Customer Reviews

False Scent

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mary Bellamy is an aging actress, given to fits of jealousy and paranoia, who can go from charming to vindictive in less than ten seconds. So really, no one should have been too surprised when someone takes the aptly named "Slaypest" insecticide that Mary uses on her flowers, and kills her with it. Suddenly, those closest to Mary - her adopted son, devoted husband, faithful maid, old nanny, personal stylist/designer, old admirer and theatre colleagues are suspected of murder. A particularly good read if you are at all familiar with the inner-workings of the theatre and the mentality of theatre folk.

Published in 1959, FALSE SCENT finds Ngaio Marsh setting her scene among London's theatre folk--and to wickedly witty effect. Mary Bellamy, famous for her "v" shaped smile and her way with light comedy, has long been known as one of the leading lights of the stage. Indeed, it may have been a bit too long: her temper tantrums have become as legendary as her career, and her 50th birthday provides ample showcase for them. Before the day is out she will snap, snarl, create two extremely nasty scenes--and end up dead, literally a victim of her own vanity.

Marsh is renowned for her skill at creating both memorable characters and settings, and she often gives her novels a theatrical background; it was world she knew well, and she digs her nails into every scrap of it. But Marsh's plots are not always the equal of her literary skill, and this is somewhat true of FALSE SCENT; although the novel is tremendous fun, a good many readers will spot the killer midway through the book. Still, with Marsh getting there is often the fun, and while FALSE SCENT doesn't really stand among the best of her best, it is a vastly entertaining reading. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

I'm a mystery lover, and a book reader in general, but had never tried audiobooks until a couple of weeks ago, when I bought this one for a road trip. What a thrill! This reader is a BRILLIANT actor... in terms of characterizations of the typically wide range of class accents in this sort of British murder mystery, as well as inflection in long spells of narrative, he is superb. I almost regret having heard his performance, as I've since been listening to a "Miss Silver" mystery from another company (and reader), and have been disappointed by a bland delivery and some distracting problems with audio levels. I'm going to check out EVERY audio book read by JAmes Saxon, though-- "False Scent" was spellbinding. I'm a convert to the format, and looking forward to my commutes with future Marsh/Saxon volumes.

Oh yes-- the book itself is wonderful, as are all Ngaio Marsh novels.

To be "done in" at one's own birthday party is not exactly what one would wish for! But in
Ngaio Marsh's "False Scent," this is what happens. Kind of. Famed--and much revered--Mary
Bellamy of the London stage takes a whiff of her favorite perfume, and, poof, she's dead!

In typical Marsh fashion, of course, "False Scent" is off to the races, once again with
Superintendent Roderick Alleyn on the "scent," as it were. No odor is too powerful for him! The
allure of such crimes keeps him (and Marsh) going. The taciturn Alleyn moves in and out of the
local theatre circuit (or perhaps "circus") and methodically, systematically, and accurately
categorizing all clues, false and otherwise (and Marsh is good at this, too, as she's proved in over 30
such novels!).

What a web Dame Marsh weaves and what a journey it is for her readers. Hold on to your seats,
this a blockbuster! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

false scent -

1. (as a phrase) a trail mistakenly believed to lead to the quarry, especially such a trail laid with the intention of deflecting pursuit or misleading an investigation

2. (from the individual words) a perfume that is either not genuine or that is treacherous

- from the SHORTER OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY

I recommend the unabridged recording narrated by James Saxon. Ngaio Marsh's books appear to best advantage when performed rather than simply read (possibly her work as a playwright makes the dialogue specially effective that way).

FALSE SCENT is one of Marsh's mysteries set in the world of the theatre (like most of them, specifically the London stage). The entire action of the book takes place in a single day and night, the fiftieth birthday of the famous comedic actress Mary Bellamy (not that many people officially know her age, apart from her devoted dresser/personal maid Florence, her often-forgotten doting husband Charles Templeton, and her elderly ex-nurse, Ninn - who enjoys drinking port and being outrageous). The point of view in the first portion of the book rotates through various members of the cast, beginning with the intended victim's dream of her own funeral tributes, fading into the actual tributes offered to her on her birthday.

Although she's a comedic actress who fancies herself charming and generous, dealing with Mary Bellamy has been anything but a laugh of late for those close to her. In reality, she demands absolute devotion from everyone, reducing them to satellites in her orbit, seeking her permission before forming professional relationships with anyone else. This ranges from her old cronies dress designer Bertie Saracen (whose fame grew by association with her) and supporting actress Pinky Cavendish (who is finally being offered leading roles, not just opportunities to be upstaged by Mary), and not least her quasi-adopted son Richard Dakers (whose first few plays were written for Mary, but who wants to write serious work for which she isn't suited). Richard in particular is headed for a disastrous quarrel with his guardian, having not only written a leading role for which Mary would never even be considered, but for embarking without his guardian's knowledge on a serious relationship with Anelida Lee, a young actress who can perform in more than a single restricted genre. Anelida, as both the female romantic lead and someone outside Mary Bellamy's own circle, is used more frequently than most as the viewpoint character, as she is involved in events without being on intimate terms with most of the other players in the story.

(One mystery *not* overlooked in the book is why Mary's constant threats to go to "the Management" whenever she's angry with another person of the theatre world are taken so very seriously by everyone around her.)

In fact, Mary Bellamy's increasingly frequent fits of jealous rage bring her into conflict with everyone close to her on the last day of her life, her quarrels ranging from her choice of perfume for her grand birthday party to her insistence on exclusive commitments from professional contacts. When Mary is found dead after a particularly violent quarrel during her party, the only detail surprising to a detached observer is that she didn't die of a stroke, but of poison.

Once Alleyn arrives on the scene, the pace of the story slows down a good bit as he pries the facts of Mary's final quarrels out of her intimates - matters to which the reader is already privy, which may tempt the unwary into ignoring signs of more interesting avenues of investigation as they are slipped into the interviews. To paraphrase Agatha Christie, in fact, it becomes apparent that this murder is the *end* of a story - the climax of an escalating series of events that Alleyn only gradually uncovers.

Drive-in totals/summary:

- Two deaths.

- Macbeth reference (the title of Richard's new play is taken from one of Marsh's favourite scenes)

- Multiple jealous rages (at least three in the course of the story, but only one "on camera", so they don't become repetitive)

- A profusion of flowers in various contexts: bought by Richard for his girl rather than his guardian, the decorations created by Saracen, a window box with a deadly sprayer of insecticide, and one unaccounted-for bouquet in the victim's bedroom.

Ms. Marsh consistently delivers characters with warmth and

an absorbing plot. Always a treat!

This is one of my favorites of the 30 Marsh novels I've read--2 more to go. As usual it centers on the theater & theatrical personalities. Alleyn & his usual crew are there though no Troy or Bathgate. The story is good, though perhaps not great, but the writing is superb. There are some delicious scenes, quite a bit of humor, & some wisdom to boot. The title is not the only pun either. Overall, it's a fine novel that happens to contain a mystery--with Marsh, the 1st ½ of a book are often the context or background with Alleyn arriving about ½ way through it. My favorite "literary" or humorous quotes are:

p. 27: When are we to tuck up our sleeves & lay all our plots & plans?

p. 37: He bought his presents in inverse ration to the monetary situation of the recipients.

p. 105: It has been said of Mr. Fox that his arrival at any scene of disturbance has the effect of a large & almost silent vacuum cleaner.

p. 228: that horde of extroverts in the dining room.

My favorite wisdom oriented quotes are:

p. 125: There can be no dictator whose discomfiture will not bring some slight degree of pleasure, to his most ardent disciples.

p. 141: `You don't ,' old Ninn said, `feel the want of what you've never had.'

p. 157: He had learned to recognize the point at which persistence defeats its own ends.

p. 175: One does a great disservice to the dead when one praises them inaccurately.

All in all, it's a most enjoyable work to read. It is also available in a collection: Another Three-Act Special: Three Complete Mysteries & in a more recent paperback edition--False Scent.