner, then start leaving to avoid the major storm approaching the island. The staff, entourage, and guests still in the house are isolated due to the storm. When someone starts screaming they learn they are isolated with a body - Sommita's.

Alleyn doesn't have any jurisdiction in New Zealand but Reece asks him to take over the investigation until the New Zealand police can get to the house. That can't happen until the storm and the water settle - in about 24 hours. Fortunately there's a doctor in the people still in the home who can help. Troy is able to help with her drawings and supplies. Almost everyone else is a suspect. Alleyn has to maintain the scene of the crime and follow what clues he can until he can turn all the information over to the proper authorities.

Ngaio Marsh was considered one of the grande dames of classic English mystery. Photo Finish was one of her last novels. It gives a nice example of her work and what made her great. At times she frustrated the reader when Alleyn explained something to other characters but the reader didn't get to know what he is thinking. But she wrote true detective novels. The reader is allowed to follow the clues and come to a conclusion of his/her own. Nope, I didn't figure it out.

Perhaps you can. Try Photo Finish or any of Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn mysteries.

You can find more about this book at .

The Series:

A Man Lay Dead
Enter a Murderer
The Nursing Home Murder
Death in Ecstacy
Vintage Murder
Artists in Crime
Death in a White Tie
Overture to Death
Death at the Bar
Death of a Peer
Death and the Dancing Footman
Colour Scheme
Died in the Wool
Final Curtain
A Wreath for Rivera
Night at the Vulcan
Spinsters in Jeopardy
Scales of Justice
Death of a Fool
Singing in the Shrouds
False Scent
Hand in Glove
Dead Water
Killer Dolphin
Clutch of Constables
When in Rome
Tied Up in Tinsel
Black as He's Painted
Last Ditch
Grave Mistake
Photo Finish
Light Thickens