Death Of A Fool [Print] [Paperback]

Ngaio Marsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1983

Pagan revelry and morris dancing in the middle of a very cold winter set the scene for one of Ngaio Marsh's most fascinating murder mysteries. When the pesky Anna Bunz arrives at Mardian to investigate the rare survival of folk-dancing still practised there, she quickly antagonizes the villagers. But Mrs Bunz is not the only source of friction -- two of the other enthusiasts are also spoiling for a fight. When the sword dancers' traditional mock beheading of the Winter Solstice becomes horribly real, Superintendent Roderick Alleyn finds himself faced with a case of great complexity and of gruesome proportions...

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Dance of the Five Sons has been performed at the winter solstice for over 200 years. William (a.k.a "The Guiser") Andersen, the village blacksmith, maintains the old traditions, vigorously rehearsing his sons in their accustomed roles. This year the Guiser's never-before-seen granddaughter has come for a visit. Another newcomer is Mrs. Bonz, the morris dance fanatic; her relentless questions and constant snooping are annoying the whole village. Even worse, Ernie, the youngest Andersen brother, has become dissatisfied with his customary role. Still, the performance goes on as usual, at least until the finale. The Guiser's character is supposed to rise from the dead; instead, he is discovered with his head cut off. Scotland Yard detective superintendent Roderick Alleyn is called in, investigates, and, as always, solves the case. Alas, the descriptions are excessively long and tedious. Even Nadia May's flexible voice and expert reading cannot impart interest to the rather wooden detective and his scanty deductive processes. Fortunately, the supporting characters, while stereotypical, radiate warmth and charm. Death of a Fool may be one of the worst books ever written by this first-class mystery author. Recommended for moderate to large libraries with a strong demand for classic mysteries. I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

'The incomparable Ngaio Marsh.' Daily Express 'Mrs Marsh's work has the hallmark of the master. She is at the top of her form. Definitely first-class plus.' Queen 'The finest writer in the English language of the pure, classical puzzle whodunit. Among the crime queens, Ngaio Marsh stands out as an Empress.' The Sun --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Jove (October 15, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515075035
• ISBN-13: 978-0515075038
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,501,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique blend of folklore, murder and village life..., August 30, 2000

By 

MK Writer "hedwig_owl" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of a Fool (St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

It's time for the men of the Andersen clan to re-enact the annual Dance of the Five Swords. Don't let the fact that they unite every year for this tradition fool you into thinking that this is a peaceful family - All of the Andersen men chafe under the rule of their father/grandfather, William Andersen (AKA "The Guiser") who has held a tight fist over the family smithy and cash, not to mention every single member of his family, especially Ernie the "slow" one. There are also others in the village who manage to antagonize each other. Still, the last thing anyone expects is for one of the dancers to die in a gruesome manner, mid-dance. An excellent tale - it blends Marsh's gifts for mystery, character and observation.

4.0 out of 5 stars Intricate plot, colloquial dialect, June 14, 2008

By 

Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This work has Marsh's usual cast of characters: Alleyn, Fox, Bailey, Thompson, & Curtis. The mystery is rather intricate. Some of it is discernible IMHO, but some is not. The characters are interesting but some seem like charicatures. William Andersen's dialect was impossible to understand; many other characters (as usual in Marsh books) use many British idioms not readily understood in the US. But, these are annoyances only. "The Play's the Thing." The 5 Sword Dance, a continuation of an ancient pagan ritual, is described in great detail. Interestingly, I was reading the entry on Dancing in the encyclopedia Man, Myth & Magic, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural 24 Volume Complete Set (or Man, Myth and Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural (24-Vol. Set)) at the time! Synchronicity--per C. Jung (see The Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and Self). There's a lot of psychology in Alleyn's solution to the case. What amazes me the most though is how people (assuming Marsh's characterizations are realistic) can be so foolish in dealing with a murder investigation. But, "it takes all kinds..." It's a pretty good mystery, I liked the ritual aspects, but not her best IMHO. This novel is included in: FIVE COMPLETE NOVELS SCALES OF JUSTICE DEATH OF A FOOL TIED UP IN TINSEL GRAVE MISTAKE PHOTO FINISH

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A morass of mysteries, secrets and sins, March 13, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of a Fool (A Roderick Alleyn Mystery)(Library Edition) (Audio CD)

To celebrate the Winter Solstice, the swordsmen of South Mardian intricately weave their blades in an ancient ritual dance. When one of their number is found decapitated, this hallowed fertility rite is corrupted into a pageant of death. Inspector Roderick Alleyn is called upon to solve the murder and in doing so finds himself plunged into a morass of mysteries, secrets and sins of this eccentric group, along with a surly blacksmith, a domineering dowager, and a not-so-simple village idiot. Blackstone Audiobooks is a premier audiobook publisher with a justifiable reputation of technically flawless recordings. Their complete and unabridged, ten hour, CD edition of master mystery writer Nagaio Marsh's Death Of A Fool is dramatically narrated by Nadia May. A very highly recommended, "theater of the mind" listening experience for mystery buffs in general, and Nagaio Marsh fans in particular, Death Of A Fool is also available in an unabridged audio cassette format ...