The brilliant glitter of a London social season acquires badly tarnished edges when a blackmailer goes to work against some of England's most notable social lions and lionesses. Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn turns to one of his friends, Lord "Bunchy" Gospell, known as everybody's favorite uncle and a very smart investigator in his own right, for help in uncovering the blackmailer.
And then there is a murder. And Alleyn finds himself deeply involved in the hunt for a ruthless killer and determined blackmailer in Ngaio Marsh's 1938 Golden Age classic, Death in a White Tie
To me, this is one of Marsh's strongest books - only the seventh she wrote about Alleyn and his investigative team. Her characters are strong, her setting, the "coming out" parties of London's high society, is beautifully described and envisioned. Marsh could be a very good writer indeed, and readers will find a good deal of pleasure in her prose.
What we have in Death in a White Tie – as is so often the case with Ngaio Marsh’s best novels – is something of a grand comedy of manners mixed with a murder investigation and more than a touch of blackmail. It is a potent mix. Death in a White Tie has been reprinted by the Felony & Mayhem Press, and I do recommend it to you.
The 2015 Bingo Challenge
I have already mentioned that I am participating in the 2015 Vintage Mystery Bingo challenge. The Bingo card has 36 squares to be filled by reading a book appropriate to each square's instructions. Death in a White Tie is my entry for the square (sixth row, sixth column) called Eat, Drink & Be Merry: featuring food, drink or a party.
Les - I agree with you about this one being one of Marsh's stronger entries into this series. Along with the well-taken points you've brought up here, I've always liked Marsh's use of dialogue and wit. In my opinion, both come through here.
Posted by: Margot Kinberg | January 19, 2015 at 08:18 AM
Yes, Les! I'll third the points that you and Margot agree on. And second Margot's mention of dialogue and wit. This is probably my favorite novel by Marsh. As I said in my review when I read this (again) last year: There are so many things I enjoy about this tale of murder and blackmail amongst the London Society at the height of the Season--from the witty dialogue, to the scenes at the various society dos (debutante balls and teas and Agatha Troy's one-man art show), to the understated romance between Alleyn and Troy, to his affection for his mother, to the undercurrents of gossip in the chaperone circle at the dance. It's all so veddy, veddy British and elegant and well-done. And Marsh presents us with one of the most sympathetic victims--who doesn't want Bunchy's killer found and punished to the full extent of the law?
Posted by: Bev Hankins | January 19, 2015 at 08:35 AM
Margot and Bev, agreed (again) on all points, particularly on the wit. And this is, I think, one of the most sympathetic of Marsh's victims. Too many Golden Age novelists used the victim pretty much as a colorless starting point (or the character was unpleasant enough that the reader wouldn't care about him/her). Not so in this case, where Marsh takes some time to build that character and to make us care about him, as the other characters in the book cared about him.
Posted by: Les Blatt | January 19, 2015 at 09:20 AM